Sage Creek distribution: There are five known populations 

 in the south half of the Sage Creek study area. 



CONSERVATION STATUS 



U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: None 



Montana Bureau of Land Management: Sensitive 



Montana Natural Heritage Program rank: G3-S2 



HABITAT: Sphaeromeria argentea occurs in three distinct habitats 

 in the Sage Creek area: (1) dry rocky bunchgrass slopes 

 (Agropyron spicatum/ cushion plant) at 6,700-7,200 ft; common 

 associated species include Ceratoides lanatus, Selaginella densa, 

 Antennaria microphylla, Astragalus wiser, Haplopappus acaulis, 

 Eriogonum mancum and Erigeron caespitosus , (2) low sagebrush 

 grasslands {Artemisia arbuscula/Festuca idahoensis) at ca , 6,600 

 ft.; common associated species include Chrysothamnus 

 viscidiflorus , Antennaria microphylla, Agropyron spicatum and 

 Phlox hoodii , and (3) heavy soil of eroding slopes at ca. 6,300 

 ft. ; common associates species include Haplopappus acaulis and 

 Erigeron tweedyi . Sphaeromeria argentea occurs on limestone 

 outcrops in other portions of southern Beaverhead County. 



POPULATION INFORMATION: There were "several small colonies" of 

 Sphaeromeria argentea on Red Butte in 1984, and the plant was 

 reported to be "locally common" on the badlands west of the 

 Matador Ranch in 1983. The three populations located in the 

 Basin Creek area in 1995 have plants widely scattered over large 

 areas of habitat, and numbers are difficult to estimate but 

 probably vary between 100 and 1,0000. 



24 



