I . INTRODUCTION 



This report is an update to the status review and initial 

 demographic monitoring report on Penstemon lemhiensis 

 (Shelly 1990b) , a sensitive plant species that occurs on the 

 Beaverhead and Bitterroot National Forests in Montana. 

 Additional field surveys were done in 1990 in June, July and 

 August. These surveys located eight additional populations. 

 The three demographic monitoring transects established in 

 1989 on the Beaverhead National Forest were measured in 

 1990. 



II. SPECIES INFORMATION 



A. REVIEW OF PRESENT STATUS 



1. FEDERAL STATUS: Penstemon lemhiensis is currently 

 in Category 2 of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

 Service Notice of Review (U.S. Department of 

 Interior 1990) . Category 2 taxa are those "for 

 which there is some evidence of vulnerability, but 

 for which there are not enough data to support 

 listing proposals at this time." 



Penstemon lemhiensis is also currently on the U.S. 

 Forest Service Region 1 sensitive species list 

 (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1988; Reel ^ al. 

 1989) . Sensitive species are "plant and animal 

 species identified by the Regional Forester for 

 which population viability is a concern, as 

 evidenced by: a.) significant current or predicted 

 downward trends in population numbers or density," 

 and/or "b.) significant current or predicted 

 downward trends in habitat capability that would 

 reduce a species' existing distribution" (Reel et 

 al . 1989) . Through its inclusion on the Region 1 

 sensitive species list, P. lemhiensis has legal 

 protection under U.S. Forest Service agency 

 policies (W. Ruediger, pers. comm.). 



2. STATE STATUS: In Montana, Penstemon lemhiensis is 

 currently ranked as S2 ("imperiled in state 

 because of rarity") by the Montana Natural 

 Heritage Program (Shelly 1990a) . It is also 

 currently listed as "threatened" in a recent 

 evaluation of rare plants in Montana (Lesica and 

 Shelly 1991) . A "threatened" species is one which 

 is "likely to become endangered throughout all or 

 a significant part of its range in Montana in the 

 foreseeable future. Specific threats to known 



