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Target Plant Species and

Potential Plant Conservation Sites

In the Wyoming Portion

Of the Black Hills Ecoregion

Prepared for The Nature Conservancy Midwest Science Division

By Walter Fe1iig Wyoming Natural Diversity Database University of Wyoming PO Box 3381 Laramie, WY 82071

2 June 2000 Table of Contents Page --, I Introduction ...... 3 ' ·.-3 Methods ••••••••••••••••••••• • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Results/Discussion .... ·...... 5

Primary Vascular Plant Targets from the Wyoming Black Hills ...... 7 Secondary Vascular Plant Targets from the Wyoming Black Hills . . . . 11

Acknowledgements ...... 20

Literature Cited ...... ·. 20

Tables and Appendices

Tables

I. Vascular Plant Target Species in the Wyoming Pmiion of the Black Hills Ecoregion ...... 4

2. Potential Plant Conservation Sites in the Wyoming Portion of the Black Hills Ecoregion ...... 6

Appendix

A. Range maps of Target Vascular Plant Species in the Wyoming Portion Of the Black Hills Ecoregion ...... 22

B. Element Occurrence Ranks ...... 40

2 INTRODUCTION

The Black Hills ecoregion is located in northeastern Wyoming and northwestern South Dakota and consists of an isolated Laramide-age uplift (the Black Hills and Bear Lodge Mountains) and adjacent hogback rims and foothills. Although small in area, the Black Hills has an unusually rich and diverse flora that contains elements of five of the ten-- - .· major floristic provinces in N01ih America (Marriott 1985). The Black Hills flora has its· strongest affinity with the Cordilleran Forest Province (Rocky Mountains), but also has species in common with the Northern Conifer (boreal forest), Eastern Deciduous Forest, Grassland, and Great Basin provinces (McIntosh 1931 ). The origin of this unique : floristic assemblage has been attributed to large shifts in the distribution of the provinces following changes in climate since the Pleistocene. Many species adapted to cool or wet conditions have been able to persist in shady, mesic draws within the Black Hills, while more dry-adapted species have moved into the area. The rich flora and unusual vegetation patterns of the Hills have in turn contributed to the region's diverse fauna.

As a result of its history, the Black Hills contain a large concentration of disjunct plant and animal species which are widespread rangewide, but often uncommon within the Hills themselves. These isolated populations may be genetically distinct and have the potential to evolve into new taxa through allopatric speciation. Several unique species and subspecies have already evolved in the Black Hills fauna (including Cooper's Rocky Mountain snail, White-winged junco, and Black Hills redbelly snake), although similar speciation patterns have yet to be detected among the region's flora.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has identified the Black Hills as an important conservation area and TNC's Midwest Science Division is currently developing a comprehensive, region-wide conservation blueprint for the region. TNC has contracted with the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database (WYNDD) and South Dakota Natural Heritage Program to identify target plant and animal species and natural plant community types in need of conservation attention and determine potential conservation goals for these targets. This report summarizes the goals for selected vascular plant species and describes potential plant conservation sites in the Wyoming portion of the Black Hills ecoreg10n.

METHODS

Target vascular plant species for the ecoregion were chosen based on their limited or isolated geographic ranges, high habitat specificity, or strong evidence of decline in the Black Hills (Fertig and Beauvais 1999; South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks 1998). All Sensitive species on Black Hills National Forest were also selected (Marriott et al. 1990; USDA Black Hills National Forest 1996). The final targets list was prioritized by degree of threat and overall rarity into a primary and secondary list (Table 1).

For each target species, information was assembled on distribution, abundance, and protection status from heritage databases, consultation with regional experts, recent rare species surveys, and the literature (USDA Black Hills National Forest 1996; Fe1iig 1993; i I 3 r '1 Table 1. Vascular Plant Target Species / In the Wyoming Portion of the Black Hills Ecoregion

Primary Targets*

Global State Rank Species Rank Range WY SD· Botrychium campestre 3 Peripheral 1 u Carex alopecoidea 5 Disjunct 1 2 Equisetum scirpoides 5 Disjunct 1 2 Lycopodium complanatum 5 Disjunct 1 1 Platanthera orbiculata 57 Disjunct 1 1 *Other primary vascular plant targets m the ecoreg1on (Ad,antum cap1llus-venens, Carex tnbu/o1des, Corallorrhiza odontorhiza, Drypoteris carthusiana, Epipactis gigantea, Salix serissima, and Viola selkirkii) do not occur in the Wyoming portion of the Black Hills) ' Secondary Targets**

