The Newsletter
of the Wyoming
Native Plant Society

May 2000
Volume 19, No. 2

Special Black Hills Botany Issue

In this issue:

WNPSNews 2

The Black Hills Landscape 3

The Black Hills Managed Forest 4

Vegetation of the Black Hills 5

Floral Valleys of the Black Hills 6

Which Spruce is This? 7

A Botanical Crossroads 8

The Protection Status of the Flora of the

Wyoming Black Hills 9

Books for the Black Hills Explorer 10

Field Trip Itinerary 11

Yes, Yes, an Arboreal Mess! 12

American Trailplant {Adenocaubn bicoior)

is a white-flowered, perennial member of the
sunflower family (Asteraceae). It occurs primarily in
the Pacific Northwest, but widely disjunct
populations are also found in the Black Hills of
Wyoming and South Dakota and in the northern
Great Lakes area. Trailplant gets its name from its
white-woolly leaf undersides which, when trampled,
are exposed to reveal a traveler's path. In the Black
Hills, trailplant occurs mostly on north-facing slopes
in small, moist drainages dominated by Paper birch,
Ironwood, and Aspen forests. Although listed as
Sensitive by the Forest Service, many new colonies
have been discovered as a result of recent surveys
in Wyoming and South Dakota. In Wyoming alone,
the total population numbers about 25,000
individuals, suggesting that the species is less
threatened than once thought. Illustration by
Walter Fertig from the Wyoming Rare Plant Field
Guide.

WNPS NEWS

Wyoming Native Plant Society
PO Box 3452, Laramie, WY 82071

Membership Renewal/Elections : Enclosed with this
issue is a renewal notice and ballot for new Society
officers. Members with a 98, 99, or 00 on their mailing
label need to renew to remain in good standing, while
those with a 01 are paid through the year. The following
individuals have agreed to run for the WNPS board:
President - Amy Roderick, Vice-President - Joy Handley,
Secretary/Treasurer - Walt Fertig, and 2-year board
member- Jim Ozenberger. As always, write-in votes are
welcome (although please, no votes for Ross Perot).

Please also nominate sites for next years annual
meeting/field trip on the ballot.

2QQQ WNPS Annual Meeting/Field Trip: T he
Society's annual meeting is scheduled for the weekend of
June 17-18 In the Shirley Basin and surrounding
mountains of central Wyoming. Plan to meet at the state
rest area near the junction of highways 487 and 77 on
Saturday morning (June 17) at 8:30 AM for a brief
business meeting in the parking area. From here, we will
proceed to Chalk Mountain to observe a variety of
unusual cushion plant species. Including the state
endemic Sphaeromeria simplex {Larame false sagebrush)
and wlldflowers. We also plan to explore the Agate Flats
area for spring cushion plants and Shirley Mountain
(weather permitting) for Brandegee's polemonium and
other showy species. For those who wish to continue on
Sunday, we will be camping out Saturday night on Chalk
Mountain or Shirley Mountain.

Black Hills Field Trip: in conjunction with the Great
Plains Native Plant Society, Hollis Marriott will be leading
a field trip to the Black Hills of Wyoming and South
Dakota on the weekend of July 21-23 (sorry, but this date
does not coincide with the Sturgis motorcycle rally). For
more details, see page 11 for the full itinerary and map.

New Mailing Address: Please note that the Society
has changed its mailing address to PO Box 3452, Laramie
WY, 82071.

WeYe looking for new members : Do you know
someone who would be interested in joining WNPS?

Send their name or encourage them to contact the
Society for a complimentary newsletter.

Attention Readers : We are always looking for
articles and illustrations for the newsletter. Items for the
October issue are needed by 25 September 2000.

President: Jim Ozenberger (Jackson)

Vice President: Amy Roderick (Laramie)
Secretary-Treasurer: Laura Welp (Laramie)

Board Members: Nina Haas (Cheyenne)

Steve Laster (Pinedale)

Newsletter Editor: Walter Fertig (307) 766-3020 (wk)/e-
mail: clyde@uwyo.edu .

Teton Chapter: PO Box 82, Wilson, WY 83014 (Joan
Lucas, Treasurer).

Other Regional Plant Societies:

Bighorn Native Plant Society, PO Box 21, Big Horn, WY
82833 (contact Jean Daly for more information)

Great Plains Native Plant Society, PO Box 461, Hot
Springs, SD 57747 (contact Cindy Reed for more
information)

Contributors to this issue: Walter Fertig (WF), Hollis
Marriott, Dave Ode, C.L. Porter.

