2.1 Study Populations
For the current project, local populations of B. stricta were identified in the Medicine Bow National Forest near the University of Wyoming. Locations for plant populations were first estimated from records from the Rocky Mountain Herbarium to determine appropriate habitat types within the region. The 30 populations utilized for this project were found along an elevational gradient (2460-3300 m above sea level) in three distinct mountain ranges (Fig. 1). Habitat included areas of sagebrush in the lower elevation populations and open meadows within montane forests at higher elevation. Within each population, a representative sample of individuals (at least 30 individuals along an approximately 50-m transect) were identified. We collected seeds when the fruits on each plant had begun to dehisce; on each plant, most fruits were removed and seeds were subsequently sorted. We pooled the seeds from each individual plant, and these were considered a single maternal family lineage.