Global State Rank Species Rank Range WY SD Adenocaulon bicolor 57 Disjunct 1 2 r Adoxa moschatellina 5 Sparse 1 u : Carex rosea 5 Disjunct 1 Not tracked Cryptantha cana 5 Reg. End. 3 (not tracked) 2 Cypripedium calceolus var. 5 Disjunct 1-2 u pubescens r Equisetum sylvaticum 5 Disjunct 1 Not tracked ) Lycopodium annotinum 5 Sparse 2 (not tracked) 1 Lycopodium dendroideum 5 Disjunct 1 2 Muhlenbergia glomerata 5 Sparse 1 Not tracked Polystichum lonchitis 5 Sparse 2 1 Scirpus atrocinctus 5 Disjunct 1 Not tracked Selaginella rupestris 5 Disjunct 1 Not tracked Vaccinium membranaceum 5 Sparse 2 (not tracked) 2 ** Other secondary vascular plant targets m the ecoreg10n (Asplenium tnchomanes, Asplenium trichomanes-ramosum, Carex be/la, Carex lepta/ea, Carex pedzmculata, Cryptogramma acrostichoides, Eleocharis rostellata, Equisetum variegatum, Eustoma russellianum, Listera convallarioides, Pedicularis procera, Petasites sagittatus, Pinusflexilis,Salix candida, Salix lucida, and Sanguinaria canadensis) do not occur in the Wyoming portion of the Black Hills.

Codes: Global Rank: A measure of the relative rangewide abundance ofa full species, variety or subspecies on a scale of 1 (rarest) to 5 (very common). "?" indicates uncertainty in the numerical score. "Q" indicates a question about the validity of a taxon. Range: the geographic distribution pattern of each \ I• taxon. Reg End= regional endemics (found in a limited geographic area, usually 200-500 square miles, in 1 or more states), Disjunct= species that are widely isolated from the main contiguous portion of their range. Sparse = species which are always found in small patches of specialized habitat and sporadically distributed over a large geographic area. Peripheral= species at the edge of their contiguous distribution. State Rank: based on the same 1-5 scale as Global ranks, but are applied to a species' abundance within a single state. "U" indicates a species is present in the state, but its status is not known.

4 r Fertig et al. 1994; Marriott 1985, 1989a, 1989b, 1991, 1993; Ode and Marriott 1990). These data were used to develop conservation goals for each target element that address the minimum number and distribution of populations needed to ensure long-term survival. Point location data were also used to identify important biological areas that could be considered part of a "portfolio" of potential conservation sites (The Nature Conservancy 1997) (Table 2). Location maps for each species are in Appendix A.

RESULTS/DISCUSSION

Thirteen vascular plant species have been selected as primary targets for conservation: attention in the ecoregion, of which six are presently known from the Wyoming portion of the Black Hills. An additional 29 taxa are recognized as secondary targets, 13 of which occur in the Wyoming segment (Table 1). Only one of these targets (Botrychium campestre) is found exclusively in the Wyoming part of the ecoregion.

The development of finite conservation goals for rare plant taxa is hampered by the lack of detailed knowledge about their life history, demographic structure, genetic composition, and metapopulation dynamics (Given 1994, Primack 1993). In addition, the ability of many plants to produce long-lived seed banks and reproduce asexually confounds our abilities to determine the minimum population size needed for long-term survival (Menges 1991 ). While a universal "magic number" for the minimum viable population size of plants is probably unattainable (Givens 1994), theoreticians have suggested that minimum population sizes of 500 individuals may be sufficient for large­ bodied, long-lived perennial plants of stable environments, while a minimum of 10,000 individuals might be needed for the survival of annual plants in unstable environments (Primack 1996).

The number of individuals in a single population may be less important than the total number and spatial extent of all populations for ensuring the long term survival of a plant species (Given 1994 ). A conservation strategy that protects a suite of populations scattered across the full range of a species is likely to capture greater genetic variability than single populations and reduces the risk of a species being extirpated due to localized, stochastic environmental disturbances. The number of sites needed to ensure adequate representation will vary depending on a species' life history, growth form, population size, pollination biology, and genetic variability (Given 1994, Primack 1993).

In the absence of concrete demographic and genetic data for most target species in the Black Hills ecoregion, the planning team for the ecoregional plan has adopted the following goals for plant targets:

1. Identify at least 5 discrete populations of each primary and secondary target species for conservation attention.

2. Priority should be given to populations that are known or suspected to be of high quality and large size (with low threats) .

. ~· 5 Table 2. Potential Plant Conservation Sites in the Wyoming Portion of the Black Hills Ecoregion

Potential Conservation Ownership Target Plants Present Comments Site/Subregion Dugout Gulch Black Hills NF Carex alopecoidea Partly contained - and private Carex rosea within Dugout Gulch (Northwestern Cypripedium calceolus Special Botanical Area Foothills) var. pubescens on Black Hills NF . Polystichum lonchitis

Sand Creek Black Hills NF Adenocaulon bicolor Partly protected in ,, and private Adoxa moschatellina Upper Sand Creek I (Northwestern Carex alopecoidea Special Botanical Area Carex rosea Foothills) and Sand Creek Late ,- Equisetum scirpoides Successional Equisetum sylvaticum 1 Landscape on Black ' Lycopodium annotinum Lycopodium complanatum Hills NF Polystichum lonchitis Scirpus atrocinctus Vaccinium membranaceum

Bear Lodge Mountains Black Hills NF Adenocaulon bicolor Consists of lands north North and private Botrychium campestre of Hwy 24. Small area Carex rosea around Geis Springs is (Bear Lodge Mountains Equisetum sylvaticum protected in Late Muhlenbergia glomerata Subregion) Successional Scirpus atrocinctus Landscape on Black Selaginel/a rupestris Hills NF Bear Lodge Mountains Black Hills NF Adenocaulon bicolor Consists of lands south South and private Carex alopecoidea of Hwy 24. Not Equisetum scirpoides currently protected. (Bear Lodge Mountains Lycopodium dendroideum Subregion) Platanthera orbiculata Scirpus atrocinctus

