Population size of Ranunculus cardiophyllus in Montana 

 EO no. Population size 



001 Glacier Co., Browning; unknown 



002 Toole Co., Sweetgrass Hills above Fred and George 

 Creek; 300-400 plants centered in one area but 

 extending sporadically over 0.5 miles 



003 Sweetgrass Co., east side of Crazy Mts. ; "scattered" 



004 Glacier Co. , Duck Lake; about 100 plants 



.005 Glacier Co., Duck Lake ponds; over 100 plants 



006 Glacier Co., Goose Lake vicinity; 50-100+ plants 



007 Toole Co., Sweetgrass Hills; Spring Creek vicinity; 

 30-90 plants 



3. REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY 



a. TYPE OF REPRODUCTION: Reproduction is sexual and flowers are 

 monoecious. In light of genus adaptations for pollination 



(mentioned below) , outcrossing is likely to be significant if not 

 predominant. In cases of more than one flower per plant, the 

 flowers reach anthesis at different times, which further promotes 

 outcrossing. 



b. POLLINATION BIOLOGY: The nectary glands in the Ranunculus genus 

 are adaptations for attracting insect pollinators. The pollen 

 vector is unknown but would be an insect that is active early in 

 the season, such as flies (Diptera) or bees (Hymenoptera) . 



c. - SEED DISPERSAL AND BIOLOGY: The seeds readily fall to the ground 



when they have matured, close to the parent plant. 

 Stratification and treatment conditions required for germination 

 are not known. 



G. POPULATION ECOLOGY 



1. BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS 



a. COMPETITION: Ranunculus cardiophyllus persists among exotic 

 grasses including Poa pratensis , Poa compressa , and Phi euro 

 pratense (Figure 9) . The rhizomatous exotic grasses may be 

 better competitors than the cespitose native species, Festuca 

 scabrella , that otherwise dominates in suitable habitat. A major 

 portion of the Fred and George Creek population is also crowded 

 out by buckbrush ( Symphoricarpos occidentalis ) . 



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