Special Black Hills Botany Issue

The Black Hills of northeast Wyoming and northwest
South Dakota have long attracted attention for their
unusual flora - a hodgepodge of species from the Rocky
Mountains, boreal forests of Canada, the deciduous
forests of the Eastern United States, the Great Plains, and
Great Basin. In all, over 1300 vascular plant species have
been documented in the Black Hills, including nearly 100
rare species that are at the periphery of their range or
widely disjunct. Dozens of rare or unique plant
communities are present In the Hills, providing habitat for
a host of wildlife species, including several endemics
(such as white-winged junco. Black Hills redbelly snake,
and Cooper's Rocky Mountain snail). With the growth of
human populations in the region and high demand for
natural resources (timber, minerals, and space for
recreation), the flora of the Black Hills is increasingly
threatened. This special Issue of CastiHeja has been
prepared to Increase awareness and appreciation for the
Black Hills and its important botanical values.

WF

Treasurer's Report : Balance as of 15 May 2000:
General Fund $387.14; 2000-2001 Student Scholarship
Fund $40.00; Total funds: $427.14

2

The Black Hills Landscape

By Hollis Marriott

The Black Hills are a small isolated mountain range on
the Great Plains of western South Dakota and
northeastern Wyoming. They were named for the dark
covering of Ponderosa pine that contrasts with the
surrounding prairie. The Hills are perhaps most widely
known for abundant tourist attractions and the annual
Sturgis motorcycle rally. But the area offers far more,
including scenic beauty, excellent outdoor recreation, and
explorations in natural history that are both fascinating
and accessible.

Though located on the Great Plains, the Black Hills are
related to the Rocky Mountains, as they were created at
the same time and exhibit the
same style of uplift. The erosion
that followed has produced a
rounded mountain range with
concentric exposures of pro-
gressively younger rocks moving
from the center outwards. Five
"geomorphic regions" have been
recognized within the Black Hills
based on these concentric zones of
rock and the distinctive landscapes
that have developed (see map).

These can be easily seen from
roads crossing the area.

The Central Core Includes the
oldest rocks found in the Black
Hills - granite, schist and slate more
than 1.6 billion years In age. It Is a
rugged hilly area with numerous
rock outcrops, and narrow dark can-
yons. Elevations are relatively high,
and this region includes Harney Peak,
the high point of the uplift at 7242 ft.

Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills
Needles are other famous outcrops.

Surrounding the Central Core Is the
Limestone Plateau. It is best dev-
eloped on the west side, where the
erosion-resistant limestone has pro-
duced a broad plateau-like surface
with elevations as high as 7000 feet in
places. The landscape is less rugged
here, with forested hills and mountain
meadows in broad drainage bottoms.

Elevations drop from the Central
Core and Limestone Plateau through
the Minnekahta Foothills (sandstones
and limestones) to the Red Valley or
Racetrack, which surrounds the high
Black Hills. The racetrack is derived
from a collection of soft red sand-
stones and siltstones with gypsum

lenses. Because these rocks are so
soft, erosion during the millions of years following uplift
of the Hills has produced a low-lying area of rolling
prairies and eroded red bluffs. The more hospitable
nature of the Red Valley made it attractive for town sites.
Sundance, Beulah, Spearfish, Sturgis and part of Rapid
City all are located within the Red Valley.

The outermost geomorphic region is the Hogback
Rim, made of sandstones, siltstones and shales. The
more resistant sandstones have been eroded into
prominent "hogbacks" or ridges, for example Dinosaur
Hill on the west side of Rapid City, and the Elk Mountains
south of Newcastle.

A zone of unusual geologic features crosses the
northern Black Hills from Hulett east to Sturgis. This was
an area of volcanic and subsurface Igneous activity late in

the mountain-building episode that produced the Black
Hills. The most famous of these are Devils Tower and
Bear Butte, but there are many others, such as Sundance
Mountain, Inyan Kara Mountain and the gold-mining
region of Lead and Deadwood. The Bear Lodge
Mountains north of Sundance are a small uplift
superimposed on the Black Hills during this period.
Technically a part of the Black Hills, the Bear Lodge is
sometimes considered distinct from the "Black Hills
proper," the two being separated by the Red Valley In the
vicinity of Sundance.

The Black Hills Managed Forest

By Dave Ode

In November 1899 the Federal Government held the
first ever regulated timber sale, "Case No. 1," In the Black
Hills Forest Reserve just south of Nemo, SD. Gifford
Pinchot himself negotiated the terms of the sale with the
purchaser - Homestake Mining Company. Pinchot
became the first Chief of the Bureau of Forestry (what is
now the Forest Service).