I_ Clifton Black Hills NF Selaginella rupestris Not currently and private protected (Southwestern Foothills) Grand Canyon Black Hills NF Muhlenbergia glomerata Not currently and private protected (Southwestern Foothills)

I

6 3. Whenever possible, these populations should be distributed across different subregions of the ecoregion (three subregions are recognized in Wyoming: Northwestern Foothills, Southwestern Foothills, and the Bear Lodge Mountains).

4. Identify areas with unusually high concentrations of species of concern.

In the Wyoming Black Hills, many of the primary and secondary target plant species co­ occur in similar habitats and geographic areas, making the selection of potential conservation sites relatively simple. There are at least six main areas in the Wyoming portion of the ecoregion that should be considered potential conservastion sites: Dugout Gulch and Sand Creek (Northwestern Foothills), Bear Lodge Mountains North and South (Bear Lodge Mountains subregion), and Clifton and Grand Canyon (Southwestern Foothills) (Table 2). Smaller areas within these sites still need to be identified to ensure that potential conservation actions actually benefit their intended targets.

The current status, recommended conservation goals, and population viability for each of the target plant species in the Wyoming Black Hills is summarized in the following section. Element Occun-ence ranks in the Population Viability Table are explained in Appendix B.

Primary Vascular Plant Targets from the Wyoming Black Hills

Botrychium campestre Prairie moonwort Heritage Rank: G3/S 1 Range Comments: Peripheral. In Wyoming, known only from the Black Hills in Crook County. Habitat: Through most of its range, Prairie moonwort is found in untilled grasslands on loess, sand, or limestone-derived soils. The Wyoming population is atypical because it was found in a sandy Ponderosa pine/aspen forest. Sensitivity: This species may be extremely sensitive to ground disturbances or succession from open grasslands to pine forests. Status in WY Black Hills: Prairie moonwort is known from a single collection in the Black Hills, last observed by Robert Dorn in 1973 near the Bear Lodge Summit Campground in the Bear Lodge Mountains. Dorn reported that the population was "very rare" in 1973. Attempts to relocate this population by Hollis Marriott and Walter Fertig in 1989, 1993, and 1999 have been unsuccessful. This species can be difficult to locate because its leaves remain above ground for only a short period in the late Spring. Additional surveys should be conducted at the appropriate season in suitable habitats before this plant is dismissed as extirpated in the Black Hills. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: The single occun-ence near the Summit campground should be resurveyed and, if extant, provided appropriate management attention. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Bear Lodge Mountains.

7 Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 X? 1973 Bear Lodge Mountains North EO recommended for conservation attention; ,l I only known occurrence in l entire ecoregion.

Carex alopecoidea Foxtail sedge Heritage Rank: G5/S 1 Range Comments: Disjunct. In Wyoming, this species is known only from the Black Hills in Crook County. Habitat: Foxtail sedge occurs along streams and wooded swamps dominated by willows, birch, or hazelnut. ~·- Sensitivity: Most populations appear to be very small, making them vulnerable to impacts from recreational activities, grazing, mining, and habitat loss. Status in WY Black Hills: Foxtail sedge is known from 3-5 populations in Wyoming in the Sand Creek and Dugout Gulch drainages and on Slaybaugh Creek in the Bear Lodge Mountains. Individual populations typically number in the low hundreds and are restricted to 3-5 acres of suitable habitat. Two occurrences are located within the Dugout Gulch and Upper Sand Creek Special Botanical areas. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: Three populations in the Slaybaugh Creek, Dugout Gulch, and Upper Sand Creek areas should be afforded management attention. Surveys, monitoring, and studies on the effects of grazing are needed at these sites. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Bear Lodge Mountains and Northwestern Foothills. Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 C 1989 Sand Creek This EO or #002 are recommended for conservation attention. EO #001 has a larger I - population, but is in less pristine condition. 002 B 1990 Sand Creek See above

003 E 1983 Bear Lodge Mountains South EO recommended for conservation attention, but more population information needed. 004 E 1999 Dugout Gulch EO recommended for conservation attention, but more population information needed.

