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A.1552 | EcoArt 2002
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Name: A.1552
Reference: EcoArt 2002
Description: Vegetation in this Chihuahuan Desert alliance generally occurs on steep rocky slopes of mountains and mesas. Soils are generally rocky loams and range from shallow to moderately deep. Vegetation included in this alliance is characterized by a perennial bunchgrass-dominated herbaceous layer with moderately sparse cover (10-25%) of shrubs. The herbaceous layer is dominated or codominated by the medium-tall perennial bunchgrass ~Bouteloua curtipendula$. Other common graminoid species may include ~Bothriochloa barbinodis, Koeleria macrantha, Lycurus phleoides, Muhlenbergia pauciflora, Muhlenbergia tenuifolia, Piptochaetium fimbriatum$, and ~Achnatherum lobatum (= Stipa lobata)$. The diverse forb layer is dominated by mat-forming species of ~Selaginella$ and includes species of ~Artemisia, Heliomeris, Mirabilis, Sida$, and ~Viguiera$. The succulent ~Dasylirion wheeleri$ is the diagnostic species of the potentially diverse shrub layer. Other characteristic shrubs may include ~Ageratina herbacea, Cercocarpus montanus, Ericameria laricifolia, Garrya wrightii, Quercus turbinella, Robinia neomexicana, Yucca baccata$, and ten other shrubs. Cacti include ~Opuntia imbricata$ and ~Opuntia phaeacantha$. Scattered trees at higher elevations are often present, such as ~Juniperus deppeana, Pinus edulis$, and ~Quercus$ spp. Diagnostic of this alliance is a ~Bouteloua curtipendula$-dominated herbaceous layer with a sparse shrub layer with ~Dasylirion wheeleri$ present. 
Accession Code: VB.CC.1312.A1552
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.7.N.m
  • This Community's Level: Alliance
  • This Community's Children: [none]
Names:   Scientific: BOUTELOUA CURTIPENDULA SHRUB HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
  Code: A.1552
  Common: Sideoats Grama Shrub Herbaceous Alliance
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(undetermined) Bouteloua curtipendula Shrub Herbaceous Alliance