Since then, Black Hills National Forest has been a
model of production-oriented forest management.
Consider the fact that for most of its history the relatively
small Black Hills National Forest annually produces more
harvested timber than all of the other forests in the
Rocky Mountain Region combined. That includes all the
National Forests in Colorado (Arapaho-Roosevelt, Grand
Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison, PIke-San Isabel, Rio
Grande, Routt, San Juan, and White River) plus three
Wyoming National Forests (Bighorn, Medicine Bow,
Shoshone). In 1996 for example. Black Hills NF
harvested 65 million board feet (mbf) of lumber
compared to 6 mbf on Shoshone NF, and 5 mbf on
Bighorn NF. In terms of acreage, each year there Is
about 20,000 acres of forested land (public and private)
in the Black Hills that receives some cutting/logging in
one of four typical treatments: precommercial thinning,
commercial thinning, seed cut, or overstory removal.

. Timber harvest at this scale, necessitates road
construction, so as a comparison, in 1996 there were 5
miles of road constructed^econstructed on Shoshone NF,
3 miles on Bighorn NF, and 150 miles of road
construction/reconstruction on Black Hills NF. After one-
hundred years of timber management, It should not be
surprising that the Black Hills has a higher road density
than any other national forest.

In terms of livestock production, the Forest Service
currently permits approximately 135,000 animal unit
months of livestock grazing each year on Black Hills
National Forest (that's about 25,000 head of livestock,
mostly cattle).

While the Black Hills is clearly a "working forest," with
a working human population, most people come to the
Black Hills to play. There are approximately 140,000

permanent human residents of the Black Hills, but each
summer about 4 million tourists pay a visit. That’s about
25 visitors per resident. In just one economic measure,
sport fishing alone is estimated to be worth $30 million
annually, with tourists and residents logging about
500,000 angler-days each year. This angling Industry is
based primarily on trout (brook, rainbow & brown), which
have been introduced into Black Hills waters which
historically had a variety of native fishes but no trout.

These numbers should illustrate that the Black Hills
National Forest is a forest with a lot of historically
dependent Industries with demands for timber
production, demands for livestock forage, demands for
recreation, demands for fire fighting. These numbers
should also help imply why demands for forest
preservation create such controversy. This battle is not
new. The conflict between forest management and
forest preservation originally had two champions: Gifford
Pinchot (cited above) and John Muir (founder of the
Sierra Club In 1892). Pinchot clearly won the first battle
over the Black Hills. Today, the followers of John Muir
are fighting that battle again.

Above: Great-spurred violet ( Viola selkirkil) Is a
circumboreal species with disjunct populations in
the South Dakota Black Hills and Colorado. It can
be recognized by its leafless flowering stalks,
minutely hairy heart-shaped basal leaves, and
glabrous pale violet-purple flowers with an
enlarged spur. This species Is restricted to moist,
mossy benches or rocky slopes in cool ravines.
Great-spurred violet is listed as Sensitive by the
US Forest Service. Illustration by W. Fertig.

4

Vegetation of the Black Hills

By Hollis Marriott

In 1999, the Black Hills Community Inventory Final
Report \Nas released by the Midwest Conservation
Science Center of The Nature Conservancy. This report is
based on three field seasons of research by the authors,
as well as other earlier studies. Funding for the project
was provided by Black Hills National Forest, The Nature
Conservancy, local industries, and several other groups.
Project goals were to classify and describe all vegetation
types of the Black Hills, and to Identify high-quality
examples. The resulting classification consists of 68
"plant communities" (vegetation types). Eight of the sites
surveyed are considered exemplary sites, with high-
quality examples of multiple vegetation types in
relatively-intact natural settings. Another six were
recognized as "potential exemplary sites" for which
additional survey Is needed. Most surveys were done on
public lands, and all sites considered exemplary are in
public ownership.

The overview below Is taken from the introductory
section of the final report. The entire document is
available from The Nature Conservancy (Jennifer Hall,
612-331-0708), and Black Hills National Forest (605-673-
2251); there may be charges for reproduction and
postage. The complete citation is: Marriott, H., D.
Faber-Langendoen, A. McAdams, D. Stutzman and B.
Burkhart. 1999. Black Hills Community Inventory. Final
Report. Minneapolis: Midwest Conservation Science
Center, The Nature Conservancy.

Much of the Black Hills is covered with Ponderosa pine
forest. This is the most extensive vegetation type over
much of the Central Core, Limestone Plateau, higher
Minnekahta Foothills and Bear Lodge Mountains. More
moist sites at higher elevations support White spruce
forest. Pine forest intergrades with Ponderosa pine
woodland at lower elevations. Pine woodland includes
more open stands of ponderosa pine, often in association
with grasses and other prairie species.