8 I 005 IE I 1984 I Sand Creek

Equisetum scirpoides Dwarf scouring-rush Heritage Rank: G5/S 1 Range Comments: Disjunct. In Wyoming, this species is restricted to the Black Hills in Crook County. · Habitat: Occurs on moist, shady, north-facing, mossy slopes associated with seeps or streams within Picea glauca/Betula papyrifera or Betula papyrifera/Corylus cornuta/Populus tremuloides forests. Sensitivity: Populations may be vulnerable to habitat loss or alteration resulting from logging or recreation activities. Status in WY Black Hills: Dwarf scouring-rush is currently known from 3 populations in the Wyoming Black Hills, two of which have been discovered since 1996. Individual colonies are typically reported as locally abundant, although usually restricted to areas of less than 50 square meters. One population is found within the Upper Sand Creek Special Botanical Area, but the others are found in areas slated for timber harvest. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: 1-2 populations in the WY Black Hills should be identified as management targets to complement 3-4 populations in South Dakota (where the species is more widespread). Two populations occur in the Sand Creek watershed, one of which is currently protected in the Upper Sand Creek Botanical Area, while the other is in a potential timber sale (Manhattan Gulch). The Bear Lodge Mountain population (Cole Canyon) currently receives no protection. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Bear Lodge Mountains and Northwestern Foothills. Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 B 1997 Sand Creek EO recommended for conservation attention 002 B 1996 Bear Lodge Mountains South EO recommended for conservation attention 003 B 1997 Sand Creek

Lycopodium complanatum Trailing clubmoss Synonym: Diphasiastrum complanatum Heritage Rank: G5/S 1 Range Comments: Disjunct. In Wyoming, known only from the Black Hills in Crook County. Habitat: The Wyoming population is found in small, semi-shady openings in gently sloping Picea glauca/Betula papyrifera forests. Terri Hildebrand also reports this species from a Picea glauca/Corylus cornuta association with an understory of Vaccinium in South Dakota (USDA Black Hills National Forest 1996). Sensitivity: Small population size makes this species especially vulnerable to extirpation from over-collection for "Christmas greens" and from habitat disturbance associated with logging, mining, and road construction. Status in WY Black Hills: Known from a single population in Wyoming that covers an

9 . l' ' I r ( area of ca 30 x 50 meters. This colony may represent a single genetic individual. The .l population is protected within the Upper Sand Creek Special Botanical Area. I

Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: Because of its limited range in the Black Hills, c l all known populations of Trailing clubmoss should be considered a high priority for special management attention. A monitoring program should be established to detect possible range shifts and additional areas of potential habitat should be surveyed. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Northwestern Foothills. Population Viability Table: r- EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments ' Rank Observed

001 AB 1993 Sand Creek EO recommended for I 'I conservation attention, i although AB rank may be too high. C I Platanthera orbiculata Large round-leaved orchid Synonym: Habenaria orbiculata Heritage Rank: G5/S 1 Range Comments: Disjunct. In Wyoming, this species is restricted to the Black Hills in Crook County. Habitat: Populations from Wyoming are found in Betula papyrifera/Corylus cornuta communities in drainage bottoms or north-facing slopes and benches. Sensitivity: The small size of all known populations makes this species vulnerable to over-collection by orchid-fanciers and impacts from grazing, logging, road-building, and chance accidents. Status in WY Black Hills: Two populations of this Region 2 Sensitive species were discovered in Wyoming in 1997 by Ted Toombs, a seasonal employee with Black Hills National Forest. These populations consisted of 3 subpopulations numbering 6 ,- individuals in 1997. All of the Wyoming populations are on National Forest lands 1 managed for multiple use. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: Due to the limited range, high threats, and small population size of this species, all populations of Large round-leaved orchid should be considered a high priority for protection in the ecoregion. Surveys should be conducted to locate additional habitat and monitoring of known sites should continue. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Bear Lodge Mountains. · Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 C 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South EO recommended for conservation attention 002 D 1998 Bear Lodge Mountains South EO recommended for conservation attention

10 Secondary Vascular Plant Targets from the Wyoming Black Hills

Adenocaulon bicolor American trailplant Heritage Rank: G5/S 1 Range Comments: Disjunct. In Wyoming, known only from the Black Hills in Crook County. ·- · Habitat: In Wyoming, American trailplant occurs primarily on north-facing slopes ih small drainages in moist Betula papyrifera/Corylus cornuta, B. papyrifera/Ostrya virginiana, or Populus tremuloides/Corylus cornuta forests with organic-rich soils. Sensitivity: Traditionally, this species has been considered highly vulnerable to habitat disturbance due to its small population size and affinity for specialized habitats (Marriott et al. 1990). Recent studies, however, indicate that trailplant is much more widespread in the Bear Lodge Mountains and Sand Creek area of Wyoming and in South Dakota. In addition, observations by Reed (1995) suggest that this species may be resilient to grazmg. Status in WY Black Hills: There are currently 6-7 primary occurrences recognized in the Wyoming Black Hills consisting of at least 83 subpopulations. These subpopulations range in size from fewer than 10 plants in an area of a few square feet to over 5000 individuals over several acres. The total Wyoming population is currently estiumated at 15,000-25,000 plants. All of the Wyoming occurrences have been discovered or resurveyed since 1993. Nearly 40 subpopulations are found within the Upper Sand Creek Special Botanical Area or Sand Creek Late Successional Landscape. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: Two occurrences of American trailplant in Wyoming should be provided special management attention to meet the region-wide conservation goal of 5 protected populations. The two largest and most extensive occurrences in the state are in the Sand Creek watershed and at the north end of the Bear Lodge Mountains (at the heads of Deep and East creeks). Both sites are managed by Black Hills National Forest and are significant for their rich assortment of other Wyoming rare plants. Monitoring programs should be established at both sites to assess the influence of management actions on this species and to determine what activities might be compatible with its survival. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Northwestern Foothills and Bear Lodge Mountains. Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 AB 1997 Sand Creek EO recommended for conservation attention 002 AB 1999 Bear Lodge Mountains North 003 C 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 004 BC 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 005 BC 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 006 BC 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 007 BC 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 010 A 1994 Bear Lodge Mountains South EO recommended for conservation attention

