~The Natural State~......MONTANA

[olena]

State Flower

Bitterroot
Lewisia rediviva
Oregon Bitterroot

Description A low, little plant with comparatively big, deep pink to nearly white flowers that bloom on short stalks, nearly within a rosette of narrow succulent leaves.
Flowers: 1 1/2-2 1/2" (3.8-6.3 cm) wide; petals 12-18; sepals 6-8; stamens 30-50; at middle of each flower stalk is a ring of 5-8 narrow bracts.
Leaves: 1/2-2" (1.3-5 cm) long.
Height: 1/2-2" (1.3-5 cm).
Flower May-July.
Habitat Open places among sagebrush or pines.
Range British Columbia to southern California; east to Colorado, and Montana.
Discussion Of the several pretty species of ground-hugging Lewisias, this one is the Montana state flower and perhaps the most showy. It was first collected by Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition, who is honored by the genus name.

 

[olena]

State Grass

Bluebunch Wheatgrass
Pseudoroegneria spicata (Agropyron spicatum)

Description Grows in large bunches, with stiff, straight flowering stalks; often blue-green.
Flowers: tiny, lacking petals, stamens 3, styles 2, not easily visible; flower clusters flat, arranged in narrow spikes 3 1/2—6” (8—15 cm) long; June—August.
Leaves: long, hairy on upper surface, green or blue-green.
Fruit: a small grain
Height: 20—40” (60—100 cm).
Habitat Dry slopes, plains, open woods.
Range Washington to California, east to Montana, New Mexico, also North and South Dakota.
Discussion A former dominant of the intermountain grasslands, this species is now much diminished in distribution due to competition from Downy Brome and Sagebrush.

 

[olena]

State Fish

Cutthroat Trout
Oncorhynchus clarki


Description To 30" (76 cm); 41 lbs (18.6 kg). Elongate, cylindrical or terete, moderately compressed; back dark olive; sides variable: silvery, olive, reddish to yellow-orange; belly lighter; dark spots on back, sides, and on median fins. Mouth extends beyond eye; basibranchial teeth present; bright red to red-orange slash mark on each side of throat, particularly visible in breeding males. 8-11 dorsal fin rays; 9-12 anal fin rays; adipose fin present. Caudal peduncle narrow; caudal fin slightly forked. Lateral line complete, 120-230 scales, usually 150 or more.
Endangered Status Three subspecies of the Cutthroat Trout are on the U.S. Endangered Species List. The Lahontan Cutthroat Trout is classified as threatened in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah. The Paiute Cutthroat Trout is classified as threatened in California. The Greenback Cutthroat Trout is classified as threatened in Colorado. The decline of these subspecies can be attributed to changes in habitat, usually caused by water-management practices but also by livestock grazing and the mining and timber industries; overfishing; and the introduction of non-native fishes which prey upon, compete with, and hybridize with the natives. A newly introduced illness called whirling disease may also develop into a major threat.
Habitat Inshore marine and estuarine waters; lakes; coastal, inland, and alpine streams.
Range From S. Alaska south to N. California; inland from S. British Columbia and Alberta south to New Mexico; E. California east to central Colorado. Introduced in W. United States.
Discussion There are more than 10 subspecies of Cutthroat Trouts, locally called "native trout," which vary in coloration and size. The largest specimen, caught in Pyramid Lake, Nevada, in 1925, weighed 41 lbs (18.6 kg), but this strain is now extinct. Other cutthroats, while rarely exceeding 15" (38 cm), are important in the inland and coastal fishery, and are sought by anglers.