Hardwood-dominated vegetation occupies in both
upland and riparian habitat. Aspen forest occurs on
upland sites in the Central Core, Limestone Plateau,
higher Minnekahta Foothills and Bear Lodge Mountains;
occasional small stands are found at lower elevations. At
lower elevations. Bur oak, often mixed with Ponderosa
pine, can form large stands, especially in the northern
and eastern parts of the Black Hills. On the northeastern
perimeter. Bur oak savanna with a grassy or sparse
understory covers broad exposures of Mowry shale.

Riparian hardwood vegetation includes Paper birch
forest - common at higher elevations. At lower
elevations, this type gives way to Bur oak with Ironwood.
Other low-elevation riparian woodland types include
cottonwood stands on floodplains, and a mix of
hardwoods such as oak, ash, Boxelder, elm and hawthorn
in draws and drainages.

Above: Prairie moonwort {Botrychium campestre) is
known from a single location In the Black Hills and is
listed as Sensitive by Black Hills National Forest.

Robert Dorn first discovered this diminutive fern in
1973 In a sandy Ponderosa pine/aspen forest near the
summit campground in Wyoming's Bear Lodge
Mountains. Elsewhere in Its range, B. campestre is
typically found in untilled grasslands derived from
loess, sand, or limestone. Attempts to relocate this
species in 1989, 1993, and 1999 have been
unsuccessful, perhaps due to its ephemeral life cycle
(the single vegetative and fertile frond exists above-
ground for only a brief period in early spring).

The summit campground Is also famous as the
home of the "outhouse selaginella" {Selaginella
rupestris), an uncommon Black Hills fern-ally that was
first discovered by the late C.L. Porter growing near
the steps of the campground outhouse in 1962. S.
rupestris (perhaps better known as the Ledge spike-
moss) is still present at the site and is locally abundant
on sandy soils with deep needle duff. Illustration by
W. Fertig.

5

At lower elevations, riparian shrublands are typically
composed of a mix of shrubs such as Western snowberry,
gooseberries, currants, and roses. High-elevation
streams support several shrub types, including willows
and Water birch. Non-riparian shrubland types are best
developed at lower elevations. Stands of Big sagebrush
are found In the outer part of the Hogback Rim. Silver
sagebrush occasionally forms large stands in the
grasslands of the Hogback Rim and Red Valley.

Mountain mahogany shrubland Is represented by
extensive stands on steeply-dipping outcrops of
Minnekahta limestone east of Newcastle. Thickets of
Western snowberry are common In draws and on
floodplains throughout the Hills.

Grasslands are most extensive at lower elevations.
Dominant species Include representatives of short-,
mixed- and tail-grass prairies. At high-elevations. Black
Hills montane grasslands occur in broad drainage
bottoms on the Limestone Plateau and adjacent Central
Core. The thin rocky soils on the summit of the Bear
Lodge Mountains at Warren Peaks and on Cement Ridge
south of Sundance, support a similar grassland type.
Graminoid-dominated wet meadows and streambanks are
common throughout the hills. Saline and alkaline
wetlands are found In the Red Valley and some areas of
the Hogback Rim.

In the Black Hills, vegetation types of higher
elevations tend to be better characterized, as much of
that land Is publicly-owned and available for survey.
There remain major Information gaps for some low-
elevation types, such as floodplain woodlands dominated
by cottonwood and ash, and several woodland and
savanna types dominated by Bur oak.

Floral Valleys of the Black Hills

By Hollis Marriott

Black Hills montane grasslands are large wildflower-
rich meadows dominated by grasses such as Prairie
dropseed. Porcupine grass. Timber oatgrass and
Richardson's needlegrass. They occur at higher
elevations, generally above 6000 ft. This type of
vegetation is endemic (restricted) to the Black Hills, and
is quite different in terms of species composition from the
more common prairie types found at lower elevations.
Montane grasslands, or "mountain meadows," were first
described by Lt. Col. George A. Custer on his trip through
the area in 1874:

"Every step of our march that day was amid
flowers of the most exquisite colors and perfume
... it was a strange sight to glance back at the
advancing columns of cayalry, and behold the
men with beautiful bouquets in their hands, while
the head-gear of the horses was decorated with
wreaths of flowers fit to crown a queen of May.
Deeming it a most fitting appellation, I named
this Floral Valley."

