53 



POPULATION INFORMATION: Population numbers varied by several orders of magnitude among 

 sites, from 10-100 individuals at roadsides and slopes of the heavily grazed Grasshopper Creek mouth to 

 10,000+ in the Henneberr>' Ridge area. Individuals were widely spaced and usually consisted of a few 

 multi-stemmed spikes (2-5). 



Phenology varied little within and between populations. The first spikelets were beginning to emerge in 

 mid- June, and the inflorescence persisted with intact spikelets through at least mid-August in the 1995 

 growing season, which was relatively mild and slightly late. 



MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS: Like common indian ricegrass, contracted ricegrass is 

 considered to be a decreaser under livestock grazing (Fertig 1994). This notion is supported by the 

 species' obsers'ed presence inside the fenced Bannack Cemetery versus its virtual disappearance 

 inmiediately outside the Cemetery, where the land is grazed. Because of its habitat specialization, it is 

 occasionally restricted to localized disturbance areas, e.g., the Albers Spring roadside right-of-way. 



Phacelia incana A. Brand 



HOARY PHACELIA 



Waterleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae) 



CONSERVATION STATUS 



U.S. Fish and Wildlife Senice: None. 



Bureau of Land Management: Proposed as watch in the draft list circulated for review in 

 1995. 



Montana Natural Heritage Program rank: G3G4 SI 



DESCRIPTION: Hoary phacelia is a small annual 3-15 cm (1 1/4-6 in) tall. Its leaves are elliptical to 

 egg-shaped and at least the lower petioles are longer than the blade. The foliage has a soft texture, 

 covered by hairs which are mostly distinctly glandular-tipped. The mostly terminal inflorescences may 

 appear leaf-opposed, and are elongate and usually few-flowered. The very inconspicuous flower has a 5- 

 lobed fused white to bluish corolla, 3.5-4.5 mm long and 2-3 mm wide, which is barely longer than the 5 

 narrow green calyx lobes (Figure 22; Appendix D-20). There are 5 stamens and a single style. It 

 flowers in June. The duration of flowering and extent of branching seems dependent on year-to-year 

 climate and microhabitat moisture. 



Other annual phacelias in Montana are easily distinguished from P. incana by their larger size and 

 generally lobed lea\'es, except sometimes P. linearis, which has large pink flowers. Other minute 

 annuals may superficially resemble it, e.g. species of Collinsia, Ciyptantha and Mimulus, but have 

 different floral structure, leaves, and hairs. 



