Name:
Deschampsia caespitosa - Danthonia californica Herbaceous Vegetation
Reference:
Western Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This is a moderately tall, bottomland grassland association. It occupies flat, valley bottom landscapes, generally with little topographic relief. Hummocks are common and important in some of the prairies and absent in others. Soils are usually fine-grained pluvial clays, moderately permeable to impermeable, with a high winter and spring water table. Mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers are typical. In its range in western Oregon and Washington, the large pre-settlement extent of the prairie was maintained by annual burning by native Americans. The cessation of burning and the introduction of domestic livestock produced marked changes in these prairies. The dominant species are the tall perennial bunchgrass Deschampsia caespitosa and the shorter rhizomatous perennial Danthonia californica. Other common native graminoid species include Poa secunda, Festuca roemeri (= Festuca idahoensis var. roemeri), Agrostis exarata, Juncus patens, Koeleria macrantha (= Koeleria niditia), and Carex species. Common native forbs include Camassia quamash, Montia linearis, Symphyotrichum chilense (= Aster chilensis), Delphinium nuttallii ssp. ochroleucum (= Delphinium ochroleucum), Epilobium brachycarpum, Achillea millefolium, Sisyrinchium bellum, Madia spp., and Eriophyllum lanatum. Some areas are characterized by camas blooms in the spring. In low swales which are always found in this type, the species Juncus spp., Hordeum brachyantherum, Beckmannia syzigachne, Alopecurus geniculatus, Eleocharis acicularis, and Veronica scutellata can dominate. Common (often dominant) non-native species in less pristine sites include Holcus lanatus, Bromus japonicus, Poa pratensis, Poa compressa, Agrostis stolonifera, Phleum pratense, Dactylis glomerata, Cynosurus cristatus, Aira caryophyllea, Daucus carota, Hypochaeris radicata, Hypericum perforatum, Rumex acetosella, Geranium dissectum, and Senecio jacobaea. Shrubs include Spiraea douglasii, Rosa gymnocarpa and the non-native Rosa eglanteria.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.23758.DESCHAMPSIACAES
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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