Mountain meadows In the Black Hills have been
severely reduced with settlement since the late 1800s,
and are ranked GlSl (globally- and state-imperiled) by
the Natural Heritage Network and The Nature
Conservancy. In 1999, an inventory of Black Hills
montane grasslands was carried out by Hollis Marriott

Above: Bloodroot {Sanguinaha canadensis) Is named
for the reddish-orange juice that exudes from its
rhizome when broken. This member of the poppy
family is known from only a handful of extant
populations in the South Dakota Black Hills (no
populations have ever been found on the Wyoming
side). Bloodroot occurs on floodplain terraces and
north-facing slopes with rich leaf litter In dense oak,
birch, or pine woods. Although widespread from
Nova Scotia and Manitoba south to Oklahoma and
Florida, bloodroot is disjunct in the Black Hills and
listed as Sensitive by the Forest Service. Illustration
by W. Fertig.

6

under a grant from the Wildlife Division of the SD Dept,
of Game, Fish and Parks, with assistance from Black Hills
National Forest and The Nature Conservancy.

This survey confirmed that Black Hills montane
grassland is among the most endangered of vegetation
types in the area. Of 76 stands visited, only 26 were
considered of sufficient quality for in-depth survey, and of
these, only seven are currently considered possible
conservation sites. The most common factors
contributing to poor quality are exotics (especially
Timothy, Smooth brome, non-native clovers and Canada
thistle), heavy utilization by livestock, heavy cover of
native Increaser species (especially Rigid goldenrod and
Western snowberry), cultivated fields, gravel and dirt
roads, and residences and other developments.
Subdivision for summer and year-round residences has
recently become a significant threat to remaining
montane grasslands. Two of the larger grasslands seen
on private lands in 1999 had already been subdivided,
with lots for sale.

The potential montane grassland conservation sites
Identified in 1999 are composed primarily of land
managed by Black Hills National Forest. It Is hoped that
the Forest Service will consider special designation (e.g.
Research Natural Area or Special Botanical Area) for at
least several of these sites to ensure that our remaining
Floral Valleys receive the protection they need.

Which Spruce is This?

By Dave Ode

[from Dakota Flora series in Conservation Digesf\

"The Black Hills Spruce ... being a tree native to
the state of South Dakota and by its name
definitely designating this state as Its own, and
being a tree of noble attributes, is hereby named
to be the state tree of South Dakota."

SD Codified Law 1-6-11 (1947)

During the Pleistocene when glacial ice covered most
of eastern South Dakota, large portions of western South
Dakota were covered with spruce forests. In fact, on
Minnechaduza Creek In the sandhills along the South
Dakota - Nebraska border, there Is a large wetland where
spruce cones and pollen can still be found buried beneath
fifteen feet of wet peat and sand. This material has been
carbon dated to 12,600 years ago.

As the climate became warmer and drier, the glaciers
melted and the spruce forest retreated northward,
leaving behind one last remnant population that found
refuge in the cool, moist Black Hills. This isolated
population of White spruce {Picea glauca) has become
known as "Black Hills Spruce" and has become the
genetic stock for almost all of the White spruce used for
ornamental and shelterbelt plantings in the Northern
Great Plains region.

White spruce is one of the dominant trees of the vast
boreal forest that extends from the northeastern US
across Canada to Alaska. The wood of white spruce is
very light weight, soft, straight-grained and light yellow in
color. Its lumber is sometimes used for interior finishing,
but its primary use -- especially in eastern Canada - is
for paper pulp.

Because Its lumber Is of little value, many of the
spruce forests in the Black Hills have been converted to
ponderosa pine through management. But the spruce
forests that remain are a wonderful collection of boreal
plants and animals. They are forests of narrow pyramidal
spires, and at their feet grow orchids and wintergreens.
Among their boughs, the Northern Flying Squirrel finds
refuge. Black Hills Spruce are often draped with a lichen
called Old Man's Beard {Usnea cavernosa and U.
sorediifera). These shrouded densely-shaded forests
create an eerie world, one that you just might imagine is
inhabited by nisses, trolls and dwarves.

Above: Black Hills spruce (a.k.a. white spruce or
Picea glauca). This species can be recognized by its
pendent, papery cones with broad, rounded, smooth
margins. The related Engelmann spruce (A
engelmannii) is more widespread in the mountains of
Wyoming (but is absent from the Black Hills) and
differs in having cones with pointed and uneven
(erose) margins. Occasionally, the two species will
hybridize. Illustration by C.L. Porter.