 

[olena]

State Animal

Grizzly Bear, endangered subspecies
Ursus arctos horribilis

Description Brown, of various shades from tan to dark brown, often with white-tipped hairs, giving grizzled appearance. Hump above shoulders. Facial profile concave. Outer pair of incisors larger than inner 2. Claws of front feet can reach nearly 4" (10 cm) long. Ht about 4' 3" (130 cm); L 5' 11"–7' (180–213 cm); T 3" (7.6 cm); HF 10 1/4" (26 cm); Wt in contiguous U.S. usually 300–700 lb (135–317 kg).
Endangered Status The subspecies of the Grizzly Bear that lives in the contiguous U.S. is on the U.S. Endangered Species List. It is classified as threatened in the lower 48 states, although its current range extends only into Idaho, Montana, Washington (rarely), and Wyoming. (It has not been recorded in Colorado in many years.) Perhaps 50,000 Grizzlies roamed the western U.S. in 1800 from the Canadian border to Mexico, as far east as the middle of the Great Plains. The settlement and development of the West meant changes to and destruction of the Grizzly's habitat, competition with humans for game such as White-tailed Deer, and clashes between bears and humans. Grizzlies were seen as a threat to humans and livestock, and were hunted, trapped, and poisoned extensively, both for food and fur and to eliminate them from areas where humans lived. In 1975, when the Grizzly Bear came under the protection of the U.S. Endangered Species Act, only about 1,000 remained in the lower 48 states. Habitat degradation, from recreational and residential development, road building, and mineral and energy exploration, remains a threat today. Even the development of areas that Grizzlies don't normally live in can be destructive, because the bears may use these areas as corridors to reach suitable feeding habitat. Some private landowners and companies have volunteered to protect these corridors on their land in order to protect the bears. Plans to reintroduce Grizzlies into suitable habitat in the U.S. Northwest have faced serious opposition and may never come to pass.
Similar Species Black Bear is smaller, lacks shoulder hump, and has straight or slightly convex facial profile; all 3 pairs of its upper incisors are equal in size.
Habitat Forests interspersed with nonforested meadows and valley bottoms, usually in mountainous areas; also along coasts and rivers.
Range Alaska, Yukon, and Northwest Territories south through most of British Columbia and w Alberta to northwestern United States. In the contiguous U.S., south into northwestern tier of states: Idaho, Montana, Wyoming; occasionally wanders to Washington; not seen in Colorado in more than 20 years.

 

[olena]

State Bird

Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
This bird's black "V" and yellow underparts are easy to see and its trilling flute-like song is joyous to hear. The meadowlark stands eight to nine inches high and perches on tall shrubs, fence posts or power lines. Found in grassy open areas, the meadowlark announces its spring arrival with loud cheerful melodious notes to define its nesting territory.
The male noisily protests intruders and chases them from nests built on the ground in grassy areas. The dome-shaped nest is completely hidden in tall grass with a concealed runway. A brood of 5 or 6 young may be raised in early spring. By June the pair may nest again and raise a second brood. This "double clutching" provides a greater chance of some surviving many predators that include skunks, raccoons, weasels, and hawks.
Meadowlarks feed on caterpillars, grasshoppers and cutworms, insects capable of great damage to food crops.
Montana, Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, and North Dakota proclaimed the western meadowlark as their official bird, an indication of its widespread popularity. It is found in northern, central, and western United States and Canada. The western meadowlark prefers dry habitat and is generally paler and grayer than the eastern species. There is a distinct difference in song but hybrids occurring in overlapping zones of winter range make identification difficult. The range of the western meadowlark is expanding in the northeast.

 

[olena]

