Name:
Festuca rubra - Calamagrostis nutkaensis Exposed Coastal Headland Grassland Alliance
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This grassland alliance often occurs as small patches in a mosaic of grassland, shrubland and forest communities. Canopy coverage ranges from open to moderately dense to dense. Stands have a sparse to dense herbaceous layer dominated by perennial grass species, especially <i>Calamagrostis nutkaensis</i> and <i>Festuca rubra</i>, but also <i>Agrostis pallens, Danthonia californica, Elymus glaucus, Festuca idahoensis ssp. roemeri</i>, and/or <i>Koeleria macrantha</i>. Low shrubs may be abundant, such as <i>Empetrum nigrum, Gaultheria shallon, Lomatium martindalei, Mahonia aquifolium, Rubus ursinus</i>, and <i>Vaccinium ovatum</i>. A variety of other grasses and forbs are commonly present with the forb component frequently rich. This grassland alliance is found along the Pacific Northwest coast, from central northern California to the Puget Sound region of Washington and east into the Willamette Valley. The climate is strongly hypermaritime, with persistent onshore (westerly) winds, high annual precipitation, and moderate temperatures. This vegetation occupies coastal headlands, often on extreme sites with moderate to steep slopes of southerly aspects, ocean bluffs, open grassy balds (non-forested grassy areas), tops of low hills, on crests of ridgelines, on the shoulders of foothills, and less often in valley bottoms and lower alluvial slopes. Elevation ranges from sea level to 1550 m (0-5100 feet). Aspect varies but is generally south or southwest.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38953-{D65B6A56-00A7-4C60-93D9-180EC637BBC8}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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