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Phyllodoce glanduliflora / Sibbaldia procumbens Dwarf-shrubland | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Phyllodoce glanduliflora / Sibbaldia procumbens Dwarf-shrubland Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: Documented from Glacier National Park, Montana. This community is found as small patches from the upper subalpine to alpine environments, its documented elevation range being from 1930 to 2320 m (6330-7610 feet). It is a moderately chionophilous type often noted as a dark green ericaceous border around long-persisting snowbed depressions. It also occurs on somewhat exposed ridges of terraced landscapes on positions where the ericaceous dwarf-shrubs are projecting through the snow in late June and July and the lower, less exposed positions in the landscape are still snow covered. It occurs on gentle terrain with slopes mostly less than 15% and noted to not exceed 35%. The accumulated peat layer is hypothesized to isolate the ericaceous root mat from differences in rock chemistry; therefore the community is found on both calcareous limestones and non-calcareous siltstones and argillites. The amount of exposed rock (which is frost-heaved to the surface) and soil is generally less than 5%, whereas litter in combination with moss and lichen cover form a nearly continuous cover. The heath species, <i>Phyllodoce glanduliflora, Phyllodoce empetriformis</i>, and/or their hybrid <i>Phyllodoce x intermedia</i>, having at least 10% cover, are diagnostic for this community. In general the cover of these dwarf-shrubs exceeds 25% and they form a discontinuous layer about 0.15 m high. <i>Salix arctica</i> and <i>Kalmia microphylla</i> are the only other dwarf-shrubs of note. <i>Carex nigricans</i> is the one graminoid consistently present, though cover seldom exceeds 10%. Other high constancy graminoids include <i>Phleum alpinum, Luzula glabrata</i>, and a variable combination of <i>Juncus</i> species, <i>Juncus mertensianus, Juncus drummondii</i>, and <i>Juncus parryi</i>. Though its cover seldom exceeds 5%, <i>Sibbaldia procumbens</i> is diagnostic of the chionophilous nature of this community; other high-constancy forbs include <i>Erigeron peregrinus, Packera streptanthifolia (= Senecio cymbalarioides), Hieracium gracile, Arenaria capillaris, Hypericum scouleri (= Hypericum formosum)</i>, and <i>Veronica wormskjoldii</i>.  Accession Code: VB.CC.32179.CEGL005877 Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 17-Nov-2014 to: 01-May-2019
	status: accepted This Community's Level: association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.728621 NatureServe Explorer   Translated: Yellow Mountain-heath / Creeping Sibbaldia Dwarf-shrubland   Scientific: Phyllodoce glanduliflora / Sibbaldia procumbens Dwarf-shrubland   Code: CEGL005877