C. HABITAT 



The population occurs in bottomland which is moist early in 

 the season. The vegetation is dominated by Artemisia cana, 

 Juncus balticus, and Poa nevadensis . Additional associates 

 include Antennaria microphylla, Penstemon procerus. Polygonum 

 bistortoides , and Taraxacum officinale . The soil is loamy and 

 derived from limestone. 



D. POPULATION BIOLOGY 



The single population was not large, however, the area was not 

 thoroughly surveyed for this species. 



E. MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS 



E. gracilis is now known to be widespread and fairly common in 

 southwest Montana. Although only a single population was 

 recorded for the study area, there are other populations known 

 just to the south. This plant would more appropriately be 

 placed in the limited distribution category by Montana Natural 

 Heritage Program, and does not warrant BLM sensitive species 

 designation. 



Eriogonum caespitosum Nutt. 

 Mat buckwheat 



A. DESCRIPTION 



1. General description: A low growing wild buckwheat in the 

 Polygonaceae. The leaves are all basal. The flowers are 

 borne in a compact head subtended by a single involucre. The 

 perianth parts are externally pubescent and fused and 

 contracted to a stalk-like base. Each flower has 9 stamens 

 and 3 styles. 



2. Technical species description (quoted from Hitchcock and 

 Cronquist 1964) : 



A low, spreading, cushion-forming perennial, often 

 partially buried in soil or talus; leaves numerous, 

 strongly macrescent, linear-oblanceolate to obovate or 

 oval and attenuate-based, (5)10-15(20) mm long, including 

 the sometimes slender petiole, (1)1.5-3(5) mm broad, 

 grayish-lanate (or somewhat sericeous) often slightly 

 revolute; flowering stems leafless, glabrate-lanate, 

 (1)3-8(10) cm tall; involucres single, non-involucrate, 

 campanulate, the tubular portion about 3 mm long, the 6-7 

 lobes at least as long, oblong, recurved; flowers 

 numerous, exserted, yellow (-rose tinged) but usually 

 aging to rose or brownish-purple, generally (perhaps 

 always) functionally imperfect; perianth (2.5)3-5 mm long 

 at anthesis, rather strongly accresent and up to 10 mm 

 long in fruit, turbinate and attenuate to a stipitate 



