Name:
Pinus flexilis Intermountain Basins Forest & Woodland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
These forests and woodlands occur from the central Great Basin, east and north to the Columbia Plateau, middle and southern Rocky Mountains and Wyoming Basins. Canopies are solely dominated or codominated by the evergreen needle-leaved tree <i>Pinus flexilis</i>. Other trees present to codominant include <i>Abies concolor, Picea engelmannii, Populus tremuloides</i>, and <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>. The understory is sparse to moderately dense and composed of xeric shrubs, graminoids and cushion plants. The most common dominant shrubs include <i>Arctostaphylos patula, Cercocarpus ledifolius</i>, and <i>Symphoricarpos oreophilus</i>. Herbaceous layers are sparse but, given the broad geographic range of these forests and woodlands, are highly variable. The most common species are graminoids such as <i>Achnatherum hymenoides, Bouteloua gracilis, Calamagrostis purpurascens, Carex rossii, Festuca campestris, Festuca idahoensis, Koeleria macrantha, Leucopoa kingii</i>, and <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata</i>. Scattered forbs may include species of <i>Achillea, Antennaria, Arenaria, Arnica, Astragalus, Erigeron, Eriogonum, Hymenopappus, Hymenoxys, Liatris, Sedum, Solidago</i>, and <i>Thermopsis</i>. Sites include high-elevation ridges and rocky slopes above subalpine forests and woodlands, sometimes extending down into the montane zone. They are harsh, exposed to desiccating winds with rocky substrates and a short growing season that limit plant growth. Parent materials include dolomitic, limestone or granitic rocks. Occurrences can be found on all aspects but are more common on southwestern exposures on steep convex slopes and ridges between 2530 and 3600 m (8300-12,000 feet) elevation.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38302-{63184471-8374-426D-887D-C4DDCB104269}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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