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I. INTRODUCTION 



This report summarizes the results from four yean of demographic mooitoring 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 through 1991 are disaissed in earlier reports (Shelly 1990, 

 Achuff and Shelly 1991, SheUy and Achuff 1992). 



n. SPECIES INFORMATION 



A. REVIEW OF PRESENT STATUS 



1. FEDERAL STATUS: Penstemon lemhjgysj^ is currently designated as a 

 Category 2 candidate for federal listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildhfe Service (U.S. 

 Department of Interior 1993). 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 iftnhiflffi} is also currently oo the U.S. Forest Service Region 1 sensitive 

 species list (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1991). 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 m 

 population numbers or density, aod/or b.) significant current or predicted downward 

 trends in habiut capability that would reduce a species' existing distribution' (U.S. 

 Forest Service Manual. Ch. 2670). 



2. STATE STATUS: In Montana, Pwwlwnina IfwAignK^y is currently ranked as 

 S2 ('very rare and local throughout iu range*) by the Montana Nattiral HehUge 

 Program (Heidel and Poole 1993). 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 th«e plants have been identified (Lesica and SheUy 1991). 

 These state rankings do not currently provide any legal protection for £. lemhiensis . 



B. UPDATE OF GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION (MONTANA) 



Four additional populations of Penstemon lemhiensis were newly discovered in 

 Montana in 1992. Thus, the total number of known element occurrences in the state 

 is now 48. Most represent recently discovered or relocated (1983-1992). One recent 

 report (1987, Medicine Lodge Creek) has not been relocated, and one is an unverified 

 historical record (1947) (Montana Natural HeriUge Program database, Helena). 



C. POPULATION DEMOGRAPHY 



The three permanent monitoring transects established in 1989 were re-read on 3-4 

 August 1992, using the methods described in a previous report (Shelly 1990). The 

 population and fecundity data are summarized in Table 1. The number of plants and 

 the number of fruiting individuals for each transect over the four-year study period are 

 displayed in Figures 1-3, pp. 4-6. 



