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Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba / Cushion Plants Shrubland | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba / Cushion Plants Shrubland
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This alkali sagebrush low shrubland is only known from Fossil Butte National Monument in southwestern Wyoming but is likely more widespread. Stands in Wyoming are moderately steep (6-18°), northeast-, southeast- or south-facing slopes between 2052 and 2279 m elevation. Sites are dry and windy much of the time. The unvegetated surface has moderate to high exposure of bare soil, low cover of small and large rocks, and sparse cover of litter and downed wood. Soils are rapidly drained and texturally are silty clay or clay derived from the Wasatch Formation. This association is characterized by a sparse to moderate short-shrub layer dominated by <i>Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba</i> with 8-16% cover and a relatively sparse but diverse cushion plant-dominated herbaceous layer. Total vegetation cover ranges from 20-38% in these moderately vegetated stands. Associated short and dwarf-shrubs <i>Artemisia frigida, Atriplex gardneri, Krascheninnikovia lanata</i>, and <i>Tetradymia spinosa</i> provide sparse cover. The herbaceous layer is dominated by a cushion plant community of <i>Antennaria dimorpha, Arenaria hookeri, Astragalus bisulcatus, Astragalus jejunus, Eriogonum brevicaule, Minuartia nuttallii, Phlox hoodii, Stenotus acaulis</i>, and <i>Trifolium gymnocarpon</i>. Perennial grasses may be present, including <i>Achnatherum hymenoides, Elymus lanceolatus, Pascopyrum smithii</i>, and <i>Poa secunda</i>, that provide sparse to low cover. Total cover of grasses is typically less than total cover of forbs. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:34648-{4D9B86AB-EE16-4A65-9C41-4C9BBD510534}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 17-Jan-2008 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.802985 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: CEGL005996
  Translated: Alkali Sagebrush / Cushion Plants Shrubland
  Scientific: Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba / Cushion Plants Shrubland
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar) Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longiloba / Cushion Plants Shrubland