populations of these plants have been identified" 

 (Lesica and Shelly 1991) . These state rankings do 

 not currently provide any direct legal protection 

 for P. lemhiensis . 



B. UPDATE OF GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION (MONTANA) 



1. BEAVERHEAD COUNTY: Six new populations of 

 Penstemon lemhiensis were located in Beaverhead 

 County in 1990 which brings the total for the 

 county to 36. 



2. RAVALLI COUNTY: Two new populations of Penstemon 

 lemhiensis were located in Ravalli County in 1990, 

 bringing the total for the county to six. 



The eight populations newly discovered in 1990 bring 

 the total of known locations to 44. Element occurrence 

 print-outs and maps of the new occurrences are in 

 section V. 



C. POPULATION MONITORING AND DEMOGRAPHIC STUDIES 



1. NEW POPULATIONS LOCATED IN 1990: Details of 

 population size for the eight newly discovered 

 populations are in Table 1. 



2. DEMOGRAPHIC MONITORING TRANSECTS: The three 

 permanent monitoring transects established in 1989 

 were re-read on 1-2 August 1990 using the methods 

 described in the previous report (Shelly 1990b) . 

 The population and fecundity data are summarized 

 in Table 2. 



The total number of plants on the three transects 

 declined from 240 plants in 1989 to 221 plants in 

 1990, reflecting decreases in the French Creek - 

 Park Mine and Badger Pass North transects. Total 

 population size increased at the French Creek - 

 Discovery Mine transect and decreased at the 

 French Creek - Park Mine and Badger Pass North 

 transects in 1990, although the decrease at the 

 Badger Pass North transect was marginal. 



The number of plants at the French Creek - Park 

 Mine transect decreased by 27 plants for a 

 population decrease of 31%. Extensive sheet 

 erosion was noted at the site and was probably 

 influential in the death of the 33 established 

 plants that did not survive from 1989 to 1990. 

 The fecundity and vigor of the French Creek - Park 

 Mine population was reduced in 1990 and was the 



