and at Big Fork was 25.8°F (-3.4°C). The July mean 

 temperature was 67 . 5°F (19.7°C) at Superior and 

 66.5°F (19.2°C) at Big Fork. The annual mean 

 temperature was 46.3°F (7.9°C) at Superior and 

 45.5°F (7.5°C) at Big Fork. 



The mean annual precipitation at Superior 

 was 17,46" (443.5 mm) and at Big Fork was 22.08" 



(8.69). At Superior, December (1.80") (45.7 mm) 

 and January (2.17") (55.1 mm) are wettest with 

 June (1.80") (45.7 mm) and July (1.86") (46.5 mm) 

 slightly drier. At Big Fork, May (2.38") (60.5 mm) 

 and June (2.98") (75.7 mm) are the wettest months 

 with December (2.15") (54.6 mm) and January 



(2.20") (55.9 mm) forming the second precipitation 

 peak. July is the driest month at both locations 



(Superior - 0.85" (21.6 mm), Big Fork - 1.32" 



(33.5 mm) ) . 



Temperatures at the higher elevation sites in 

 Montana are undoubtedly cooler than Superior and 

 Big Fork but are probably as moist. 



F. POPULATION DEMOGRAPHY AND BIOLOGY 



1. PHENOLOGY: In Montana, plants generally develop 

 mature spores in late July or August. 



2. POPULATION SIZE AND CONDITION: Populations of 

 Botrychium minqanense are generally small and may 

 vary markedly from year to year, perhaps being 

 absent in some years (Wagner and Wagner 1990) . 

 Population sizes are generally a fev/ 10 's, 

 although a population of ca. 150 has been 

 observed. The Marion Cree)i population (006) 

 contained at least 150 plants in 1990 but in 1991 

 only 25 plants were found. This may have been due 

 to a cold, wet season. Details of population size 

 and condition for each occurrence are in Section 

 IV. 



3. REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY 



a. TYPE OF REPRODUCTION: Botrychium minqanense 

 reproduces via spores that are produced in 

 the marginal sporangia of the fertile frond. 

 The spores germinate to form a small, 

 inconspicuous gametophyte which produces 

 gametes that unite to form an embryo which 

 then grows into the more visible sporophyte 

 described above. 



