apparently responsible for allowing the evolution of partially 

 achlorophyllus species such as B. paradoxum and the 

 undescribed single fronded form mentioned above (Wagner and 

 Wagner 1981, Wagner, pers. commun.). The species of symbiotic 

 fungi are not known. Because of this obligatory symbiosis, 

 which is poorly understood, species of Botrychium cannot be 

 propagated and studied apart from the wild. 



3. Population biology 



The three known occurrences of B . paradoxum on the 

 Deerlodge range in area covered from approximately five to one 

 hundred acres and in estimated population numbers from one 

 hundred to thousands of plants. Plants were larger and more 

 mature at the lower elevation Windy Ridge site and smallest 

 and immature at the exposed, higher elevation One Hundred Acre 

 Meadow site. Later phenology may be partially responsible for 

 the small number of plants which were found at One Hundred 

 Acre Meadow. Population trends cannot be determined at this 

 point; the One Hundred Acre Meadow and Windy Ridge populations 

 were discovered during this project, and although the tallies 

 of the Storm Lake population have increased since it was first 

 discovered, this is believed to be an artifact of search 

 intensity and scope. The populations are mapped in Figures 5- 

 7 in Appendix B and Element Occurence Record printouts are 

 included as Appendix C to this report. Demographic details 

 are as follows: 



Site name: Storm Lake 



Area occupied by population: ca . 5 acres in 3 subpopulations 



Number of individuals counted: 



Main population (type locality) : 50 counted by 2 people 



in 4 hours in 1993; 20 counted in 1992 (Rinehart) ; 9 

 counted, date unknown, prior to 1981 (Wagner and 

 Wagner) 

 Other subpopulations: 23 counted by 1 person in 2 hours 

 Estimated number of individuals: total 350+ 



Population summary: This is a fairly dense population which 

 covers a small area. Plants were of medium size and 

 vigor at the date of the survey with most spores immature 

 but a few dehiscent. The population is threatened by 

 recreational traffic. 



Site name: Windy Ridge 



Area occupied by population: ca. 4 acres 



Number of individuals counted: 194 by 3 people in 5 hours 



Estimated number of individuals: 1,000-10,000 



Population summary: The largest known, this is a dense 



population which covers a large area. Plants were the 

 largest and most vigorous seen, many with mature 