11 I 011 I B? I 1998 I Bear Lodge Mountains South "- Adoxa moschatellina Moschatel Heritage Rank: G5/S 1 Range Comments: Sparse. In Wyoming, found in the Yellowstone Plateau, Black Hills, and Bighorn, Absaroka, and Medicine Bow ranges (Albany, Crook, Park, Sheridan,-and Washakie counties). Habitat: Black Hills populations are found in semi-shady, moss-covered igneous or limestone talus slopes. Sensitivity: Populations are often small and resticted to specialized, cool, moist habitats that may be vulnerable to surface disturbances from logging, road-building, and recreational activities. Status in WY Black Hills: Two small populations are found in the Upper Sand Creek Special Botanical Area and Sand Creek Late Successional Landscape on Black Hills . National Forest. The largest colony contains 300-400 plants in small patches. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: Depending on the abundance of this plant in the South Dakota Black Hills, one or both of the Wyoming populations should be considered targets for special managment attention. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Northwestern Foothills. Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 B 1991 Sand Creek EO recommended for conservation attention 010 E 1990 Sand Creek

Carex rosea Rosy sedge Heritage Rank: G5/S 1 Range Comments: Disjunct. In Wyoming, known only from the Black Hills in Crook County. Habitat: Wyoming populations are found along creeks and ponds or wet meadows in Betula papyrifera/Corylus cornuta or Betula papyrifera/Ostrya virginiana communities Sensitivity: Populations may be vulnerable to grazing or surface disturbing activities. Status in WY Black Hills: Known from 5 occurrences, including one population in the Dugout Gulch Special Botanical Area. Other populations are found in the Sanci Creek area and Bear Lodge Mountains on National Forest lands managed for multiple use. No population estimates are available. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: Depending on the status of this species in South Dakota, at least 2 Wyoming populations should be considered ecoregional targets. Populations in the Dugout Gulch and Bear Lodge Mountains (Bear Lodge Pass or East Creek areas) are the best populations for consideration because of their size or existing protective status. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Bear Lodge Mountains and Northwestern Foothills.

rI

12 ,_ ! Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 E 1984 Sand Creek 002 E 1983 Bear Lodge Mountains North 003 B 1987 Bear Lodge Mountains North EO recommended for · conservation attention 004 B 1989 Dugout Gulch EO recommended for :.- · conservation attention. 005 E 1982 Sand Creek

Cryptantha cana Dog cryptantha Heritage Rank: G5/S3 (not tracked) Range Comments: Regional endemic of the northwestern Great Plains and Wyoming Basins. In Wyoming, known from Big Horn, Campbell, Converse, Fremont, Goshen, Laramie, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston counties. Habitat: Found mostly on eroded sandstone or limestone bluffs and outcrops on sandy to clay-rich soils. Sensitivity: Threats are low at most sites in Wyoming. ' 1 Status in WY Black Hills: Dog cryptantha is known from at least two sites along the western edge of the ecoregion in Weston County. This species is much more widespread in the adjacent Northern Great Plains and Wyoming Basins ecoregions and should be treated as a conservation target in these areas rather than in the Black Hills. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: No Wyoming sites in the Black Hills are recommended for conservation attention. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Southwestern Foothills.

Cypripedium calceolus var. pubescens Large yellow ladies-slipper Synonym: Cypripedium pubescens Heritage Rank: G5/S 1S2 Range Comments: Disjunct. In Wyoming, known from the Black Hills, Bighorn Range, and Wind River Range in Big Horn, Crook, Fremont, Sheridan, and Washakie counties. Habitat: The Wyoming Black Hills population occurs along a well-shaded stream in a grove of Quercus macrocarpa. Sensitivity: Potentially highly threatened from over-collection by orchid-fanciers, grazing, logging, mining, and road-building activities. Status in WY Black Hills: Known from a single population of 3 plants, first observed in 1993 during a Wyoming Native Plant Society field trip. This population is located near the boundary of the Dugout Gulch Special Botanical Area. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: The Dugout Gulch population represents the only occurrence of this species in the Northwestern Foothills subregion of the ecoregion and should be a priority for management attention. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Northwestern Foothills.

13 Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 008 BC 1993 Dugout Gulch EO recommended for conservation attention .· r despite small size

Equisetum sylvaticum Woodland horsetail Heritage Rank: 05/S 1 Range Comments: Disjunct. In Wyoming, Woodland horsetail is found in the Black Hills (Crook County) and Bighorn Range (Sheridan County).

