I . INTRODUCTION 



This report summarizes the results from three years of 

 demographic monitoring studies in populations of Penstemon 

 lemhiensis . a sensitive plant species that occurs on the 

 Beaverhead and Bitterroot National Forests in Montana. 

 Three permanent transects were established in 1989 on the 

 Beaverhead National Forest. The monitoring results from 

 1989 and 1990 are discussed in earlier reports (Shelly 1990, 

 Achuf f and Shelly 1991) . 



II. SPECIES INFORMATION 



A. REVIEW OF PRESENT STATUS 



1. FEDERAL STATUS: Penstemon lemhiensis is currently 

 designated as a Category 2 candidate for federal 

 listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 (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 gt 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 gt al* 1989) . 



2. STATE STATUS: In Montana, Penstemon lemhiensis is 

 currently ranked as S2 ("very rare and local 

 throughout its range") by the Montana Natural 

 Heritage Program (Achuff 1991) . It is also 

 currently categorized 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 

 populations of these plants have been identified" 

 (Lesica and Shelly 1991) . These state rankings do 

 not currently provide any legal protection for P. 

 lemhiensis. 



