- Wetland surveys for Juncus hallii in July, as mentioned above. 



- Sedimentary rock outcrop surveys for Delphinium andersonii and 

 Polygonum doucflasii ssp. austinae . The former is to be surveyed 

 on limestone in late May or early June. The latter is to be 

 surveyed on shale in July or August. Surface geology maps 

 indicate that there are shale outcrops west of Sulphur Bar Creek 

 that may correspond with the original collection of the latter. 



- In addition, survey is recommended for the three taxa 

 identified in Appendix 4 as having highest probabilities of 

 occurring in the Big Belt or Elkhorn Mountains. These include 

 Draba densifolia . to be sought in open gravelly montane and 

 alpine habitat in June, Oxytropis lacfopus var. conjugans, to be 

 sought in limestone outcrop among sagebrush in June, and Viola 

 renifolia, to be sought in swampy spruce woods in June. 



It is significant to note that none of the ten documented species 

 of special concern on the Helena National Forest occupy forested 

 habitats, with the exception of the Arenaria kingii record which 

 has been called into question. They are not concentrated in any 

 single area of the Forest, but there are habitat overlaps among 

 them. Three species are in low elevation prairie, potentially 

 affected by livestock management: Astragalus convallarius var. 

 convallarius . Carex vallicola , and Potentilla diversif olia var. 

 multisecta . Note: Only the latter were relocated. Two species 

 occupy mid-elevation meadow settings also potentially affected by 

 livestock management: Cirsium longistylum and Claytonia 

 lanceolata var. f lava . Three occur on outcrop habitat, with few 

 direct threats except in cases of roadside management or mining, 

 but they are subject to the degradation of noxious weed invasion. 

 They come into close contact in select areas, though not 

 occupying same slopes or slope segments: Polygonum douglasii ssp. 

 austinae occurs with Lesquerella klausii at the northern end of 

 its distribution in the Big Belts, in close proximity to 

 Delphinium andersonii . The only wetland sensitive species among 

 the taxa is Juncus hallii, which is affected by surrounding 

 forested land use practices. 



All but one of the documented rare plant records are from the Big 

 Belt Mountains rather than the Elkhorn Mountains. The numbers 

 are not definitive but the pattern is clear. Three explanations 

 are offered to explain the difference. The Elkhorn Mountains 

 have a more uniform surface geology which includes little of the 

 sedimentary substrates that support species of special concern in 

 the Big Belt Mountains. The Elkhorn Mountains have a narrower 

 range in elevation, with less alpine habitat and little low 

 elevation prairie habitat that supports species of concern right 

 outside the Elkhorn Mountains. Finally, the Elkhorn Mountains 

 cover an area approximately one quarter the size of the Big Belt 

 Mountains. Two sensitive species not known from the Elkhorn 

 Mountains are found immediately outside national forest 



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