7

A Botanical Crossroads

By Hollis Marriott

An Abbreviated Checklist of Common
Black Hills Plants

The Black Hills have long been known as a botanical
crossroads or melting pot. Five of the ten North
American floristic provinces of Gleason and Cronquist
{The Natural Geography of Plants, 1964) are well-
represented in the local flora: Great Basin, Grassland
(Great Plains), Eastern Deciduous Forest, Cordilleran
(Rocky Mountain) Forest and Northern Coniferous Forest.
Affinities are strongest with the Cordilleran Forest
province, represented by the extensive stands of
Ponderosa pine that cover the Black Hills. The Northern
Coniferous Forest province contributes spruce and Paper
birch forests, common at higher elevations. Grasslands
are extensive at lower elevations. The Eastern Deciduous
Forest province is represented at lower elevations by
hardwood species such as Bur oak. Green ash, Ironwood
(Hophornbeam) and American elm. Sagebrush
grasslands composed of Great Basin species occur near
the western and southern perimeters of the uplift.

Arthur McIntosh, Professor of Biology at the South
Dakota State School of Mines in Rapid City (now SD
School of Mines and Technology), analyzed the affinities
of the Black Hills flora In 1931 ("A botanical survey of the
Black Hills of South Dakota" in the Black Hills Engineer
Vol. 19). Each of 600 species (less than half of the
current known number for the flora unfortunately) was
assigned to one of ten biogeographic categories.

McIntosh found the Rocky Mountain region to be best
represented, followed by the grasslands of the Great
Plains. This analysis was updated by Bob Dorn In his
Flora of the Black Hills {1^17), based on a known flora of
1260 species. He found the Great Plains to be best
represented with about 30% of the species, followed by
the Rocky Mountain region with 25%. The deciduous
forests of eastern North America contributed 5% of the
flora, and northern coniferous forests contributed about
1%. The Great Basin was represented by about 4% of
the species. The remainder were either widespread,
introduced or possibly endemic.

These statistics describe numbers of species. A
somewhat different impression may be had in travelling
through the Black Hills, as some species are much more
abundant than others. After driving miles of highway
lined with Ponderosa pine, it would be easy to think that
the Black Hills flora is mainly Rocky Mountain in nature.
But one doesn't have to look long to find representative
species from these major floristic provinces. Many are
common In the Black Hills, even though they may be
widely separated from their main overall range. The
following checklist includes representative plants likely to
be seen in the Black Hills, arranged by floristic province.
Those readers that come to the field trip in July can use it
to chart their progress in enjoying the flora of the Black
Hills.

GREAT BASIN

Big sagebrush

Bluebunch wheatgrass

GREAT PLAINS

Leadplant

Little bluestem

Big bluestem

Side-oats grama

Needle-and-thread

Porcupine grass

Prairie clovers (white and purple)

Yellow owl clover

Purple coneflower

Yellow coneflower

Blanket flower (Gaillardia)

ROCKY MOUNTAINS

Ponderosa pine

Rocky Mountain juniper

Quaking aspen

Common juniper

Oregon grape

Kinnikinnik (Bearberry)

Mountain ninebark

Thimbleberry

Wild raspberry

Heart-leaf arnica

Silvery lupine

NORTHERN CONIFEROUS FORESTS

White spruce

Paper birch

Bebb willow

Bunchberry

Spurred gentian

Small blue columbine

Monkshood

Dwarf blackberry

EASTERN DECIDUOUS FORESTS

Bur oak

American elm

Ironwood (hophornbeam)

Nannyberry

Beaked hazel

Bittersweet

May flower (False llly-of-the-valley)

Red columbine

Wild sarsaparilla

8

The Protection Status of the Flora of the
Wyonning Black Hills

By Walter Fertig

Through the efforts of the US Forest Service, National
Park Service, Bureau of Land Management Newcastle
Field Office, Wyoming state parks, and The Nature
Conservancy, nine areas in the Wyoming portion of the
Black Hills have been designated as special management
areas. These sites form the foundation of a protected
areas network in the Wyoming Black Hills and may be the
best hope for the long-term protection of the region's
fauna and flora. Many of these areas, however, were set
aside for their recreational value or to preserve geologic
phenomena, rather than for their biodiversity significance.
Thus, an important question arises: how successful is this
network in protecting species richness in the Black Hills?

