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Hesperostipa neomexicana Herbaceous Alliance | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Hesperostipa neomexicana Herbaceous Alliance Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: Stands of this alliance occur on ridges and upper slopes in the foothills of the Colorado Front Range, on slopes, ridges, and mesa tops on the dissected plains in southeastern Colorado and adjacent New Mexico, the steppes of the southern Great Plains, the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, and into south-central New Mexico. Climate is semi-arid with most of the precipitation falling during the growing season. Elevation ranges from 1350-1800 m. Soils are usually derived from shales and are generally alkaline, coarse-textured, shallow and rocky often with limestone fragments. This grassland is often found on the cooler northern aspects, but can occur on all aspects on sites with gentle slopes. Shortgrass communities dominated by Bouteloua gracilis often occur on adjacent lower slopes and plains where soils are generally finer-textured. Woodland communities dominated by Pinus ponderosa or Juniperus monosperma may occur above these grasslands on the larger ridges and in the foothills. Vegetation included in this alliance occurs on rocky ridges and shaley slopes from the Colorado Front Range foothills to southern New Mexico and western Texas. Stands are dominated by a sparse to dense layer of the cool-season, medium-tall bunchgrass Hesperostipa neomexicana (= Stipa neomexicana). Stands may be nearly pure Hesperostipa or mixed with other mid grasses such as Bouteloua curtipendula and Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides). Often a sparse to moderately dense shortgrass layer is present that may be dominated by Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua hirsuta, or Aristida spp. Density of the grass cover may be limited by the size and amount of surface rock at some of the rock outcrop sites where it occurs. Scattered shrubs, such as Rhus trilobata and Yucca glauca, or in the Trans-Pecos region, Dasylirion wheeleri and Nolina spp., are common. In some stands, the dwarf-shrub Gutierrezia sarothrae is abundant. Forb cover is generally sparse, but common forbs may include Evolvulus nuttallianus, Musineon divaricatum, and Dalea spp.  Accession Code: VB.CC.18057.HESPEROSTIPANEO Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 01-May-2019
	status: accepted This Community's Level: Alliance This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   Scientific: Hesperostipa neomexicana Herbaceous Alliance   Translated: New Mexico Needlegrass Herbaceous Alliance   UID: HIGHER_CLASS_UNIT.2.124940 NatureServe Explorer   Code: A.1272