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Grayia spinosa / Achnatherum thurberianum Shrubland | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Grayia spinosa / Achnatherum thurberianum Shrubland
Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description: This is a loose-soiled, salt desert scrub, open shrub vegetation type. As with all salt desert scrub types, it is poorly sampled. It is found in the northern Great Basin in southeastern Oregon, northern Nevada, and possibly extreme northeastern California. It is found along sandy margins of basins, usually adjacent to low dunes. Range types include northern and southern, shallow (6-12 inches) slopes and sodic terraces. The presence of Grayia spinosa as the dominant species is characteristic, although rarely is it found without other salt desert shrubs. In most of the valley and dune sites, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, Atriplex confertifolia, Picrothamnus desertorum (= Artemisia spinescens), Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus), and Tetradymia spinosa can be found at low cover. There is very low forb and graminoid cover, but Achnatherum thurberianum is characteristic and always present - and occasionally dominant. In some sites, Achnatherum thurberianum or Leymus triticoides (= Elymus triticoides) can be more important in the understory. Also occasionally present are Distichlis spicata, Leymus cinereus, Suaeda moquinii (= Suaeda nigra), Ambrosia artemisiifolia, and Penstemon acuminatus. This type usually is adjacent to Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis upland vegetation. 
Accession Code: VB.CC.18064.GRAYIASPINOSAAC
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 03-Nov-2000 to: 17-Nov-2014
      Names:   Translated: Spiny Hop-sage / Thurber's Needlegrass Shrubland
  UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.683123 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: CEGL002681
  Scientific: Grayia spinosa / Achnatherum thurberianum Shrubland
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(undetermined) Grayia spinosa / Achnatherum thurberianum Shrubland