Population Biology and Ecology: The capsules of this plant mature 

 in July and August but little is known of other specific aspects 

 of its biology or ecology. It presumably reproduces both sexually 

 by seeds and vegetatively . 



Threats: No threats are known to this species. 



Recommendations for Maintaining Viable Populations: Management 

 plans should take the occurrence of this species fully into 

 account and prevent disturbance to the sites. To prevent 

 inadvertent impacts, detailed information on the location of 

 populations in the Goat Flat Proposed Research Natural Area 

 should be made known to all personnel involved in planning 

 activities in the area. Additional surveys of the moist and wet 

 meadows south of Storm Lake should be done to fully delineate the 

 extent and size of populations in the Goat Flat Proposed Research 

 Natural Area. 



Saussurea weberi (Weber's sawwort) 



Species Information: The genus Saussurea contains more than 50 

 species most of which are in Eurasia. Three species occur in 

 Montana (Dorn 1984). Saussurea weberi is distinguished from S. 

 densa, which also is a short plant occurring at high altitudes, 

 by having broadly rounded involucral bracts rather than the 

 narrow, pointed bracts of S. densa. 



Present Legal or Other Formal Status: Saussurea weberi currently 

 has 3C status (more abundant or widespread than previously 

 believed and/or not subject to identifiable threat) under the 

 Endangered Species Act and also is on the Sensitive list for 

 Region 1 of the U.S. Forest Service. It is currently ranked by 

 the Montana Natural Heritage Program globally as G3 (either rare 

 and local or locally in a restricted range, 21-100 occurrences) 

 and in Montana as SI (imperiled because of rarity, <5 

 occurrences) . 



Geographic Distribution: Saussurea weberi occurs from Colorado 

 north to southwestern Montana with the Montana population being 

 disjunct from westcentral Wyoming (Dorn 1988) . The population at 

 Goat Flat is the only known occurrence in Montana. 



Habitat and Associated Species: At Goat Flat, Saussurea weberi 

 occurs in a moist alpine meadow with a southwest aspect at 9400 

 ft. Associated species include Poa interior, Senecio luqens and 

 Arnica rydbergii . 



Population Biology and Ecology: The population at Goat Flat 

 consists of 500-1000 plants scattered in small colonies across 

 the meadow. The population was first discovered in 1973 and was 

 last observed in 1978. This species flowers in July and early 

 August. 



