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Leymus salinus ssp. salmonis - Enceliopsis nudicaulis Sparse Vegetation | Western Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Leymus salinus ssp. salmonis - Enceliopsis nudicaulis Sparse Vegetation Reference: Western Ecology Working Group of... Description: This association has been mapped only from a small region in east-central Idaho known as the Challis Endemic region. This region occurs is to the east of a major mountain mass which strongly affects the climate of the region. The high mountains to the west create a rainshadow, allowing only occasional incursions of moisture-laden winter storms from the Pacific. The region is mountainous with high, massive ranges, dissected by deep valleys. The bedrock is a heterogeneous formation of volcanic and sedimentary rock, known as Challis Volcanics, with only minor amounts of granitics. At lower elevations along the Salmon River. the most common rock types of this formation are tuffs and andesites. A flora endemic to this region, known collectively as Challis Endemics, occurs on these substrates and is joined by a flora of species disjunct from drier regions of the Great Basin. Much of the Challis Endemic region roughly coincides with an area receiving less than 8 inches of precipitation annually, combined with low-elevation occurrences of andesites and tuffs of the Challis Volcanics. <br><br>This plant association occurs on steep, south-facing slopes composed of volcanic tuffs at low elevations, from roughly 1586 to 1891 m (5200-6200 feet). This substrate is typically unstable, with constant downslope movement of soil surface layers, and a high shrink-swell ratio. Chronic soil disturbance is therefore a major factor in the species composition of this association, which includes several of the Challis Endemics. Little information is available regarding the structure and composition of this association. It is sparsely vegetated, dominated by herbaceous species. The two most important species include <i>Leymus salinus ssp. salmonis</i>, a perennial grass species commonly considered a bunchgrass due to its cespitose form (but which typically has rhizomes), and <i>Enceliopsis nudicaulis</i>, a perennial forb with a deep taproot. The grass variety is one of the Challis Endemics, while <i>Enceliopsis</i> is a disjunct species from its principle range in the Great Basin. No cover or abundance information is available. Several other Challis Endemics apparently occur in this association, but a more specific list is not available, and no other information is available on species composition.  Accession Code: VB.CC.33117.CEGL001642 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.2.688902 NatureServe Explorer   Translated: Salmon Wildrye - Naked-stem Sunray Sparse Vegetation   Scientific: Leymus salinus ssp. salmonis - Enceliopsis nudicaulis Sparse Vegetation   Code: CEGL001642