This past spring, Brooke Oblad (an undergraduate at
the University of Wyoming) and I decided to find this out.
We first compiled species checklists for each
management area In the Black Hills (including National
Park Service, US Forest Service, BLM, state, and private
lands) using information from floristic and vegetation
mapping studies and specimens from the Rocky Mountain
Herbarium. We then determined the protection score for
each species using a 4-part scale developed by the US
Geological Survey's National Gap Analysis Program to
measure the protection level of different management
areas. The score for each species was based on the
highest possible protection score for any individual
population. Species were ranked 1 If at least one
population occurs on Gap status 1 lands that are
permanently protected from conversion of natural land
cover and where management emphasis is on the
perpetuation of natural ecological processes. In the
study area, only Devils Tower National Monument is
currently ranked Gap status 1. A rank of 2 was given to
species that occur in Forest Service special botanical
areas, late successional landscapes, and historic sites,

BLM areas of critical environmental concern, or Nature
Conservancy easements. The management emphasis In
these areas stresses preservation, but other uses are still
allowed which may not be compatible with wildlife values.
Species were ranked 3 if they occurred on public lands
managed for multiple use and 4 if they were found only
on private or state lands with no legally-binding
protection mandate.

We found that of 1029 vascular plant species
currently known from the Wyoming Black Hills, 449
(43.6%) are found in Status 1 protected areas (Devils
Tower National Monument) and an additional 199 taxa
(19.4%) occur in Status 2 areas (Dugout Gulch and
Upper Sand Creek special botanical areas, Geis Springs,
Miller Creek, and Sand Creek late successional
landscapes, and Inyan Kara historic site on Black Hills
National Forest and the BLM Whoop-Up Canyon ACEC).
These 648 species (representing 63% of the total flora)

are considered to be at least minimally protected. The
remaining 37% of the Wyoming Black Hills flora are
found on public or private lands managed for multiple use
and are not considered protected at present. The
protection status of the entire flora, broken down by
major blome type, is shown In Table 1 below.

Table 1.

Protection Status of the Flora of the Wyoming Black Hills
(see text for details)

Protection Score

1

2

3

4

Total # Taxa

449

199

242

139

n= 1029

(43.6%)

(19.4%)

(23.5%)

(13.5%)

Alpine spp.

0

0

1

0

n = 1

(0%)

(0%)

(100%)

(0%)

E. Deciduous

11

24

13

1

Forest spp.
n=49

(22.4%)

(49.0%)

(26.5%)

(2.1%)

Great Plains

177

20

56

42

spp. n = 295

(60.0%)

(6.8%)

(19.0%)

(14.2%)

Intermountain

21

3

12

7

Desert Steppe
spp. n=43

(48.8%)

(7.0%)

(27.9%)

(16.3%)

Rocky Mtn.

130

87

70

20

Forest spp.
n = 307

(42.3%)

(28.3%)

(22.8%)

(6.5%)

Wetland spp.

48

47

60

31

11= 186

(25.8%)

(25.2%)

(32.3%)

(16.7%)

Exotic spp.

62

18

30

38

00

II

c

(41.9%)

(12.1%)

(20.3%)

(25.7%)

At least 50% of the plant species found In each of the
major blomes In the Black Hills receive some protection,
with the highest degree afforded to the Rocky Mountain
Forest, Eastern Deciduous Forest, and Great Plains
species. (The alpine biome is the one exception, but In
the Black Hills this type is represented by only one
species, Minuartia rubella). Although these numbers are
encouraging, more work remains to be done to ensure
that 100% of the native flora is at least minimally
represented in the protected areas network. In
particular, lowland prairie, sagebrush steppe, wetland,
and forest habitat types are Inadequately represented in
the existing network. Many of the best examples of
these sites may occur on private lands or on Black Hills
National Forest. Furthermore, our analysis indicated that
rare species are also poorly represented. Of the 77
vascular plants considered "species of special concern" by
the state natural heritage program, only 30 (39%) are
presently found on status 1 or 2 lands in the study area.
The final protected areas network for the Wyoming Black
Hills will need to give greater consideration to these "fine
filter" species if the goal of protecting locations for all
species Is to be attained.

9

Books for the Black Hills Explorer

This is a short list of resources available to naturalists at
loose in the Black Hills. For further reading, check the
bookstores in the state and national parks In the area.

General

Froiland, S. G. 1990. Natural History of the Black Hills
and Badlands. Sioux Falls, SD: Augustana College,

Center for Western Studies, paperback, 225 pp.

This book is highly recommended to those interested in
all aspects of Black Hills natural history. It provides good
overviews of the vegetation, ecology and conservation
needs of the area, as well as a look at human history.

Raventon, E. 1994. Island In the Plains - a Black Hills
Natural History. Boulder, CO: Johnson Books,
paperback, 272 pp.

The author starts with general background on the natural
history of the Black Hills, and then proceeds with in-depth
descriptions of a dozen of the more fascinating sites, as
well as inside peeks at the naturalists involved.

Plants

Dorn, R. D. 1977. Flora of the Black Hills. Cheyenne,
WY: Mountain West Publishing, paperback, 377 pp.

