This population was first documented in 1983 and revisited 

 in 1995. 



CONSERVATION STATUS 



U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: None 



Montana Bureau of Land Management: Sensitive 



Montana Natural Heritage Program rank: G3G4-S2 



HABITAT: Astragalus terminalis occurs in sagebrush grasslands 

 and open eroding slopes in the valleys to near timberline. The 

 Sage Creek population occurs on relatively barren, fine-textured 

 soils at the base of eroding slopes. It occurs with other 

 "barren site indicators," such as Astragalus vexilliflexus and 

 Haplopappus acaulis. 



POPULATION INFORMATION: The single known population was 

 estimated to be 50-100 plants in 1983. There appeared to be 100- 

 200 plants in 1995. 



MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS: Plants occur very close to the main 

 county road along Sage Creek. Any widening of the road could 

 destroy plants. 



Densities of A. terminalis plants inside a livestock exclosure in 

 Madison County were much higher than outside the exclosure in 

 1995 (J. Vanderhorst observation) . Many of the plants inside the 

 exclosure had inflorescences removed, probably by deer or elk. 

 These observations suggest that A. terminalis is palatable to 

 livestock and native ungulates and may decrease under some 

 livestock grazing regimes. 



