DISCUSSION 



Six sensitive or special interest species were found in the Big 

 Belt Mountains and one special interest species in the Elkhorn 

 Mountains of the Helena National Forest. They represent the 

 largest global concentration of a Montana endemic species, 

 Lesquerella klausii . and new county records for five others: 

 Astragalus convallarius var. convallarius . Delphinium andersonii , 

 Cirsium longistylum . Juncus hallii . and Polygonum douglasii ssp. 

 austinae . The first three of the six occur on the Helena 

 National Forest and no other Forests of the region. 



As a result of this preliminary fieldwork and accompanying data 

 interpretation, three sets of recommendations are made. They 

 cover sensitive species designation changes on the Region 1 - 

 U.S. Forest Service list, management guidelines, and further 

 study needs. They are presented in the following text under the 

 three headings. 



It is recommended that Helena National Forest convey status 

 change recommendations to the Region 1 Sensitive Species 

 Coordinator based on results of 1992 fieldwork. (Note: There is 

 currently a national moratorium on sensitive species list 

 changes. ) 



1) Designate Astragalus convallarius var. convallarius as 

 sensitive. 



2) Change the Delphinium andersonii designation from watch to 

 sensitive. 



3) Treat Cirsium longistylum as sensitive as long as it is 

 considered a Category 2 taxa. Consult with the U.S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service, and with Lewis and Clark National Forest, the 

 only other forest where this species occurs. Genetics and 

 disturbance response research are needed by the U.S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service to assess whether to drop or list it. 



4) Consider a special Helena National Forest designation for 

 Lesquerella klausii as a unique case if it does not meet regional 

 criteria for sensitive designation, since its global distribution 

 is almost entirely restricted to the Forest. 



Among the four taxa which were not relocated, recommendations are 

 made to: 



1) Drop Claytonia lanceolata var. f lava from the regional list 

 based on the number of statewide records. 



2) Resolve the question of identification associated with the 

 Helena National Forest specimen of Arenaria kingii . This work is 

 to be pursued this winter by the Heritage Program in cooperation 



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