60 



HABITAT: Sphaeromeria argentea occurs in two distinct habitats in the Grasshopper Study 



Area: 



1) low sagebrush grassland in localized sandy clay pockets within sagebrush steppe dominated 



by Artemisia arbuscula/Agropyron spicatum (Appendix D-23); and 2) limestone outcrop 



ridgetops and slopes covered by dry bunchgrass communities of Agropyron spicatum/cushion 



plant at the most sparsely-vegetated local extreme (Appendix D-24). 



Associated species in low sagebrush grassland of the Study Area include: 



Agropyron spicatum 

 Antennaria microphylla 

 Arenaria kingii 

 Artemisia arbuscula 

 Aster scopuloriim 

 Astragalus plattensis 

 Crepis modocensis 

 Delphinium bicolor ssp. novum 

 Erigeron tweedyi 

 Festuca idahoensis 

 Penstemon aridus 

 Phlox try aides 

 Poa secunda 



Associated species in the limestone outcrop habitat include: 



Agropyron spicatum 

 Arenaria kingii 

 Artemisia arbuscula 

 Artemisia frigida 

 Erigeron compositus 

 Erigeron tM'eedyi 

 Eriogonum mancum 

 Haplopappus acaulis 

 Linum lewisii 

 Oryzopsis hymenoides 

 Phlox bryoides 

 Townsendia nuttallii 



In the Sage Creek Study Area, the species was also found in heavy soil of eroding slopes at ca. 

 6,300 ft.; common associated species include Haplopappus acaidis and Erigeron tM'eedyi (Lesica 

 and Vanderhorst 1995). The species also occurs in this area on dry rocky bunchgrass slopes not 

 confined to limestone parent material; common associated species include Ceratoides lanatus, 

 Selaginella densa, Antennaria microphylla, Astragalus miser, Haplopappus acaulis, Eriogonum 