Habitat: In the Black Hills, this species is found along creeks and beaver ponds in I_ Betula papyrifera/Corylus cornuta forests. The Bighorn Mountain population occurs in hummocky Carex bogs, shady Picea engelmannii/Ledum glandulosum/Vaccinium scoparium forests, or shady, mud-lined pools. Sensitivity: Populations may be vulnerable to habitat loss from wetland draining, ,- logging, or recreational activity. ! Status in WY Black Hills: This speces is known from two occurrences in the WY Black Hills in Upper Sand Creek and the Bear Lodge Mountains (upper East Creek drainage). Neither population is found in an area receiving special management attention. No population estimates have been made at these sites. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: This species is not tracked by the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program. Both Wyoming populations should be considered targets for conservation attention unless Woodland horsetail is deemed sufficiently abundant or unthreatened in the entire ecoregion to be dropped as a candidate. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Bear Lodge Mountains and Northwestern Foothills. Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 E 1999 Bear Lodge Mountains North EO recommended for conservation attention 002 E 1993 Sand Creek EO recommended for conservation attention

Lycopodium annotinum Stiff clubmoss Heritage Rank: G5/S2 (not tracked) Range Comments: Sparse. In Wyoming, this species is known from the Black Hills, Jackson Hole, Yellowstone Plateau, and Medicine Bow, Beartooth, and Absaroka ranges. Habitat: In the Black Hills, Stiff clubmoss is found in White spruce forests with Hazelnut and blueberry. Elsewhere in the state, it is found mostly in moist Engelmann spruce-Subalpine fir forests or the edge of boggy meadows. Sensitivity: This species may be threatened by over-collection for "Christmas greens" or habitat loss due to road-building, logging, or recreation. Status in WY Black Hills: The only population in the Wyoming Black Hills is found

14

ri ,< within the Upper Sand Creek Special Botanical Area. Hollis Marriott observed 3 patches here in 1989 covering 100, 200 and 1500 square meters. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: The single Wyoming population should be considered one of the five target populations throughout the ecoregion for management attention. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Northwestern Foothills. Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 B 1989 Sand Creek EO recommended for conservation attention

Lycopodium dendroideum Treelike clubmoss Heritage Rank: G5/S 1 Range Comments: Disjunct. In Wyoming, known only from the Black Hills in Crook County. Habitat: Wyoming populations are found primarily in Betula papyrifera/Corylus cornuta forests on north-facing slopes with organic-rich soils derived from sandstone. These populations are often found near perennial or intermittent streams. Sensitivity: Small population size makes this species vulnerable to large scale disturbances associated with road-building, logging, and recreational activities. Status in WY Black Hills: There are four main populations (totaling at least 9 subpopulations) in the Wyoming Black Hills. Three of these populations have been discovered in surveys of potential timber sales since 1997. The largest known populations contain 150-200 above-ground stems in areas of about 200 square meters. Due to the plant's rhizomatous nature, however, these stems may represent (::me or a few genetically-distinct individuals. Wyoming populations are all on National Forest lands managed for multiple use. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: The four primary Wyoming populations are all found in the Bear Lodge Mountains. Depending on the abundance and distribution of this species in South Dakota, at least 1-2 Wyoming occurrences should be considered a target for protection. The subpopulations in the Cook Lake area appear to be the largest in the state and are probably the best suited for special attention ( other occurrences are in areas planned for timber harvest). Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Bear Lodge Mountains. Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 B 1993 Bear Lodge Mountains South 002 BC 1993 Bear Lodge Mountains South 003 A 1993 Bear Lodge Mountains South EO recommended for conservation attention 004 AB 1994 Bear Lodge Mountains South EO recommended for conservation attention

15

! / 005 BC 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 006 B 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 007 BC 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 008 BC 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 009 B 1998 Bear Lodge Mountains South - Muhlenbergia glomerata Marsh muhly Heritage Rank: G5/S 1 Range Comments: Sparse. In Wyoming, known from the Black Hills, Southeastern:.-· Plains, Green River Basin, Absaroka Range (Clarks Fork Valley), Yellowstone Plateau, and Jackson Hole in Crook, Goshen, Sublette, Park, and Teton counties. Habitat: Populations in the Black Hills have been found in canyon bottoms and wet meadows above beaver dams. Elsewhere in Wyoming, Marsh muhly is typically found in hummocky, marl-rich wetlands dominated by Carex simulata, Triglochin maritimum, or Juncus balticus. Sensitivity: Populations could be vulnerable to draining of wetlands or other surface - disturbing activities. Impacts from grazing are poorly known in the Black Hills, but appear to be low at several other Wyoming sites. Status in WY Black Hills: Two poorly-known populations are present in the Grand Canyon area on the state line and the Planting and Lost springs area in the Bear Lodge Mountains. Neither population has been formally surveyed or revisited in recent years and none are in formally protected areas. Potential habitat has been identified by Ted Toombs in the Little Beaver Spring area of the Bear Lodge Mountains, but a survey is needed for confirmation. At least 3 other populations in Wyoming are protected within Yellowstone National Park, the Swamp Lake Special Botanical Area (Shoshone NF), and the National Elk Refuge. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: Both Wyoming populations in the ecoregion should be considered for special management and should be high priorities for resurvey and monitoring. Additional areas of potential habitat need to be inventoried on Black Hills National Forest. Such inventories should be conducted in late summer when this species is most likely to be in flower (and is most recognizable). Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Bear Lodge Mountains and Northwestern Foothills Population Viability Table: I,_

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 002 E 1984 Grand Canyon EO recommended for conservation attention, but more population information needed. 003 E 1980 Bear Lodge Mountains North EO recommended for conservation attention, but more population information needed.

