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Adobe Beard tongue, Penstemon retrorsus <br />Adobe Beard tongue is known only from Colorado in Montrose and Delta <br />counties. It flowers from late April to mid June. It has been found in at <br />least eight locations betweea 5800 and 6000 feet (unconfirmed down to 5100 <br />feet) on Mancos shale/clay nearly always associated with saltbush. A small <br />area of Mancos Shale outcrops near the west end of mining activity, but that <br />area is vegetated with oak, chokecherry, and serviceberry and has no saltbush. <br />A survey there in late April did not turn up any Penstemon retrorsus. Any <br />mining development would likely have no impact on this species. <br />Grand Mesa Penstemon, Penstemon mensarum <br />The Grand Mesa Penstemon is known only from Colorado in Mesa, Delta, and <br />Gunnison counties from 7800 to 10,200 feet. It grows in open meadows, on road <br />cute, and in openings in or along edges of oak brush and aspen flowering <br />primarily in late June and early July. It was found to be extremely abundant <br />above 7800 feet around Che West Elk Mine with number of individuals estimated <br />to number in the millions. It has been proposed to be reclassified to <br />Category 3C. Because of the large size of the population, development <br />activities should not be detrimental to this species. Development might <br />actually benefit the species by opening up dense brush covered areas. Also, <br />most major disturbances are all below 7800 feet elevation where the plants <br />Have not been observed. <br />Summary <br />A literature and herbarium review in conjunction with three field surveys <br />for candidate threatened and endangered species in the vicinity of the West <br />Elk Mine near Somerset, Colorado, has indicated that development at [he mine <br />should have no adverse impact on any of the ten species of concern. Only one <br />of these species (Grand Mesa Penstemon) is definitely known from on or <br />adjacent to the mine and only one other species (Northern Goshawk) could be <br />reasonably expected. The Penstemon has been recommended for reclassification <br />to Category 3C. If a pair of Goshawks should establish a nest in Che <br />vicinity, it can easily be avoided for Che duration of nesting. There is a <br />very remote chance that the Great Basin Silverspot Butterfly, Brandegee <br />Milkvetch, Colorado Desert Parsley, and Adobe Beard tongue could turn up in the <br />vicinity. The remalning species, Wolverine, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, <br />Loggerhead Shrike, and Colorado River Cutthroat Trout, should be of no concern <br />in this area. <br />References Cited <br />Andrews, R. S R. Righter. 1992. Colorado birds. Denver Museum of Natural <br />History. <br />Bailey, A. M. ~ R. J. Niedrach. 1965. Birds of Colorado. Vol. 2. Denver <br />Museum of Natural History. <br />Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragal us. Part I. Mem. N. Y. <br />Bot. Gard. 13:479-481. <br />Behnke, R. J. S M. Zara. 1976. Biology and management of threatened and <br />endangered western trouts. USDA, Forest Serv. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-28. <br />Browning, M. R. 1993. Comments on the taxonomy of Empidonax traillii (Willow <br />Flycatcher). W. Birds 24:241-257. <br />Clark, T. W. 6 M. R. Stromberg. 1987. Mammals in Wyoming. Univ. Ransas <br />Museum of Natural History. <br />Ferris, C D. b M. Fisher. 1971. A revision of Speyeria nokomis <br />(Nymphal idae). J. Lepidopt. Soc. 25:44-52. <br />4 <br />