20 



obtaining data on both demographic trends and 

 reproductive success, and could perhaps be combined 

 with the ecodata plot studies. 



3 . Cooperation in the seed germination studies being 

 conducted. As discussed in Section I.F.3.C., seed 

 germination ecology studies are being carried out by 

 Ales Suchomel, a botany student at the University of 

 Montana. These studies, in addition to providing 

 important ecological data, will be useful in 

 determining procedures for establishing populations 

 in unoccupied habitat, should the need arise. 



E. SUMMARY: C ypripedium passerinum is an orchid species 

 distributed broadly across boreal North America. It 

 extends southward to northwestern Montana, where it has 

 been found on the Flathead and Lewis & Clark national 

 forests. The occurrences in Montana are the only ones 

 known in the lower 48 United States, and include the 

 southernmost localities known globally. It is currently 

 listed as a sensitive species in Region 1 of the U.S. 

 Forest Service. There are presently ten verified sites 

 in Montana, nine of these occurring on national forest 

 lands; there is also one unverified report on the Lewis & 

 Clark National Forest. During field surveys on U.S. 

 Forest Service lands in 1988, three previously known 

 locations were verified, and six new occurrences were 

 found. The two largest populations known in Montana were 

 found in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area. The smallest 

 populations, which are also the most vulnerable to 

 disturbance, are found in the Rocky Mountain Front Range. 

 Owing to specialized habitat requirements and obligate 

 relationships with soil fungi, the species does not 

 appear to be one that would tolerate any severe habitat 

 alteration. Management planning should take all Montana 

 sites into consideration, in order to maintain viable 

 populations on Region 1 lands. 



