currently dominates. Elevation: 6520 ft; Slope: nearly level; 

 Aspect: ENE. 



Line Bearing: From the west end, ca. 80 degress (this needs to 

 be measured) ; trend parallel to slope. Originally set up as 37 

 ft. radius circular plot. 



Instructions: Read from west to east (facing north) , the X-Y 

 axis read from the lower left. 



Hybridization monitoring 



Preliminary work has already been done in taking a chromosome 

 count for Cirsium lonqistylum , with 2n=34 (Mathews 1980) , 

 agreeing with results of Moore and Frankton (1963). This is the 

 same as for Cirsium hookerianum (Ownbey and Hsi 1963) and Cirsium 

 scariosum (Gardner 1974), reflecting a base level for New World 

 Cirsium which exhibit a prevalent reduction in numbers. It has 

 been noted that specimens of Cirsium hookerianum from the 

 southern limits of its range in the United States have been seen 

 only from northwestern Montana and north central Washington 

 (Moore and Frankton 1965) . 



Flowering stems were recorded as to their bract category, in the 

 five categories described by Poole and Heidel (1993) . Leaf 

 materials from all flowering stems were concurrently sampled for 

 genetic analysis, and bract characteristic compared against 

 results (report in progress) . If bract morphology 

 characteristics correspond with genetics, then monitoring of 

 bract characteristics will indirectly monitor putative 

 hybridization levels. 



Flowering stem bract categories were assigned and leaf material 

 sampled at the time of monitoring (August 9-11) . To get an 

 adequate sample size (min. 20 flowering plants) , the sampling was 

 not confined to the original circular plots of 15 or 37 ft 

 radius. It was considered appropriate to keep sampling 

 centralized and relocatable from year-to-year, so hybridization 

 monitoring took place throughout a circular plot area having a 

 diameter corresponding to permanent plot length (20/40 m.). 



Hybridization monitoring took place at each of the four permanent 

 plots, in addition to three sites that had been characterized as 

 to their bract category composition by Poole and Heidel (1992), 

 and which also augmented the first four sites. A table was 

 prepared which compiled information from previous work, to aid in 

 site selection (Appendix 1) . At these three additional sites, a 

 rebar stake was placed in the center marking a 10 m radius 

 circular plot sample area. The three additional site locations 

 are described in the following text, and documented in ecodata 

 plots. All of the sample sites except the previously mentioned 



8 



