Commandra umbel lata 

 Cryptantha celosioides 

 Cryptantha torreyana 

 Eriogonum pauciflorum 

 Gutierrezia sarothrae 

 Hymenoxys acaulis 

 Muhlenbergia cuspidata 

 Opuntia polyacantha 

 Stipa comata 



2. Topography: This species occurs at a variety of upland 

 settings that include the borders between upland grassland and 

 table top grassland or rimrock and rockland. It is most 

 freguently found at the crest of ridge breaks but is also 

 found on thin soil flat ridge tops and balds, and on lower 

 sparsely-vegetated erodible calcareous slopes. 



3. Soil relationships: Population sites had a wide range of 

 soil textures from claypan to thinsoil sands. 



E. Population biology and biological interactions 



1. Population size and condition: Population numbers were 

 estimated based on the number of clumps separated by a 

 distance of over app. 5 cm, assuming that anything farther 

 apart is more likely to be a separate individual rather than 

 a belowground branch off of the same plant. In sloping 

 settings, representing the majority of population sites, 

 individual plants were unmistakably discrete. Population size 

 estimates ranged from 50 to 1000+ plants (two populations) . 



2. Reproduction: This long-lived perennial can persist for 

 many years and spread via vegetative reproduction. It 

 occupies settings that are eventually encroached by climax 

 vegetation or else eroded away, so it depends on seed 

 production for recruitment and persistence on the landscape. 



3. Competition: The settings and species associations of 

 Haplopappus armerioides strongly suggest that this species 

 cannot compete in the prevailing table top grassland and 

 upland grassland settings but is primarily restricted to 

 topoedaphic ecotones. 



4. Herbivory: This species occupies secondary range at most 

 population sites and showed no evidence of grazing or 

 browsing. 



F. Assessment and management recommendations: The high number of 

 large populations and their limited sensitivity to disturbance 

 provide the basis for recommending that Haplopappus armerioides be 

 excluded from further consideration by the U.S. Forest Service and 

 the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program. 



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