RESULTS 



The fifteen Research Natural Areas and two additional 

 study sites encompass over 50 plant associations, 

 including four that are potentially globally rare. The 

 plant associations provisionally identified as significant 

 representations of globally rare habitats include: 



hotspring phacelia {Phacelia themuilis) was relocated on 

 York Island. The records for the four species that are 

 tracked are presented in Appendix E, and illustrations 

 of them accompanied by descriptions are presented in 

 Appendix F. 



Douglas fir / littleseed ricegrass forest {Pseudotsuga 

 menziesii I Orjzopsis mkraruha Forest) on Two Calf 

 - Douglas-fir RNA of C. M. Russell NWR 

 Rocky Mountain juniper / Wyoming big sagebrush 

 Shrubland Quniperus scopulorum/ Artemisia 

 tridentata ssp. wyomingensis Shrubland on Fourth 

 Ridge RNA of C. M. Russell NWR 

 Porcupine needlegrass - thickspike wheatgrass 

 grassland (Stipa curtiseta - Elymus lanceolatus 

 Herbaceous Vegetation) on Teepee Hills RNA of 

 Medicine Lake NWR 

 Indian ricegrass / lemon scurf-pea barretis 

 {Oryzopsis hymenoides I Psoralea lanceolata Sparse 

 Vegetation) on Medicine Lake Sandhills 

 Wilderness area of Medicine Lake NWR 



This new information was added to prior information in 

 order to characterize each RNA by its primary 

 biological attributes among the RNA criteria in the 

 Refuge Manual. These also include the composite 

 significance of landscape gradients, envirotunental 

 processes, and biological processes, whether they are 

 separate from or complementing single species and 

 plant association features. 



Ten more plant associations are outstanding examples 

 of more conmion habitats. Each of the state- and 

 globally-significant plant coitununities are bold-faced in 

 the following table (Table 3. Matrix of plant 

 communities/ associations by Research Natural Area.) 

 This table represents all vegetation sampling conducted 

 in the course of the study for documenting plant 

 community biodiversity significance. Most state- and 

 globally-significant features are highlighted in 

 photographs presented in Appendix C, and all 

 vegetation sampling data is documented in constancy- 

 cover tables in Appendix D. 



Two Montana plant species of special concern were 

 documented on the Big Island RNA, including plains 

 phlox (Phlox andicola; G5 S2) and hairy four o'clock 

 (Mirahilis hirsuta G5 S3) . Both species also occur in the 

 Medicine Lake Sandhills, along with two additional 

 rare species, Fendler cat's-eye {Cryptantha fendkri ; G4 

 SI) and Schweinitz' flatsedge {Cyperus schweinitzii; 05 

 82) . Each of these is a widespread species but rare from 

 a state perspective. The Sandhills have the highest 

 number of rare plant species among the study sites. We 

 note that the Big Island and Medicine Lake sandhills 

 field evaluations provided the basis for changing the 

 status of Mirabilis hirsuta from a species of special 

 concern to watch. In addition, the known population of 



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