22 



and closed forest stands. This ability 

 to colonize opent disturbed or unstable 

 sites has been observed in populations 

 of other rare plant species in Montana, 

 including Grindel ia howell ii (Shelly, 

 1986) and Penstemon lemhiensis 

 (Ramstetter, 1983; Shelly, 1987). 

 Although the density of L. klausii is 

 often greater in the disturbed areas at 

 many of the nine sites occurring along 

 roads, the majority of the plants are 

 still found in the adjacent native 

 habitat areas. 



b. SUCCESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS: As a 

 species adapted to open, gravelly or 

 rocky sites, L. klausi i appears to 

 prefer earlier successional stages. One 

 indication of this preference is seen at 

 Hunters Gulch (001), where numerous 

 seedlings appeared after the area burned 

 in 198^ (see I.F.3.C., p. 21). The 

 reversion to an earlier sucessional 

 stage via such burning may benefit the 

 species through a reduction in competing 

 vegetation. Detailed ecological studies 

 would be needed, however, to determine 

 the exact successional relationship of 

 L . klausi i . 



H. LAND OWNERSHIP 



1. The land ownership for the 27 currently known 

 occurrences is given below. The exact 

 locations are provided in Table 1, pp. ^-9. 



a. U.S. Forest Service (Helena National 

 Forest) : 



Hunters Gulch (001) 



Alice Creek (00E) 



Pike Creek (003) 



Rogers Pass West (00^) 



Telephone Gulch (005) 



Barking Dog (006) 



Refrigerator Canyon (008) 



Blacksmith Gulch (010) 



Kelly Gulch (011) 



Big Log Gulch-Hunters Gulch Ridge (013) 



Sheep Mountain Pass (01^) 



Moors Creek (015) 



Bull Run Gulch (016) 



Sweats Gulch (017) 



Keepout Gulch (018) 



