Heterocodon rarif lorvun 



I. SPECIES INFORMATION 



A. CLASSIFICATION 



1. SCIENTIFIC NAME: Heterocodon rariflorum Nutt. 



2. COMMON NAME: western pearl-flower. 



3. FAMILY: Campanulaceae (Bellf lower Family). 



4. GENUS: The relationship of the genus Heterocodon 

 to others in the Campanulaceae is uncertain, 

 McVaugh (1941) transferred Heterocodon to the 

 genus Specularia . but later split the group into 

 Triodanis and Specularia (Legousia) , reinstating 

 the genus Heterocodon . Shetler and Morin (1986) 

 feel that the seed morphology and the production 

 of cleistogamous and chasmogamous flowers in the 

 genus Heterocodon indicates a relation between it 

 and the Legousia - Triodanis complex. 



5. SPECIES: Heterocodon rariflorum is the only 

 species known from this genus. Other synonyms 

 include Specularia rarif lora McVaugh, Leafl. West. 

 Bot. 3:48. 1941. (Nuttall, "grassy plains of the 

 Wahlamet and Oregon") (Hitchcock et al. 1955- 

 1969) . 



B. PRESENT LEGAL OR OTHER FORMAL STATUS 



1. FEDERAL STATUS 



a. U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE: None. 



b. U.S. FOREST SERVICE: None. 



2. STATE: Heterocodon rariflorum is currently listed 

 by the Montana Natural Heritage Program (Shelly 

 1989) as demonstrably secure globally (global rank 

 = G5) . In Montana, it is listed as "critically 

 imperiled because of extreme rarity" (state rank = 

 81) . These populations are at the periphery of 

 the main range of the species, which lies to the 

 west. 



None of the state ranks listed above currently 

 provide any direct legal protection for H. 

 rariflorum . 



