Figure 9. Ranunculus 

 cardiophvllus growing in 

 Potentilla fruticosa - 

 Festuca scabrella h.t. ; 

 locally dominated by Phleum 

 pratense 



(Note: West Butte is in 

 background, looking south) 



Associated wetland plants 

 include: Juncus balticus , 

 Carex aurea, and Hierochloe 

 odorata . Other associated 

 species include: Galium 

 boreale, Potentilla 

 glandulosa , Festuca idahonis , 

 Ziqadenus eleqans . Geranium 

 viscossisimum , Perideridia 

 qairdneri , Botrvchium lunaria 

 and Sisyrinchium montanum . 



TOPOGRAPHY: Sweetgrass Hills sites are in headwater spurs and 

 meadows above watercourses, near the base of West Butte (Figure 

 10) . All other sites for it in Montana are similarly in 

 foothills settings and associated with a wetland margin or 

 watercourse. These settings have subsurface water flow, 

 representing subirrigated range sites. 



SOIL RELATIONSHIPS: The Sweetgrass Hills sites are situated right 

 below the contact zone between Colorado shale and underlying 

 Eagle Sandstone, apparently at local groundwater discharge areas. 

 Soils are dark loamy mollisols that are ephemerally or 

 temporarily saturated. 



REGIONAL CLIMATE: The Sweetgrass Hills as isolated nunatak has a 

 moderate climate compared to the semi-arid steppe climate of 

 surrounding plains, with additional precipitation and relatively 

 cool early-season growing season conditions. 



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