Name:
Ericameria cuneata var. spathulata Shrubland
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This association is currently described only from the Mojave Desert Network. Additional global information will be added as it becomes available. It is found scattered in Death Valley National Park, Castle Mountains National Park, and Mojave National Preserve, California, sampled and observed at mid to upper elevations along extensive rock outcrops of varied parent material. Elevation ranges from approximately 1450 to 1500 m, and averages 1492 m. Slopes are steep to abrupt (42-85°). It is found from midslopes to ridges along various aspects. Soils are a minor component of the available growing surface, interspersed among large bedrock outcrops, and soil texture includes clay loam. Parent material includes a variety of substrates such as rhyolite, sandstone, limestone/dolomite, and granite, in which the plants are often found growing right out of rock crevices. The association has both open herb and shrub layers in which the herbaceous layer ranges from 1 to 2% cover and the shrub layer ranges from 2 to 10% cover. The emergent tree layer is sparse, if present, and ranges from 0 to 0.2% cover. <i>Ericameria cuneata var. spathulata</i> is dominant or codominant with shrubs such as <i>Brickellia californica, Brickellia longifolia, Gutierrezia sarothrae</i>, and <i>Symphoricarpos</i> sp. Other shrubs that may be present include <i>Artemisia ludoviciana, Ericameria laricifolia, Eriogonum heermannii, Ferocactus cylindraceus, Fraxinus anomala, Galium stellatum</i>, and <i>Rhus trilobata</i>. Various herbaceous species can occur in the association, including <i>Achnatherum parishii, Allium</i> sp., <i>Arabis</i> sp., <i>Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua</i> spp., <i>Bromus rubens, Elymus elymoides, Melica frutescens, Poa fendleriana ssp. longiligula, Poa secunda, Sphaeralcea ambigua</i>, and <i>Tragia ramosa</i> in the herbaceous layer. Emergent trees, if present, include <i>Pinus monophylla, Garrya flavescens</i>, and <i>Juniperus osteosperma</i>. Nonvascular plants are typically present, including rock lichens and mosses.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:37471-{3292E823-D1A7-4556-8129-6D17AD240419}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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