16 r Polystichum lonchitis Mountain holly-fem Heritage Rank: G5/S2 (not tracked) Range Comments: Sparse. In Wyoming, Mountain holly-fem is found in the Sierra Madre, Black Hills, and Beartooth, Teton, Salt River, and Gros Ventre ranges in Carbon, Crook, Lincoln, Park, and Teton counties. Habitat: In the Wyoming Black Hills, this species is found in deep, shady ravines with Betula papyrifera and Cory/us cornuta. Elsewhere in Wyoming, it is found in moist · streambanks and draws dominated by Abies lasiocarpa, limestone boulder fields, or shrubby thickets on talus. Sensitivity: Populations are extremely small and thus potentially highly vulnerable t(? over-collection or disturbance. Status in WY Black Hills: Known from two small populations on the Wyoming side of the Black Hills. One population in the Dugout Gulch area consisted of a single plant when it was discovered by Robert Dom in 1977. A second colony was discovered in the Upper Sand Creek area by Hollis Marriott in 1990 and contained 40-50 individuals (Marriott 1991). Both populations are found in or immediately adjacent to the Upper Sand Creek and Dugout Gulch Special Botanical areas. Outside of the Black Hills, this species is protected in at least 4 sites in the Swift Creek Research Natural Area (Bridger­ Teton NF) and Grand Teton National Park. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: The two Wyoming populations should be considered high priorities for regional conservation attention unless larger or more secure populations are present in South Dakota. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Northwestern Foothills. Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 C 1977 Dugout Gulch EO recommended for conservation attention 003 A 1991 Sand Creek EO rec01mnended for conservation attention

Scirpus atrocinctus Cottongrass bulrush or Woolrush Synonym: Scirpus cyperinus Heritage Rank: GS/S 1 Range Comments: Disjunct. In Wyoming, this species is restricted to the Black Hills in Crook County and one small population along a roadside in Yellowstone National Park (Teton County). Habitat: Populations are found primarily along streams, beaver ponds, and springs in open, wet meadows, or Betula papyrifera and Populus tremuloides/Salix swamps with standing water. Despite the presence of large areas of seemingly suitable habitat, most populations are small and restricted to suitable microsites (USDA Black Hills National Forest 1996). Sensitivity: Impacts from grazing are poorly understood. Other potential threats include habitat disturbance associated with mining and road construction. Status in WY Black Hills: Until 1993, this species was known from only 2 primary

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locations in Wyoming. Since then, surveys have documented at least nine new populations (and possibly as many as 18) in the Bear Lodge Mountains. Most of these populations are relatively small and contain 10-50 individual clumps in limited areas, although a few large colonies may number as many as 500 clumps. Many colonies are found in the same watersheds, suggesting that gene flow may be less restricted than once presumed. Only one population is currently found within a special management area (Upper Sand Creek Special Botanical Area). This population, however, has not been· relocated since 1984 and could be extirpated. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: Due to its wide distribution, Cottongrass bulrush may be removed from the US Forest Service Sensitive list. Its status as a target in the Black Hills ecoregion may also warrant reassessment. If it remains a target, at least 2 populations in Wyoming should be identified for conservation. Large populations in the Beaver Creek or North Redwater Creek watersheds in the Bear Lodge Mountains should be considered for special management attention. The Upper Sand Creek population may also warrant recognition, as it is the only one in the Wyoming Black Hills that is currently protected. A re-survey of Sand Creek should be conducted, however, to determine if this colony is still present and viable. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Bear Lodge Mountains and N01ihwestern Foothills. Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 B 1994 Bear Lodge Mountains South EO recommended for conservation attention 002 X? 1984 Sand Creek 003 BC 1994 Bear Lodge Mountains South 004 B 1993 Bear Lodge Mountains North EO recommended for conservation attention 007 C 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 008 CD 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 009 BC 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 010 CD 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South ,-- 011 BC 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 012 C 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South 013 CD 1997 Bear Lodge Mountains South

Selaginella rupestris Ledge spike-moss Heritage Rank: G5/S 1 Range Comments: Disjunct. In Wyoming, known only from the Black Hills in Crook and Weston counties. Habitat: Wyoming populations are found in sandy Pinus ponderosa forests with sparse understories of Poa secunda. Sensitivity: This species could be vulnerable to surface disturbances associated with road-building and recreational activities.

