Comments: PINPON/JUNCOM is apparently an uncommon plant association in Montana, known 

 only from Carter County (Hansen and Hoffman 1988) and was not previously documented from 

 BLM land in the state (Cooper and DeVelice 1995). The PINPON/JUNCOM stands documented by 

 Hansen and Hoffman (1988) contained greater than 15% canopy cover ofCarex inops, which 

 distinguishes them from stands we sampled and casts them as intermediary between PINPON / 

 CARINO and PINPON / JUNCOM. Outside Montana it has only been documented from the Black 

 Hills, South Dakota and Wyoming (Hoffman and Alexander 1987, Thilenius 1972) and from the 

 Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming (Hoffrnan and Alexander 1 976). The type was noted as intensively 

 managed for timber and forage where it occurs on the Custer National Forest in Carter County 

 (Hansen and Hoffman 1988). The stands observed on BLM were untouched by logging, and show 

 little evidence of use by livestock, though deer are abundant. Their occurrence on small isolated 

 BLM tracts in relatively inaccessible positions below the rimrock has perhaps protected them from 

 disturbance. These stands signify well-developed, mature forms of an uncommon vegetation type. 



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