Name:
Quercus oblongifolia Scrub Woodland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
The vegetation of this scrub woodland alliance is characterized by an open to moderately dense (10-60% cover), short, broad-leaved evergreen tree/tall-shrub layer (encinal) dominated by <i>Quercus oblongifolia</i> with a grass-dominated understory. The oak-dominated tree canopy is typically 3-5 m tall, but may extend beyond 5 m. <i>Juniperus deppeana, Quercus arizonica, Quercus emoryi, Prosopis</i> spp., and occasional <i>Pinus discolor</i> may be present in the tree canopy. Shrubs and rosette succulents and cacti may be scattered or form open to moderately dense layers, including <i>Acacia constricta, Agave palmeri, Arctostaphylos pungens, Brickellia</i> spp., <i>Dasylirion</i> spp., <i>Ericameria laricifolia, Eriogonum wrightii, Eysenhardtia orthocarpa, Garrya wrightii, Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera, Mimosa dysocarpa, Nolina microcarpa, Opuntia phaeacantha, Cylindropuntia spinosior, Rhus trilobata</i>, and <i>Yucca madrensis</i>. The graminoid layer typically characterizes the understory, ranges from sparse to dense (5-80% cover), and is typically dominated by medium-tall bunchgrasses such as <i>Bouteloua curtipendula, Schizachyrium cirratum</i>, or <i>Muhlenbergia emersleyi</i>, but it can also be very diverse. Other common graminoids may include <i>Aristida ternipes, Bothriochloa barbinodis, Bouteloua chondrosioides, Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua hirsuta, Eragrostis intermedia, Leptochloa dubia, Muhlenbergia longiligula</i>, and <i>Piptochaetium fimbriatum</i>. The usually sparse, but often diverse, forb layer is composed of species of <i>Artemisia, Commelina, Chenopodium, Evolvulus, Hybanthus, Ipomoea, Mirabilis, Viguiera</i>, and many others. Stands occur in southeastern Arizona and northern Mexico on gently to moderately sloping alluvial plains and bajadas to steep rocky slopes in canyons, foothills and mountains. Aspects are variable, but it appears more common on less xeric northern aspects in drier portions of its range. Soils are gravelly or stony sandy loams or sandy clay loams, derived from a mixture of alluvium and colluvium.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38100-{2ECF1DAB-0EA2-4DA7-8789-8DB41A554CB5}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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