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Minuartia obtusiloba Herbaceous Alliance | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Minuartia obtusiloba Herbaceous Alliance Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: This alliance has been described from wind-swept alpine areas in the Washington Cascade Mountains and New Mexico's Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Elevations range from 2135-2300 m in the Cascades and 3600-4000 m on Wheeler Peak in northern New Mexico. Sites are very dry fell-fields with large and small exposed rocks. Winter snow cover is generally low because high winds remove it. This vegetation grows between exposed rocks in depressions to gentle slopes. Cushion plants are favored because of extreme desiccating conditions. There is significant frost action in the soils that cause stones to be pushed to the surface forming stone stripes and other disturbance such as soil boils. Stands have a sparse herbaceous layer dominated by the perennial forb Minuartia obtusiloba. Although plant cover is low, species richness is high, especially with cushion plants such as Phlox spp. and Silene acaulis. In Washington Lupinus sellulus var. lobbii may codominate. Other frequent species include Festuca brachyphylla, Luzula spicata, and Solidago simplex var. spathulata (= Solidago spathulata). Less abundant associates, such as Carex phaeocephala, Erigeron aureus, Penstemon davidsonii, Penstemon procerus, and Phlox diffusa, may also be present. In New Mexico Carex rupestris var. drummondiana may codominate in more protected areas. Common associates include Trifolium nanum, Arenaria fendleri, Paronychia pulvinata, Tonestus pygmaeus, and Oreoxis bakeri.  Accession Code: VB.CC.20185.MINUARTIAOBTUSI 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: Minuartia obtusiloba Herbaceous Alliance   Translated: Alpine Stitchwort Herbaceous Alliance   UID: HIGHER_CLASS_UNIT.2.125194 NatureServe Explorer   Code: A.1630