15 



lanceolata var. flava in Montana, the nearest 

 climatological stations are located at East 

 Anaconda (1680 m. (5511 ft.))/ Divide 

 (1648 m. (5406 ft.))/ and West Yellowstone 

 (2031 m. (6662 ft.)). Data for the period 

 1951-1980 are provided by the U.S. Department 

 of Commerce (1982). At East Anaconda, the 

 mean annual precipitation was 35.15 cm. 

 (13.84 in.); the mean annual temperature was 

 5.78°C (42.4°F), the mean January minimum was 

 -9.72°C (14.5°F), and the mean July maximum 

 was 25.94°C (78.7°F). At Divide, the mean 

 annual precipitation was 31.47 cm. (12.39 ^ 

 in.); the mean annual temperature was 4.83 C 

 (40.7°F), the mean January minimum was 

 -13.06°C (8.5°F), and the mean July maximum 

 was 26.33°C (79.4°F). These two stations are 

 at considerably lower elevations than the 

 nearby sites; the sites are thus expected to 

 be cooler and moister than these recorded 

 figures. The West Yellowstone station is at 

 nearly the same elevation as the site near 

 Hebgen Lake, which is approximately 6 air 

 miles to the west-northwest. The mean annual 

 precipitation was 56.74 cm. (22.34 in.);^the 

 mean annual temperature was 1.61 C ^34. 9 F) , 

 the mean January minimum was -17.83 C 

 (-0.1°F), and the mean July maximum was 

 26.33°C (79.4°F) . 



Physiographic and topographic 

 characteristics: In Montana, populations of 

 C. lanceolata var. flava are found in level 

 to gently sloping areas that vary from 

 approximately zero to ten percent slope. It 

 was found on all aspects. Although found 

 throughout the meadows and swales where it 

 occurs, C. lanceolata var. flava is 

 particularly abundant in depressions in these 

 habitats, especially at the Hebgen Lake (004) 

 site. 



Edaphic factors: In Montana, the areas 

 occupied by C. lanceolata var. flava are 

 generally comprised of heavy clay loam soils. 

 These soils are poorly drained, owing to the 

 clayey soil textures and gentle topography of 

 the sites. Also, snow accumulation is deep, 

 and snowmelt is often relatively late, in 

 these high meadows. This results in soil 

 saturation through the early growing season. 



Claytonia lanceolata var. flava does not 

 appear to be restricted to soils derived f 



rom 



