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Simmondsia chinensis Shrubland Alliance | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Simmondsia chinensis Shrubland Alliance Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: Shrublands included in this alliance occur on rocky slopes in the Arizona Uplands of the Sonoran Desert from 600-850 m in elevation and where mean annual precipitation is 30-45 cm. Annual precipitation has a bimodal distribution with about half of the rainfall during July-September and a third from December-March. Annual precipitation varies greatly from year to year. Sites are gentle to moderately steep, rocky hillsides with south- or north-facing slopes. Soils are generally deep and coarse-textured with cobbles derived from alluvium. These stands occur in a transition area above the Sonoran desertscrub dominated by Larrea tridentata or Ambrosia spp., and below the interior chaparral dominated by Quercus turbinella, Cercocarpus montanus or Arctostaphylos pungens. The sparse to moderately dense canopy (20-45% cover) of shrubs less than 2 m tall is dominated or codominated by the broad-leaved, xeromorphic evergreen shrub Simmondsia chinensis. Codominant vegetation includes microphyllous evergreen and broad-leaved deciduous shrubs, and small trees 0.5-5 m tall such as Parkinsonia microphylla, Acacia greggii, Encelia farinosa, Calliandra eriophylla, Lycium spp., and Fouquieria splendens. Tall woody cacti, like Opuntia fulgida, Opuntia acanthocarpa, Opuntia engelmannii, or Carnegia gigantea (= Cereus giganteus), are present and conspicuous with heights up to 10 m. Canopy cover of the graminoid layer varies from sparse to moderately dense. South aspects are typically sparser than north aspects. Up to 15-30% cover of annual and perennial grasses have been reported in open areas on north aspects in stands within the alliance. Common grasses are species of Aristida and Bromus. Sparse forbs may include species of Eriogonum and Mirabilis.  Accession Code: VB.CC.20889.SIMMONDSIACHINE 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: Simmondsia chinensis Shrubland Alliance   Translated: Jojoba Shrubland Alliance   UID: HIGHER_CLASS_UNIT.2.125237 NatureServe Explorer   Code: A.853