Name:
Coleogyne ramosissima Colorado Plateau Shrubland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
The shrub layer is characterized by an open to relatively closed canopy of <i>Coleogyne ramosissima</i>. Total vegetation cover ranges from 5 to 70%. Other codominant and associate shrubs may include <i>Ambrosia dumosa, Artemisia filifolia, Atriplex canescens, Atriplex confertifolia, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ephedra funerea, Ephedra torreyana, Ephedra nevadensis, Ephedra torreyana, Ericameria linearifolia, Ericameria nauseosa, Ericameria teretifolia, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Krascheninnikovia lanata, Lycium</i> spp., <i>Menodora spinescens, Opuntia</i> spp., <i>Purshia stansburiana</i>, and <i>Quercus havardii var. tuckeri</i>. Occasional <i>Juniperus</i> spp., <i>Pinus edulis</i>, or <i>Pinus monophylla</i> trees are present in some stands. The herbaceous layer varies from sparse to moderate (1-30% cover) and composition varies by region, but is always dominated by graminoids. Dominant species include <i>Achnatherum hymenoides, Aristida purpurea, Dasyochloa pulchella, Muhlenbergia pungens</i>, and <i>Pleuraphis jamesii</i>. Forbs may have high diversity, but do not have high cover. Associate forbs may include <i>Amsonia tomentosa, Astragalus</i> spp., <i>Calochortus nuttallii, Chaenactis</i> spp., <i>Cryptantha</i> spp., <i>Eriogonum inflatum, Eriogonum nutans, Heterotheca villosa, Ipomopsis polycladon, Phacelia</i> spp., <i>Plantago</i> spp., <i>Sphaeralcea leptophylla, Stenotus acaulis</i>, and <i>Streptanthella</i> spp. These shrublands are known from the Colorado Plateau, southern Great Basin, Mojave Desert, and Sierra Nevada foothills. Stands occur on plains, ridges, bajadas, mesatops, canyon rims, escarpments, valley sides, sand dunes, washes, alluvial terraces and benches with flat to steep slopes (up to 45%) with elevations ranging between 1000 and 2200 m.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38507-{23CCF9D3-F96F-4A5E-85A7-7B7458AB0AB7}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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