EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 



The purpose of this study was to document the presence of 

 sensitive plant populations in the Elkhorn and Big Belt Mountains 

 of the Helena National Forest. This report summarizes the 

 findings of the field inventory, including information on areas 

 surveyed; rare plant status, locations, population data, and 

 habitat; significant sites; and further details relevant to 

 management decisions and future research. It represents a 

 sensitive species program baseline, preliminary floristic 

 inventory and contribution toward an ecosystem management 

 approach. 



The study area consisted of all Helena National Forest lands 

 within the Big Belt and Elkhorn Mountains (Figure 1) . It was 

 divided into three priority levels for survey intensity as set by 

 the Forest Service (Figure 2) . The study focus stated in the 

 original proposal centered around three little-known sensitive 

 plant species collected once in the Big Belt Mountains. It was 

 broadened to include a preliminary list of 48 plants of special 

 concern potentially occurring in the Big Belt and Elkhorn 

 Mountains, compiled from data available from the Helena National 

 Forest and the Montana Natural Heritage Program (Appendix 2) . 

 Brief habitat profiles were developed for these species, and 

 potential habitats identified using information on soils, 

 landforms, geology, topography, and aerial photographs. Attempts 

 were made to relocate historical collections. Surveys were 

 conducted from mid-May through August 1992 (Appendix 1) . 



There are ten documented species of special state concern within 

 the Helena National Forest administrative boundaries, six of 

 which are presently designated sensitive or watch on the most 

 current Region 1 - U.S. Forest Service list (Lesica and Shelly 

 1991) . Six species of special concern were discovered or 

 relocated in 1992, and work was done to interpret collection data 

 on four other species which were not relocated. 



Two of the six species studied in this project (Juncus hallii and 

 Polygonum douqlasii var. austinae ) are listed as sensitive by 

 Region 1 of the U.S. Forest Service. Delphinium andersonii . 

 currently listed as Watch by the Forest Service, was located for 

 the first time on the Helena National Forest, a significant 

 distance from other known locations in Montana. The other three 

 species ( Astragalus convallarius var. convallarius , Cirsium 

 longistylum , and Lesquerella klausii ) are considered species of 

 special state concern by the Montana Natural Heritage Program. 

 The latter two are Montana endemics. 



Four species previously collected from the Big Belt Mountains 

 ( Carex vallicola , Potentilla diversifolia var. multisecta , 

 Claytonia lanceolata var. f lava , and Arenaria kingii ) were not 



