viability of a population of Aquileqia brevistyla . 



B. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT: Although the 

 lands along the Boulder River "20 miles above the town 

 of McLeod" were extensively searched during the 1989 

 survey, Aquileqia brevistyla was not found, nor was A. 

 coerulea . For an A. brevistyla survey, timing was 

 correct. The species blooms primarily in June, and the 

 Boulder River collection was made 4 July 1967. If the 

 1967 collection actually represents A. coerulea , plants 

 could bloom as late as August, and the timing of further 

 surveys should be extended across the growing season. 

 Another consideration in planning future surveys is the 

 very general nature of the location data given for the 

 1967 collection. The herbarium label states that the 

 plant was collected "along the Boulder River, 20 miles 

 above the town of McLeod," While this vicinity might 

 again be a good starting point, it is difficult to know 

 whether the label mileage was estimated, or clocked on 

 an odometer. Consideration was given to the question of 

 whether the main Boulder River, or its east or west 

 forks, were actually visited by the collector. It was 

 decided that the main Boulder River was correct, and the 

 survey was conducted in that drainage. 



C. SUMMARY: Aquileqia brevistyla is a northwestern North 

 American species that may have its southernmost 

 occurrence along the Boulder River in Sweet Grass 

 County, Montana. While Hitchcock et al. (1969) state 

 that the species is "probably not to be found in our 

 area," an Aquileqia brevistyla specimen of undisputed 

 identity, from Judith Basin County, Montana, is housed 

 in the Montana State University Herbarium (MONT #51788) . 

 A population of A. brevistyla . represented by the 1967 

 historical collection, was not relocated during surveys 

 in 1989. Given the heavy use of the main Boulder River 

 drainage by recreationists and firewood cutters, further 

 surveys for this species are called for so that possible 

 threats can be identified and mitigated. 