State Butterfly

Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa

Description
2 7/8-3 3/8" (73-86 mm). Large. Wing margins ragged. Dark with pale margins. Above, rich brownish-maroon, iridescent at close range, with ragged, cream-yellow band, bordered inwardly by brilliant blue spots all along both wings. Below, striated, ash-black with row of blue-green to blue-gray chevrons just inside dirty yellow border.
Life Cycle
Egg, to 9/256" h x 7/256" w (0.9 x 0.7 mm), pale, becoming black before hatching; laid in groups on or around a twig. Caterpillar, to 2" (51 mm), velvety black with white speckles, a row of red spots on back, and several rows of branched black bristles; has rust-colored legs. Feeds in groups on many broadleaf deciduous plants: willow (Salix), elm (Ulmus), hackberry (Celtis), and cottonwood (Populus). Chrysalis, to 7/8" (28 mm), tan to gray, with 2 head horns, a "beak," and several thorny tubercles down the body; hangs upside down.
Flight
Number of broods varies with latitude and altitude; year-round, most common in spring, late summer, and early autumn.
Habitat
Watercourses, sunny glades, forest borders, parks, gardens, open woodlands, and groves.
Range
Much of Northern Hemisphere south to N. South America; virtually all of North America where sufficient moisture occurs, except for high Arctic and subtropical regions.
Discussion
Absolutely unique, the Mourning Cloak camouflages itself perfectly against dark bark at rest, then flaps instantly into flight at the approach of any predator, emitting an audible "click." Few butterflies show such a great contrast between the drab underside and colorful upperside. In summer, adults may be attracted with fruit for closer observation. While less common in some areas than in others, Mourning Cloaks do not seem to undergo the massive fluctuations in abundance typical of the Compton and California tortoiseshells.

 

[olena]

State Tree

Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa
Yellow Pine

Description
Large to very large tree with broad, open, conical crown of spreading branches; 3 distinct geographic varieties.
Height: 60-130' (18-39 m).
Diameter: 2 1/2-4' (0.8-1.2 m), sometimes larger.
Needles: evergreen; usually 2 or 3 in bundle (2-5 in varieties); generally 4-8" (10-20 cm) long. Stout, stiff, dark green.
Bark: blackish, rough, and furrowed into ridges; on trunks of small trees (blackjacks), becoming yellow-brown and irregularly furrowed into large, flat, scaly plates.
Cones: 2-6" (5-15 cm) long; conical or egg-shaped, almost stalkless, light reddish-brown; opening and shedding at maturity, leaving a few cone-scales on twig; cone-scales raised and keeled, ending in short, sharp prickle; small, long-winged seeds.
Habitat
Mostly in mountains in pure stands, forming extensive forests; also in mixed coniferous forests.
Range
Widely distributed; S. British Columbia east to SW. North Dakota, south to Trans-Pecos Texas, and west to S. California; also N. Mexico; from sea level in north to 9000' (2743 m) in south; the best developed stands at 4000-8000' (1219-2438 m).
Discussion
This is the most widely distributed and common pine in North America. The typical variety, Ponderosa Pine or Pacific Ponderosa Pine (var. ponderosa), has long needles, 3 in a bundle, and large cones, and occurs in the Pacific Coast region. Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine or Interior Ponderosa Pine (var. Scopulorum Engelm.) with short needles, 2 in a bundle, and small cones, is found in the Rocky Mountain region. Arizona Pine or Arizona Ponderosa Pine (var.arizonica (Engelm.) Shaw), occurring mainly in southeastern Arizona, has 5 slender needles in bundle. David Douglas, the Scottish botanical explorer, found this pine in 1826 and named it for its ponderous, or heavy, wood. This valuable timber tree is the most commercially important western pine. Its lumber is especially suited for window frames and panel doors. Quail, nutcrackers, squirrels, and many other kinds of wildlife consume the seeds; and chipmunks store them in their caches, thus aiding dispersal.

Previous Natural States
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Delaware
Florida
Iowa
Kansas
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Hampshire
New Mexico
New York
Ohio
Oregon
Rhode Island
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia


Previous Natural Provinces
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec

 

[Snowwark]

The "Lewis & Clark" expedition, Bitteroot is very pretty!

Wow, grizzly bears are such magnificent, awesome creatures. Having said that, I hope I never meet one face to face. The smaller black bear is scary enough for me!

Beautiful Mourning Cloak butterfly!

Thank you Olena, great info!

 

[nativetxn]

Bitter root has a gorgeous blossom and those Grizzlies are just magnificent animals, aren't they?

Thanks for doing this for us, Heather. It's always so interesting to read your "natural state" threads.