er ant ▁plants ▁because ▁it ▁cannot ▁retain ▁much ▁water . ▁ ▁Research ▁suggests ▁that ▁areas ▁with ▁gra zing ▁cattle ▁contain ▁a ▁larger ▁number ▁of ▁plants ▁than ▁areas ▁where ▁animals ▁are ▁ex cluded , ▁but ▁the ▁plants ▁in ▁the ▁ex clusion ▁areas ▁are ▁larger ▁and ▁have ▁more ▁flowers . ▁C attle ▁do ▁not ▁eat ▁the ▁rare ▁plant ▁and ▁may ▁in ▁fact ▁help ▁clear ▁the ▁land ▁of ▁invas ive ▁non - native ▁plants , ▁such ▁as ▁vel vet gr ass ▁( Hol cus ▁lan atus ). ▁The ▁land ▁around ▁Abb ot ts ▁L ago on ▁is ▁a ▁cattle ▁past ure ▁today . ▁ ▁This ▁species ▁occurs ▁within ▁the ▁bounds ▁of ▁a ▁protected ▁National ▁Se ash ore , ▁so ▁its ▁habitat ▁will ▁not ▁be ▁developed , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁protected ▁from ▁such ▁activities ▁as ▁min ing , ▁d red ging , ▁and ▁horse back ▁r iding ▁activity . ▁Th re ats ▁that ▁do ▁remain ▁include ▁damage ▁by ▁h ik ers ▁and ▁off - road ▁vehicles . ▁The ▁overall ▁effects ▁of ▁cattle ▁on ▁the ▁land ▁are ▁not ▁certain ; ▁they ▁may ▁actually ▁be ▁a ▁positive ▁force ▁in ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁rare ▁plant . ▁The ▁plant ▁is ▁limited ▁to ▁two ▁relatively ▁small ▁populations , ▁so ▁any ▁one ▁severe ▁event ▁such ▁as ▁wild fire ▁or ▁dr ought ▁could ▁drive ▁it ▁to ▁ext inction . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁Je pson ▁Man ual ▁Tre at ment : ▁Chor iz ant he ▁val ida ▁US DA ▁Pl ants ▁Profile : ▁Chor iz ant he ▁val ida ▁Flora ▁of ▁North