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Native perennial cool season grasses were the predominant lifeform observed in the Steep Mountain Brush <br />Reference Area, contributing 16.6 percent all -hit vegetation cover. Of this, Montana wheatgrass (Elymus <br />lanceolatus fm. albicans) contributed 12.3 percent. Native shrubs also made a strong contribution to all -hit <br />cover, with 15.6 percent — big sagebrush contributed 4.7 percent and birchleaf mountain mahogany <br />(Cercocarpus montanus) contributed 4.2 percent. A total of 59 native plants and ten non - native plants were <br />encountered during quantitative sampling. Among the latter were the noxious weeds hound's tongue and <br />Dalmation toadflax (Linaria genistifolia ssp dalmatica). <br />Total average vegetation cover for first hits was 38.7 percent. Allowable all -hit herbaceous vegetation cover <br />was 32.2 percent. Cover by standing dead, litter, bare soil and rock averaged 1.8, 10.7, 37.2 and 11.6 <br />percent, respectively (first hit). Average species density was 29.3 species per 100 sq. m. <br />PRODUCTION <br />(Table A -12) <br />Total herbaceous production in 2011 was 503.2 pounds per acre. Of this, 303.3 pounds were native <br />perennial cool season grasses, 139.2 were native perennial forbs and 51.7 pounds were introduced annual <br />grasses. Two other lifeforms were present at less than 6 pounds per acre. <br />2011 Western Wheatgrass/ Alkali Sagebrush Reference Area <br />(Photographs 104 through 133) <br />COVER <br />(Table A -13) <br />Native perennial cool season grasses were the predominant lifeform observed in the Western Wheatgrass/ <br />Alkali Sagebrush Reference Area, contributing 19.9 percent all -hit vegetation cover. Of this, western <br />wheatgrass contributed 12.3 percent. Native perennial forbs made a strong contribution to all -hit cover, 17.3 <br />percent, most of this as weedy milkvetch (Astragalus miser var. oblongifolius),arrowleaf balsamroot <br />(Balsamorhiza sagittata) andsharp -tip onion (Allium acuminatum) (6.6, 2.9 and 1.9 percent all hit cover, <br />respectively). A total of 85 native species were encountered during quantitative samplin along with 17 <br />non - native species. Among the latter was the noxious weed hound's tongue. <br />17 <br />