Information on nomenclature for sensitive species and "species of 

 special concern" can be found in Lesica and Shelly (1991) . 

 Specimens are deposited in the herbarium of the University of 

 Montana (MONTU) . 



In 1992 I received a separate contract from Deerlodge 

 National Forest to conduct floristic surveys of the Table 

 Mountain area. The results of that study (Lesica 1992) have been 

 included in this report. 



RESULTS 



I recorded 526 species of vascular plants in 52 families 

 from the Highland Mountains (Appendix A) . Of these, seven are 

 listed as sensitive in Region One of the U.S. Forest Service: 

 Arabis fecunda, Carex idahoa, Juncus hallii , Orobanche corymbosa , 

 Penstemon l emhiensis , Saxifraqa tempestiva and Thlaspi 

 parvif lorum . Five additional species are listed as species of 

 special concern by MNHP: Carex vallicola , Erigeron gracilis , 

 Gentiana a quatica , H aplopappus macronema ssp. linearis and 

 Ranunculus verecundus . Information on the occurrence of these 

 species in the study area is given below. Additional information 

 can be found in the MNHP element occurrence records in Appendix 

 B. Copies of ECODATA forms for all sensitive species sites can 

 be found in Appendix C. 



Element Name: Arabis fecunda Rollins 



Common Name: Sapphire rockcress 



Range: Endemic to the Sapphire, Pioneer and Highland mountain 

 ranges of Beaverhead, Ravalli and Silver Bow counties, Montana. 



i:;iement Rank: G2/S2 



Federal Status: USFWS C2, USES Region 1 Sensitive 



Local Occurrence: Two populations of A^ fecunda occur in the 

 Moose Town area and two were found in the Fish Creek area (Fig. 

 2,3). Moose Town populations were estimated at 1,000-2,000 

 plants, while those in the Fish Creek area are larger, with 

 5,000-10,000 plants. All populations occur in mineral soil 

 derived from metamorphosed calcareous sediments on south- or 

 west-facing slopes. Associated plant communities are sparse 

 Aqropyron spicatum grasslands or very open limber pine woodland. 

 Although apparently appropriate habitat occurs on Limekiln 

 Hill, I was unable to locate the species in the area. 



Comments: All four populations occur in areas where there has 

 been extensive mining exploration, and the southern Fish Creek 



