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1 3.3 PLANT SPECIES LIST A total of 182 species of vascular plants were recorded in the permit area (Table 101. This number was relatively high for an area of only ' 1,180 acres. This is probably a result of the varying slopes and exposures of the site and because two general geographic regions, the southern Rocky Mountains and the desert southwest, influence the site flora. the number of species per lifeform was as follows: trees--9, ' shrubs and subshrubs--20, succulents--5, perennial graminoids--41, annual graminoids--7, perennial forbs--77, and annual (orbs--28. Approximately 15 percent, or 28 species, were introduced from out- side the geographic region. These consisted primarily of annual forbs; however, some areas had previously been seeded with introduced perennial ' graminoi~7s. One species, Cvavv.lvu.(u~ vaven~i~, considered a prohibitive noxious weed (Thornton et al. 19741, occurs in the permit area. In addition, two restricted noxious weed species, 9vv axi.l.lv~ia and Ag~vpynwi aepena, were also found in the permit area. None of these species were common on the site. ' 3.4 THREATENED OR ENDANGERED SPECIES Based on field observations in August 1984, no plant species which are designated, proposed, or under review for possible proposal as ' threatened or endangered by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 11980) are present in the permit area. Likewise, no species of "special concern" as listed by the Colorado Natural Heritage Inventory were located. 3.5 SPECIES DIVERSITY ' In terms of total species richness, the Pinyon-Juniper Woodland Complex contained 43 species that contributed to relative cover, while the Meadow contained only 30. In the Pinyon-Juniper Woodland Complex, ' seven plant species contributed 3 percent or greater relative cover. These were three trees (pinyon pine, one-seed juniper, and ponderosa pinel, 2 shrubs (Gambel's oak and mountain mahoganyl, and 2 perennial grasses lsideozis grams and blue gramal. It is suggested that the ' reclamation standard be one tree, two shrubs, and three grasses. By deleting one tree from and adding one grass to the standard, a more diverse rnix of forage will be available To livestock and wildlife. In hhe Meadow vegetation type, five perennial graminoids contri- buted 3 percent or more to relative cover. These were western wheat- ' grass, Agassiz bluegrass, sand dropseed, sleepy grass, and green needlegr+3ss, the first two being sod formers and the rest bunch grasses. It is suggested that the reclamation standard be four grasses, including two sod and two bunch grasses. 1 -11-