A compact paperback suitable for use In the field;
contains keys to all species of vascular plants (no
separate descriptions). Out-of-print, unfortunately, but
available through libraries.

Great Plains Flora Association, T. M. Barkley, ed. 1986.
Flora of the Great Plains. Lawrence: Univ. Press of KS.
hardcover, 1392 pp.

Currently the best comprehensive resource for the Black
Hills flora; contains keys and detailed descriptions, along
with Great Plains and rangewide distribution Information.
A heavy book.

Larson, G. E. and J. R. Johnson. 1999. Plants of the
Black Hills and Bear Lodge Mountains. Brookings, SD:

SD State Univ. Coll, of Agric. & Biol. Sci. paperback,

608pp.

This recent release includes 600 of the more common or
significant plants of the Black Hills. For each, there are
brief descriptions of the plant and Its habitat, and
wonderful color photographs. This book should work well
for lay botanists, and for any user is an excellent
complement to the more technical floras.

Geology

Gries, J. P. 1996. Roadside Geology of South Dakota.
Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publ. Co. paperback, 358

pp.

Not surprisingly, close to half of this book is devoted to

the Black Hills. The author states that this book is not for
geologists (though they might enjoy it) but for those
interested in learning more about the fascinating
landscapes and rocks of the area. It Includes both
general descriptions and tour routes with many points of
interest. HM

Above: Hop-hornbeam {Ostrya virginiana) is a small
round-topped tree that grows up to 40 feet tall. This
member of the birch family (Betulaceae) can be
recognized by its sharply double-toothed ovate leaves
and drooping 2-inch long catkins of papery fruiting
scales that resemble clusters of hops. Hop-
hornbeam is primarily an eastern forest species, with
disjunct populations In shady, north-facing canyons in
the Black Hills. Illustration by C.L. Porter.

10

Black Hills Field Trip Itinerary

Friday, July 21

4 PM: Leave from Devils To\A/er National Monument
campground for a late afternoon - evening tour of
Ponderosa pine woodlands, hardwood draws and mixed-
grass prairies.

Camping at Devils Tower will be arranged. Lodging is
available at DT Lodge B&B, DT KOA (cabins), and in
Hulett and Sundance (motels, reservations
recommended.)

Tour of boreal spruce forests and wetlands
around Black Fox Campground.

Wildflower-viewing in Black Hills mountain
meadows (nice grasses also!).

Time permitting: hike up Odakota Mountain, the
little-known second highest point in the Black
Hills, or visit Bear Mountain Lookout.

Spend Saturday night near Custer, SD. Camping will be
arranged; lodging is available in Custer - reservations
recommended.

Saturday, July 22

9 AM: Meet new arrivals at the rest area on 1-90 on the
east side of Sundance. Tour the higher Black Hills via
good gravel roads, with stops for the following:

Short hike into Dugout Gulch Botanical Area,
featuring a rich mix of eastern, boreal and Rocky
Mountain plant species.

Sunday, July 23

Easy-to-moderate half-day hike based on interest, time
and weather. Possibilities Include Hell Canyon In the
scenic limestone country near Jewel Cave National
Monument, Harney Peak - the high point of Black Hills,
and fern treasure-hunting among the granite spires and
fins of the Black Hills Needles. HM

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Yes, Yes - An Arboreal Mess!

First straighten out the messes below, putting one letter
on each blank to spell the common names of six Black
Hills trees.

M U L L P I W D

X ” ”x

HERBRIPPAC
_ _ -

K R 0 U B A

X

ROCKYHECREH

---

EXBRODEL

X

ITHESCREWUP

_______

Now arrange the X'd letters to verify that your answers
are correct!

(By Hollis Marriott)

The Wyoming Native Plant Society, established in
1981, is a non-profit organization dedicated to
encouraging the appreciation and conservation of the
native flora and plant communities of Wyoming. The
Society promotes education and research on native plants
of the state through its newsletter, field trips, and annual
student scholarship award. Membership is open to
Individuals, families, or organizations with an Interest In
Wyoming's flora. Members receive CastiHeja, the
Society's quarterly newsletter, and may take part In all of
the Society's programs and projects. Including the annual
meeting/field trip held each summer. Dues are $7.50
annually.

To join the Wyoming Native Plant Society, return the
membership form below to:

Wyoming Native Plant Society
PO Box 3452
Laramie, WY 82071

Name:

Address:

$7.50 Regular Membership
$15.00 Scholarship Supporting Member
($7.50 goes to the annual scholarship
fund)

Wyoming Native Plant Society
PO Box 3452
Laramie, WY 82071

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