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Mortonia utahensis Shrubland | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Mortonia utahensis Shrubland
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This shrubland association occurs in Arizona, California and Nevada. It is currently described from Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, from Death Valley National Park and Mojave National Preserve in California, and from Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada. More survey and classification work are needed to fully characterize this type. It typically occurs on sideslopes, ridges, cliffs, and plateaus at 900 to 1700 m (2950-5575 feet) elevation. It is primarily found on gentle to moderate gradients (up to 15°) and occurs across all aspects. Soils are well- to rapidly-drained silty or sandy loams that are typically derived from sandstone. Vegetation is characterized by a strong <i>Mortonia utahensis</i> component in the short-shrub stratum. Trees are uncommon and tall shrubs are essentially absent; however, <i>Pinus edulis, Pinus monophylla</i>, and <i>Juniperus osteosperma</i> occasionally occur. At Grand Canyon, the short-shrub layer also may include <i>Yucca baccata, Ephedra torreyana, Quercus turbinella</i>, and <i>Coleogyne ramosissima</i>. A sparse dwarf-shrub layer exists in which <i>Gutierrezia sarothrae</i> regularly occurs. <i>Opuntia polyacantha, Agave utahensis, Echinocereus engelmannii, Echinocactus polycephalus, Eriogonum heermannii</i>, and <i>Thamnosma montana</i> also occur from time to time. <i>Pleuraphis jamesii, Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua eriopoda</i>, and <i>Achnatherum speciosum</i> occasionally occur in the graminoid layer. The composition of the forb understory varies considerably among stands; <i>Thymophylla acerosa</i> is the only species that occurs in the majority of them in Arizona, while <i>Sphaeralcea ambigua</i> and the invasive exotic <i>Bromus rubens</i> occur in the majority of stands in California and Nevada. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:33918-{665E13C1-359A-4243-9327-46DD589C5670}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 11-Jan-2019 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.840605 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: CEGL005153
  Translated: Utah Mortonia Shrubland
  Scientific: Mortonia utahensis Shrubland
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar) Mortonia utahensis Shrubland