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.