Name:
Quercus oblongifolia Shrubland Alliance
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This shrubland alliance occurs in southeastern Arizona on gently to moderately sloping alluvial plains and bajadas to moderate and steep rocky slopes in canyons, foothills and mountains. Soils are gravelly or stony sandy loams or sandy clay loams, derived from a mixture of alluvium and colluvium. The broad-leaved evergreen shrub Quercus oblongifolia dominating a 3-5 m tall shrub canopy characterizes stands included in this shrubland alliance. Other characteristic shrub species include Agave spp., Arctostaphylos pungens, Brickellia spp., Cercocarpus montanus, Ericameria laricifolia, Dasylirion wheeleri, Garrya wrightii, Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera, Nolina microcarpa, Opuntia imbricata, Opuntia phaeacantha, Quercus emoryi, Rhus trilobata, Vauquelinia californica, Yucca schottii, and juvenile tree species. The graminoid and forb layers are sparse to moderately dense. The graminoid layer is dominated by medium-tall bunch grasses such as Bouteloua curtipendula, Schizachyrium cirratum (= Andropogon cirratus) or Muhlenbergia emersleyi, but can be very diverse. Other common graminoids may include species of Bouteloua and Aristida, Bothriochloa barbinodis, Eragrostis intermedia, Hilaria spp., Leptochloa dubia, Muhlenbergia longiligula, Panicum bulbosum, andPiptochaetium fimbriatum. The usually sparse, but often diverse, forb layer may include Artemisia ludoviciana, Commelina spp., Chenopodium spp., Evolvulus spp., Heliomeris longifolia var. annua (= Viguiera annua), and many others. Diagnostic of this alliance is the dominance of Quercus oblongifolia in the shrub canopy.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.17945.QUERCUSOBLONGIF
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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