Name:
Quercus berberidifolia - Arctostaphylos glandulosa - Fraxinus dipetala Chaparral Group
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This group includes both frost-intolerant mesic chaparrals at lower elevations and the "pre-montane" chaparrals with a composition including more frost-tolerant species. This shrubland group occurs in mesic site conditions, such as north-facing slopes, concavities, or toeslopes, with well-drained soils throughout Mediterranean California, mostly inland from the coastal fog belt. It also includes sclerophyllous scrub shrublands that are more frost-tolerant and found at higher, cooler and generally more mesic sites than ~Californian Xeric Chaparral Group (G257)$$. It occurs most often on north-facing slopes up to 1500 m (4550 feet) in elevation and up to 1830 m (6000 feet) in southern California. This group tends to be dominated by a variety of mixed or single-species, evergreen, sclerophyllous shrubs that resprout from lignotubers following fire, but also includes obligate seeding indicator shrubs. Some common and characteristic mesic chaparral species include <i>Quercus berberidifolia, Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber, Fraxinus dipetala, Garrya flavescens, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Prunus ilicifolia, Rhamnus crocea</i>, and <i>Rhamnus ilicifolia</i>. Some winter-deciduous species include <i>Cercis canadensis var. texensis, Lonicera</i> spp., <i>Styrax redivivus, Toxicodendron diversilobum, Ribes</i> spp., and <i>Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis</i>, and usually complement the predominant sclerophylls. Weakly resprouting or obligate seeders that also commonly occur in this group include arborescent <i>Ceanothus</i> spp., such as <i>Ceanothus spinosus, Ceanothus tomentosus</i>, and <i>Ceanothus leucodermis</i>. Although usually considered trees, <i>Umbellularia californica</i> and <i>Aesculus californica</i> can also occur as shrubs and, lacking disturbance, can grow to tree size, as do some of the other chaparral shrubs (some old-growth stands can reach 10.6 m [35 feet] in height!).<br /><br />The pre-montane chaparrals are particularly well-developed in central and southern California mountains, occurring below montane chaparral/scrub types (which receive much more precipitation as snow and tend to be very cold-hardy) and the lower elevation mesic chaparrals described above (which contain species that are not as tolerant of freezing temperatures). Characteristic species include <i>Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea, Arctostaphylos glandulosa, Ceanothus palmeri</i>, and <i>Ceanothus leucodermis</i>). Depending upon fire history, emergent conifers such as <i>Pinus sabiniana, Pinus ponderosa</i>, and <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> may be present. Most chaparral species are fire-adapted, resprouting vigorously after burning or producing fire-resistant seeds. However, this is not a group that requires frequent fire for perpetuation.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40035-{C5D8995D-1DEF-413F-B60B-C54CF8281FD5}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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