Local Occurrence: I discovered two populations of £_•_ lemhiensis 

 in the Moose Town area (Fig. 2) . The eastern population consists 

 of two subpopulations on opposite sides of a hill. Both 

 populations occur in relatively sparse vegetation on soil derived 

 from calcareous metasediments. Both populations were estimated 

 to be 100-200 plants. Nearly all plants in the western 

 population had been grazed down to near the base of the plant, 

 probably by deer or elk but possibly by livestock. The 

 associated plant community was Festuca idahoensis / Agropyron 

 spicatum grassland. In addition to these two populations, I 

 observed 3-5 plants on a roadcut ca. 1/2 mile south of Fish Creek 

 (TIN R7W S33, NW1/4 of SW1/4). Plant were present only in 

 disturbed soil immediately adjacent to the road so I did not map 

 or document this occurrence. 



Comments: Penstemon lemhiensis occurs in areas that are subject 

 to both mining activity and livestock grazing. Although P^ 

 lemhiensis is probably enhanced by low or even moderate levels of 

 disturbance, both mining development and grazing could be a 

 threat to this species. These populations are on the eastern 

 edge of the known range of the species. 



Element Name: Saxif raga tempestiva Elvander & Denton 



Common Name: Storm saxifrage 



Range: Endemic to Beaverhead, Deer Lodge, Granite, Ravalli and 

 Silver Bow (?) counties, Montana 



Element Rank: G2/S2 



Federal Status: USFS Region 1 Sensitive 



Local Occurrence: I located two subpopulations of S_s_ tempestiva 

 on the west flank of Table Mountain (Fig. 5) . Both sites were 

 snow cachement areas on relatively gentle terrain. The 

 population was estimated to be fewer than 300 plants. Associated 

 plant community was Geum rossii turf. 



Comments: Plants at the Table Mountain site appear intermediate 

 between S^. tempestiva and S^. rhomboidea and may be a hybrid 

 population (see Lesica 1992 for further discussion) . 



The area is subject to few direct human-caused disturbances. 

 However, grazing by bighorn sheep in the area is intense, and 

 this level of grazing may be having an impact on the vegetation. 

 Bighorn sheep may be overusing this remote part of their range 

 because of intense ORV use of lower, more accessible areas 

 (Lesica 1992) . 



11 



