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Phacelia lutea (Hook & Arn.) J. T. Howell 



var. scopulina (A.Nels.) Cronq. 



DWARF PHACELIA 



Waterleaf Family (Hydophylaceae) 



CONSERVATION STATUS 



U.S. Fish and Wildlife: None. 



Bureau of Land Management: None. It has not been documented on BLM lands and 

 therefore has not been considered. 



Montana Natural Heritage Program rank: G4 SH (state historical). 



DESCRIPTION: Dwarf phacelia is a low annual, branched at the base into several prostrate 

 stems that form mats up to 5 dm (20 in.) across. The alternate to nearly opposite, oblong, lance- 

 shaped leaves, 5-30 mm long, have petioles and entire to lobed margins. Foliage has short, 

 spreading hairs. Flowers are borne on short, narrow, coiled stalks arising from axils of upper 

 leaves. Flowers have 5 linear sepals, 3-7 mm long, and yellow, tubular corollas, 3-5 mm long, 

 flaring into five short lobes. The style, ovary, and elliptic seed capsule, 3-6 mm long, are hairy. 

 Stamens are shorter than the corolla. 



The combination of amiual prostrate stems, lobed leaves, and flaring, tubular, yellow corollas 

 distinguish this species within the genus. A hand lens may be needed to examine the small 

 flowers. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 



Global distribution: Dwarf phacelia is found in central and eastern Nevada, adjoining 

 Utah, and southeastern Oregon; disjunct in southwestern Wyoming and southwestern 

 Montana. 



Montana distribution: The only Montana record is based on an out-of-state specimen, 

 so label information was secured from the New York Botanical Garden before fieldwork. 

 The collection was made by P. A. Rydberg (#2771) in 1895 from "Melrose," which lies 

 near the junction of three county borders (Beaverhead, Madison and Silverbow). 



Big Hole distribution: Efforts to relocate the species were unsuccessful. As an amiual 

 species, its numbers are expected to vary much from year to year. It appeared that the 

 alkali flats setting south of Melrose in which red sage was found may be consistent with 

 the general habitat conditions of the dwarf phacelia; further surveying at the site is 

 warranted. 



