p 



CLIMATE FACTORS: This species is adapted to the continenta 

 climate regime. 



POPULATION DEMOGRAPHY AND BIOLOGY 



1. PHENOLOGY: The McCone County plant specimen v/as conveyed 

 through the Extension Service to Montana State University on 

 23 August of 1994, but the collection date is unknown. Its 

 flowering date elsewhere in the Great Plains is reported as 

 extending between July - September (Great Plains Flora 

 Association 1986) . 



2. POPULATION SIZE AND CONDITION: Unknown. Elsewhere in its 

 range, it typically has low numbers, and any estimate of 

 population size depends on whether all flowering stems were 

 counted; or just the discrete clumps that represent 

 individuals . 



3. REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY: Unknown. 



G. POPULATION ECOLOGY 



1. BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS 



a. COMPETITION: Unknown. 



b. HERBIVORY: Unknown. 



H. LAND OWNERSHIP: Private. 



T. ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 



1. THREATS TO CURRENTLY KNOWN POPULATIONS: Unknown. It is 

 used in florists trade elsewhere in its range (Barr 1983). 



2. MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND RESPONSE: This species occupies 

 wet habitat where groundwater discharges, vegetation is 

 productive, and livestock are likely to congregate. Its 

 response to livestock grazing is unknown, though a species 

 with these habitat reguirements is likely to be negatively 

 affected by trampling if not grazing. 



J. SUMMARY: Tulip gentian (Eustoma qrandif lorum ) represents a new 

 addition to the state flora and is disjunct in McCone County, 

 Montana from it nearest known occurrences in South Dakota and 

 Wyoming. It is potentially affected by land use decisions, and ^ 

 watch status is recommended for BLI>1 consideration in the Big Dryr 

 Resource Area. 



