warty-papillate, with a fairly evident 

 strophiole (adapted from Hitchcock et al . 

 1964) . 



I.3.C. Local field characters: The two varieties of 



Clavtonia lanceolata that occur in Montana 

 (vars, f lava and lanceolata ) both possess 

 deep-seated, roundish corms. However, 

 systematic studies currently in progress 

 indicate that the two are distinguishable by 

 leaf morphology. Variety flava has leaves 

 which are much longer than wide, being 

 lanceolate (often narrowly so) in shape. 

 Variety lanceolata has leaves that are 

 shorter and broader. In addition, var. flava 

 can have either yellow or white flowers, with 

 petals that are most often rounded at the 

 tips. Variety lanceolata possesses white 

 petals that are frequently tinged and/or 

 lined with pink, and that are often notched 

 at the tips. 



I.3.E. Photographs: The color slides (p. 4) are 



duplicates of those taken at the sites 

 indicated. Additional slides are housed at 

 the MTNHP office, Helena, Montana. 



I. 4. A. Natural significance: Clavtonia lanceolata 



var. flava is a geographically restricted 

 taxon in the C. lanceolata complex that will 

 continue to be important in studies of the 

 evolutionary relationships within the group. 



I.4.B. Human significance: Systematic studies 



(including electrophoretic and morphological 

 analyses) are currently being conducted. The 

 results to date indicate that C. lanceolata 

 var. flava is very distinct from C. 

 lanceolata var. lanceolata, apparently at the 

 species level. This distinctiveness raises 

 the importance of conservation of the taxon. 

 It will continue to be very important in 

 biosystematic studies of the cormose 

 Claytonia species. Also, the white- and 

 yellow-flowered forms of var. flava would 

 provide valuable subjects for studies 

 addressing the basis of such variation. 

 Otherwise, the taxon has no known 

 agricultural, economic, horticultural, or 

 other human uses or significance at this 

 time. 



I. 5. A. Geographical range: Claytonia lanceolata 



var. flava is currently known from seven 



