E. HABITAT 



1. ASSOCIATED VEGETATION: Eriqeron formosissimus is a 

 mountain species of meadows and open ground. Near 

 Davis Creek (element occurrence 005) , plants were 

 found in a conifer forest opening at about 2100 m 

 (7000 ft.)- Species associated with E. 

 formosissimus at this site include: 



Dactylis qlomerata (orchardgrass) 

 Hieracium gracile (slender hawkweed) 

 Phleum alpinum (alpine timothy) 

 Picea enqelmannii (Engelmann spruce) 

 Pinus contorta (lodgepole pine) 

 Pinus f lexilis (limberpine) 

 Pseudotsuqa menziesii (Douglas-fir) 



2. TOPOGRAPHY AND SOILS: Eriqeron formosissimus was 

 collected on a lower slope of Chico Peak near the 

 headwaters of a tributary to Davis Creek. Plants 

 occur on a gentle (10%) north-facing slope at about 

 2100 m (7000 ft.). Soils are sandy and derived 

 from metamorphic parent materials. 



II. ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 



A. THREATS TO POPULATION: Eriqeron formosissimus occurs 

 outside proposed harvest units of the Mill Creek Timber 

 Sale, but at a site where road building would destroy 

 known plants; however, habitat for regeneration would 

 still exist. 



B. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT: Eriqeron 

 formosissimus was collected during the survey for 

 sensitive plants in the Mill Creek Timber Sale area. At 

 the time of collection, the species was not recognized 

 as a plant of rare status, and many pertinent population 

 parameters were not noted. Further assessment of the 

 size, viability and security of the population is 

 recommended before road expansion takes place. 



C. SUMMARY: Eriqeron formosissimus is recently (1989) 

 documented from one site on the Gallatin National 

 Forest. This site lies within the proposed Mill Creek 

 Timber Sale, in an area designated for road expansion. 

 Eriqeron formosissimus is not currently included on the 

 list of sensitive plants for Region 1 of the U.S. Forest 

 Service, but is listed as "critically imperiled in the 

 state" by the Montana Natural Heritage Program (Shelly 

 1989) , and as a vascular plant of rare status by the 

 Montana Rare Plant Project (Lesica et al. 1984). 

 Further assessment of the population at the Mill Creek 

 site is recommended. 



