Name:
Artemisia frigida - (Bouteloua gracilis, Achnatherum hymenoides, Poa secunda) - Lichens Rocky Mesa Dwarf-shrubland
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This shrubland association is described from the Colorado Plateau and western slope of the southern Rocky Mountains and is typically found on exposed, wind-blown sites. Stands occur on mid- to upper slopes and tops of mesas, hills and ridges, but also occurs on midslopes of mountains, active slopes and on valley terraces. Site are flat to moderately steep (to 53 % slope) on all aspects between 2315 and 2965 m elevation. Various amounts of bedrock, large and small rocks, and bare soil compose the majority of the ground surface, with sparse to low cover of litter. Parent materials are frequently volcanic (basalt) rocks that are present as bedrock, boulders and gravel, Mesozoic shale, and Quaternary landslide deposits. Soils are shallow, rapidly drained and range from coarse sand and sandy loam to sandy clay loam and sandy clay. The sparse to moderately dense vegetation (4-85% cover) is characterized by the presence of <i>Artemisia frigida</i>, a suffrutescent plant that occurs as both a dwarf-shrub and forb. The other characteristic species are perennial graminoids <i>Bouteloua gracilis, Achnatherum hymenoides</i>, and <i>Poa secunda</i>, ranging from absent to 35% cover. Other common shrubs and dwarf-shrubs include <i>Artemisia nova, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Tetradymia canescens</i>, and the cactus <i>Pediocactus simpsonii</i>. The herbaceous layer is sparse to moderate and often composed of low-growing cushion plants. Species are often diverse, but have sparse to low cover, and may include <i>Festuca brachyphylla, Hymenoxys richardsonii, Paronychia sessiliflora, Penstemon strictus, Poa fendleriana, Stenotus armerioides, Pleiacanthus spinosus</i>, and <i>Tetraneuris torreyana</i>. Cryptogam cover varies from low to moderate and is occasionally as high as 55%, mostly composed of crustose and foliose lichens.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:31253-{D15BE820-547C-4724-B105-38FB754096B2}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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Names:
UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.768855
NatureServe
Explorer
Code: CEGL002344
Translated: Prairie Sagewort - (Blue Grama, Indian Ricegrass, Sandberg Bluegrass) - Lichens Rocky Mesa Dwarf-shrubland
Scientific: Artemisia frigida - (Bouteloua gracilis, Achnatherum hymenoides, Poa secunda) - Lichens Rocky Mesa Dwarf-shrubland
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar)
Artemisia frigida - (Bouteloua gracilis, Achnatherum hymenoides, Poa secunda) - Lichens Rocky Mesa Dwarf-shrubland
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