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Cercocarpus ledifolius / Festuca idahoensis Woodland | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Cercocarpus ledifolius / Festuca idahoensis Woodland Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: In Montana this type has been documented from the Beaverhead Mountains Section, where it occurs on moderate to steep, rocky and north-facing slopes of varying parent materials; elevations range upward from 5900 feet to at least 9000 feet. It occurs on comparable settings in the Challis Volcanics and Idaho Batholith sections of central Idaho. In Montana this association has been sampled on steep cool slopes comprised of granitic and metamorphic (schist) colluvium which weathers to shallow, poorly developed and excessively drained soils. It has been noted on sedimentary (quartzite and limestones) substrates as well and thus parent material is thought not to be a controlling factor. Cercocarpus ledifolius is dominant, growing as a small tree, ranging in height from 6-12 feet, depending in part on site quality and intensity of past browsing; Cercocarpus ledifolius cover also ranges widely (10-30% plus). Numerous other shrubs are present, including Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Artemisia frigida, Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus), Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, and Eriogonum microthecum, though their combined canopy cover does not exceed 5-10%. The herbaceous layer is usually sparse, with the combined canopy cover not exceeding 30%, of which most is xeric-adapted, cool-season grasses such as Pseudoroegneria spicata, Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides), Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata), and Poa secunda (= Poa sandbergii), any one of which may occur with higher canopy cover than the indicator species for the type, Festuca idahoensis (which needs to be 'well-represented,' >5% canopy cover for type recognition). The ground surface is characterized by exposed soil, gravel and cobbles generally in excess of 70% cover, but in contrast to Cercocarpus ledifolius / Pseudoroegneria spicata of southerly exposures, these northerly exposures favor the development of an intermittent mat of mosses and lichens.  Accession Code: VB.CC.23356.CERCOCARPUSLEDI Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 17-Nov-2014
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Cercocarpus ledifolius Woodland Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   Translated: Curl-leaf Mountain-mahogany / Idaho Fescue Woodland   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686655 NatureServe Explorer   Scientific: Cercocarpus ledifolius / Festuca idahoensis Woodland   Code: CEGL000962 (convergence) and Synonyms: (undetermined) Cercocarpus ledifolius / Festuca idahoensis Woodland