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A.1257 | EcoArt 2002
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Name: A.1257 Reference: EcoArt 2002 Description: These are high-altitude grasslands that occur in cold, dry sites throughout the Pacific Northwest. Elevations range from 1400 m in the Olympic Mountains to over 2400 m in the mountains of northeastern Oregon. They are typically associated with south-facing or exposed slopes where snow cover is blown or melted off relatively early. West of the Cascades they are typically associated with rainshadow areas of the higher mountains. Summer lightning is common, and lightning fires may also serve to prevent tree or shrub encroachment. Soils are usually well-drained and vary in texture from coarse colluvium on steep slopes to fine-textured loams in low-gradient subalpine meadows. Parent materials are usually weathered volcanic extrusives or loess deposits. These communities are dominated by ~Festuca viridula$, which may form dense, continuous stands in pristine situations. Most stands, however, are mixed with several other graminoid or forb species. Typical grasses and grass-like species include ~Carex hoodii, Carex geyeri, Carex spectabilis, Festuca idahoensis, Achnatherum occidentale (= Stipa occidentalis), Achnatherum lettermanii (= Stipa lettermanii), Elymus elymoides (= Sitanion hystrix)$, and ~Phleum alpinum$. Common forb associates include ~Lupinus argenteus ssp. argenteus, Polygonum bistortoides, Polygonum phytolaccifolium, Eucephalus ledophyllus (= Aster ledophyllus), Lupinus arcticus, Potentilla flabellifolia$, and ~Polemonium pulcherrimum$. Adjacent vegetation is often subalpine forests of ~Tsuga mertensiana$ or ~Abies lasiocarpa$, and at wetter sites, ~Carex$ spp. meadows or ~Phyllodoce - Cassiope$ shrublands are typical.  Accession Code: VB.CC.1024.A1257 Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 17-Mar-2005
	status: accepted Community's Parent: V.A.5.N.d This Community's Level: Alliance This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   Scientific: FESTUCA VIRIDULA HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE   Code: A.1257   Common: Greenleaf Fescue Herbaceous Alliance (convergence) and Synonyms: (undetermined) Festuca viridula Herbaceous Alliance