SUMMARY 



Phlox kelseyi var. missoulensis is endemic to a limited 

 portion of central and western Montana. It is 

 currently known from eight locations ranging from 

 Missoula to the Little Belt Mountains. The plant is on 

 the Watch List for Region 1 of the U.S. Forest Service, 

 and is categorized as 3C under the Endangered Species 

 Act. 



The var. missoulensis is differentiated from the 

 typical variety (var. kelseyi ) , which also occurs in 

 central and western Montana, by its more rigid stems 

 and by growing on dry, gravelly slopes and ridge 

 crests. Phlox kelseyi var. kelseyi has more or less 

 succulent stems and occurs in moist, alkaline meadows. 

 There is some controversy about the taxonomic status of 

 var. missoulensis , and additional studies are needed. 

 Phlox kelseyi var. missoulensis occurs over a wide 

 altitudinal range, predominantly at 3600-6900 feet 

 (1090-2100 m) . Flowering occurs from May through July, 

 and pollination is likely by noctuid moths. 

 Populations are generally between a few tens of plants 

 to several thousand. 



Seven populations of Phlox kelseyi var. missoulensis 

 occur on Forest Service lands; Deerlodge (2), Helena 

 (2), and Lewis and Clark (3) National Forests. The 

 other three are on privately owned land. Grazing by 

 domestic livestock is not known to pose any current 

 threat to local populations, although trampling could 

 affect smaller populations in particular. The 

 population at Waterworks Hill was threatened in the 

 past by urban development, but this is not a current 

 threat. 



Management planning should take all Montana sites into 

 consideration in order to maintain viable populations 

 on U.S. Forest Service, Region 1 lands. Field surveys 

 should be continued in areas of suitable habitat for 

 new populations. Additional studies are needed on the 

 systematics of Phlox kelseyi var. missoulensis , its 

 variation, and relation to other Phlox taxa in the 

 area. 



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