Name:
Pleuraphis jamesii Grassland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
The vegetation is characterized by an herbaceous layer with sparse to moderately dense cover of perennial grasses that is usually dominated or codominated by <i>Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua gracilis, Pleuraphis jamesii</i>, or <i>Sporobolus airoides</i>. Other common perennial grasses may include <i>Achnatherum hymenoides, Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua dactyloides, Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa neomexicana, Muhlenbergia porteri, Muhlenbergia torreyi, Pascopyrum smithii</i>, and <i>Sporobolus cryptandrus</i>. The sparse forb layer may include <i>Artemisia carruthii, Artemisia dracunculus, Astragalus</i> spp., <i>Chaenactis stevioides, Cryptantha</i> sp., <i>Cymopterus newberryi, Grindelia squarrosa, Lappula occidentalis, Machaeranthera pinnatifida, Plantago patagonica, Ratibida</i> spp., <i>Scleropogon brevifolius, Sphaeralcea coccinea</i>, and <i>Zinnia grandiflora</i>. This alliance occurs in arid and semi-arid regions in the southwestern Great Plains, Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and northern Chihuahuan Desert. These grasslands occur on a variety of landforms, including plains, mesas, alluvial flats, floodplains, swales, hillslopes, dunes, badlands and bajadas. Soils are variable and range from sand to clay textures. Stands occur on all slopes and aspects. Substrates are variable and range from sand- to clay-textured soils. Parent materials include alluvium, colluvium and eolian deposits derived from igneous, metamorphic and, most commonly, sedimentary rocks, especially shale and sandstone. Elevation ranges from 1200-2800 m.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38197-{1A7EA7A6-EF59-4134-8F94-09E80418768C}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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