^ 



# 



to livestock grazing. The plant is highly palatable to livestock 

 and decreases with overgrazing (Hermann 1970) . 



Element Name: Erigeron gracilis Rydb. 



Common Name: Slender fleabane 



Range: Endemic to Southwest Montana, western VJyoming and east- 

 central Idaho. In Montana the species is knovm from Beaverhead, 

 Park, Silver Bow and Sweetgrass counties. 



Element Rank: G4/S2 



Federal Status: None 



Local Occurrence: I located populations of E^ gracilis in the 

 Moffet Mountain, Moose Town and Fish Creek/Limekiln Hill areas 

 (Figs. 2,3,6). The plant appeared to be widespread throughout 

 much of the Highland Mountains in silty to loamy soils of mesic 

 to moist steppe and grasslands. Populations were all estimated 

 to be larger than 1,000 plants. Associated plant communities are 

 Artemisia tridentata/ Festuca idahoensis ( Geranium phase) and 

 Potentilla f ruticosa/ Festuca idahoensis . 



Comments: Erigeron gracilis was common enough in the study area 

 that I did not purposely look for it but mapped only occurrences 

 that I observed while surveying for other species. It is 

 probably not threatened in the study area. 



Element Name: Gentiana aquatica L. 



Common Name: Wet meadow gentian 



Range: Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan south to Colorado; 

 also in Asia. In Montana the species is known from Beaverhead, 

 Madison and Silver Bow counties. 



Element Rank: G4/S2 



Federal Status: USFWS 3C (under synonym of G^ fremontii) 



Local Occurrence: I located one population of G^ aquatica in 

 the Fish Creek area, in the same meadow as Carex idahoa (Fig. 3) . 

 The species occurs on shrub-dominated hummocks in an alkaline 

 meadow along a small stream. Associated plant community was 

 Potentilla f ruticosa / Deschampsia cespitosa . I estimated the 

 population to be greater than 1,000 plants. 



Comments: This meadow is subject to livestock grazing. 

 Trampling of this v/et site resulting from overuse by livestock 



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