57 



numbers might be expected to be higher in relatively cool, moist years - conditions which corresponded 

 in large part with those of the 1995 growing season. 



MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS: Phacelia incana has a very limited knowTi distribution in 

 Montana but it is inconspicuous and occupies habitat which is not quickly traversed. This also means 

 that it is not readily affected by land use activities apart from mining. Invasion by exotic annuals 

 {Bromus tectorum and more recently Malacomia africana) is on the increase in the Bannack population. 

 This study supports previous recommendations that this species be considered as a BLM watch species. 



Spltaeromeria argentea Nutt. 



CHICKEN SAGE 



Aster Family (Asteraceae) 



CONSERVATION STATUS 



U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: None. 



Montana Bureau of Land Management: Species was not on the list of proposed sensitive 

 species included in the original draft list that was circulated, and may or may not have been 

 added to the draft in preparation. 



Montana Natural Heritage Program rank: G3 S2. 



DESCRIPTION: Chicken sage is a perennial herb or subslirub with many flowering stems, 5-20 cm 

 (2-8 in) high, and numerous short, sterile stems arising fi-om a branched rootcrown. The alternate leaves, 

 up to 15 mm long, are narrowly fan-shaped and usually 3-lobed at the tip. Foliage is aromatic and 

 densely covered with appressed, gray hair. Several, short-stalked flower heads are borne on the stem 

 tips. Each hemispheric head has 2-3 series of overlapping, membranous-margined, involucral bracts (3- 

 4 mm high), and numerous disk flowers. Ray flowers are lacking (Figure 24; Appendix D-22). The 

 seeds are without bristles or awTis (pappus) on top. 



The leaves, heads, and subshrub habit make this plant resemble a tiny sagebrush. S. capitata fomis 

 dense mats and has more deeply divided leaves and dense clusters of flower heads. 



GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION 



Global distribution: Central Idaho, northeast Nevada, southwest Montana, and northwest 

 Wyoming. 



Montana distribution: 12 occurrences in southwestern Beaverhead County (Figure 25). 



Grasshopper distribution: There are six known populations in the Grasshopper Study Area 

 (Figure 25). 



