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Cercocarpus ledifolius / Festuca idahoensis Woodland | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Cercocarpus ledifolius / Festuca idahoensis Woodland
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
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 1800 m (5900 feet) to at least 2745 m (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 composed 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. <i>Cercocarpus ledifolius</i> is dominant, growing as a small tree, ranging in height from 1.8-3.7 m (6-12 feet), depending in part on site quality and intensity of past browsing; <i>Cercocarpus ledifolius</i> cover also ranges widely (10-30% plus). Numerous other shrubs are present, including <i>Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Artemisia frigida, Ericameria nauseosa, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus</i>, and <i>Eriogonum microthecum</i>, 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 <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata, Achnatherum hymenoides, Hesperostipa comata</i>, and <i>Poa secunda</i>, any one of which may occur with higher canopy cover than the indicator species for the type, <i>Festuca idahoensis</i> (which needs to be well-represented, &gt;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 <i>Cercocarpus ledifolius / Pseudoroegneria spicata</i> of southerly exposures, these northerly exposures favor the development of an intermittent mat of mosses and lichens. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:29871-{DC3991B8-7920-4E33-B946-27B67A876F1A}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686655 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: CEGL000962
  Translated: Curl-leaf Mountain-mahogany / Idaho Fescue Woodland
  Scientific: Cercocarpus ledifolius / Festuca idahoensis Woodland
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar) Cercocarpus ledifolius / Festuca idahoensis Woodland
(similar) CEGL000962
(similar) Cercocarpus ledifolius / Festuca idahoensis Woodland