18 : Status in WY Black Hills: Ledge spike-moss is presently known from two unprotected populations in the Wyoming Black Hills. Both contain less than 200 individuals in limited areas. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: This species is not tracked by the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program. The status of Ledge spike-moss in the entire ecoregion should be assessed before conservation goals are formulated. If it still warrants special attention, at least one population in Wyoming should be considered for protection. The Bear Lodge campground colony is the largest, but may not be as secure as the Clifton Canyon population. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Bear Lodge Mountains and Southwestern Foothills: Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 B 1999 Bear Lodge Mountains North 002 B 1986 Clifton EO recommended for conservation attention

Vaccinium membranaceum Thinleaved blueberry Heritage Rank: G5/S2 (not tracked) Range Comments: Considered "Sparse" in Wyoming, where it is restricted to the Gros Ventre and Absaroka mountains (Park and Teton counties) and the Black Hills (Crook County). Habitat: In the Wyoming Black Hills, thinleaved blueberry is found in Picea glauca/Corylus cornuta woods along creeks. Elsewhere in Wyoming, it is typically found in moist, montane Pinus contorta forests Sensitivity: Considered vulnerable to habitat disturbances related to mining activities by Ode and Marriott (1990). Many populations exist at low densities and may only rarely produce seed. Populations in the Gros Ventre and Absaroka ranges are probably secure. Status in WY Black Hills: Thinleaved blueberry is known from a single location in the Wyoming Black Hills along Sand Creek. This occurrence is contained within the Upper Sand Creek Special Botanical Area. All other populations in Wyoming are found in the Gros Ventre and Absaroka ranges, at least four of which are protected in Yellowstone National Park and the Gros Ventre and Washakie Wilderness Areas. This species was dropped as a species of special concern in Wyoming in 1993 due to its abundance and low threats in the northwestern part of the state. Conservation Goals in WY Black Hills: The Sand Creek population may be the only one found in the Northwestern Foothills subregion of the Black Hills and should be considered a high priority for protection. Black Hills Ecoregion Subunits: Northwestern Foothills. Population Viability Table:

EO# EO Year Last Potential Conservation Site Comments Rank Observed 001 BC 1986 Sand Creek EO recommended for conservation attention

19 ACKOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank the following individuals for their contributions to this project: Brooke Oblad, a recent graduate of the University of Wyoming, helped produce the range maps in Appendix A, Hollis Marriott, Robert Dorn, Kathy Zacherkevics, and Deanna Reyher contributed new data from recent field surveys in the Black Hills, and Dave Ode r- and Jennifer Hall provided helpful information and improvements on an earlier draft.· '

LITERATURE CITED

Fertig, W. 1993. Black Hills National Forest Sensitive Plant Field Guide. Report prepared for Black Hills National Forest by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY.

Fertig, W. and G. Beauvais. 1999. Wyoming Plant and Animal Species of Special Concern. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY.

Fertig, W., C. Refsdal, and J. Whipple. 1994. Wyoming Rare Plant Field Guide. Wyoming Rare Plant Technical Committee, Cheyenne, WY.

Given, D.R. 1994. Principles and Practice of Plant Conservation. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Marriott, H. 1985. Flora of the northwestern Black Hills, Crook and Weston counties, Wyoming. Master's Thesis, Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.

Marriott, H. 1989a. Suitability investigation report for a proposed Bear Lodge Pass (Alva Summit) Special Botanical Area, Black Hills National Forest. Report prepared by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY.

Marriott, H. 1989b. Suitability investigation report for a proposed Dugout Gulch Special Botanical Area, Black Hills National Forest. Report prepared by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY.

Marriott, H. 1991. Suitability investigation report for a proposed Upper Sand Creek Special Botanical Area, Black Hills National Forest. Report prepared by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY.

Marriott, H. 1993. Sensitive plant species surveys on the Bear Lodge District, Black Hills National Forest. Report prepared by the Wyoming Nature Conservancy, Lander, WY.

Marriott, H., C. Freeman, M. Fritz, T. Naumann, and D. Ode. 1990. Candidate Sensitive plant species, USDA Forest Service, Region 2. Report prepared for the US Forest

20 Service by the Rocky Mountain Heritage Task Force, Colorado Natural Areas Program, Kansas Natural Heritage Program, Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, and Wyoming Natural Diversity Database.

McIntosh, A.J. 1931. A botanical survey of the Black Hills of South Dakota. Black Hills Engineer 19: 159-276.

Menges, E.S. 1991. The application of minimum viable population theory to plants. D.E. Falk and K.E. Holsinger (eds.). Genetics and Conservation of Rare Plants,pp. 45- 61. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. ·

Ode, D.J. and H. Marriott. 1990. Sensitive plant surveys in the northwestern Black Hills. Report prepared for Black Hills National Forest by the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks Department and the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database.

Primack R.B. 1993. Essentials of Conservation Biology. Sinauer Associates, Inc. Sunderland, MA.

Primack, R.B. 1996. Lessons from ecological theory: dispersal, establishment, and population structure. In: D.A. Falk, C.I. Millar, and M. Olwell (eds.) Restoring Diversity: Strategies for Reintroduction of Endangered Plants, pp 209-233. Island Press, Washington, DC.

Reed, C. 1995. Sensitive plant species surveys on the Bear Lodge District, Black Hills National Forest. Report prepared for the Bear Lodge District.

South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks. 1998. Special Plants Monitored by the South Dakota Natural Heritage Database 1998. South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks Wildlife Division, Pierre, SD.

The Nature Conservancy. 1997. Designing a Geography of Hope. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA.

USDA Black Hills National Forest. 1996. Black Hills National Forest Revised Land and Resource Management Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement. Black Hills National Forest, Custer, SD.

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