Name:
Viscaino-Baja California Desert Scrub Macrogroup
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This macrogroup comprises most of the Baja California. The vegetation is characterized by xeromorphic trees, tall shrubs and cacti with shorter salt desert scrub common. Short-statured salt desert scrub stands and San Lucan tropical thornscrub are also included in this macrogroup. Characteristic species such as <i>Bursera fagaroides var. elongata, Bursera hindsiana, Bursera microphylla, Fouquieria columnaris, Fouquieria diguetii, Fouquieria peninsularis, Fouquieria splendens, Jatropha cuneata, Pachycereus pringlei, Pachycereus schottii, Pachycormus discolor, Parkinsonia microphylla, Stenocereus thurberi</i>, and <i>Viguiera laciniata</i> may be present to dominant. Scattered shrubs and cacti include <i>Acacia brandegeana, Acalypha californica, Agave shawii, Ambrosia camphorata, Ambrosia chenopodiifolia, Ambrosia dumosa, Ambrosia magdalenae, Echinocereus maritimus, Encelia californica, Encelia farinosa, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Ferocactus cylindraceus, Fouquieria splendens, Hyptis emoryi, Jatropha cinerea, Justicia californica, Larrea tridentata, Lysiloma candida, Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa, Cylindropuntia bigelovii, Cylindropuntia cholla, Cylindropuntia prolifera, Simmondsia chinensis, Solanum hindsianum</i>, and <i>Yucca schidigera</i>. Salt desert scrub species include <i>Frankenia palmeri</i> often with <i>Atriplex julacea</i> or <i>Atriplex polycarpa</i>. The San Lucan tropical thornscrub is a complex mixture of low thorn-bearing trees, shrubs, and a high diversity of succulents, including cacti, with tallest individuals typically not exceeding 3 m in height. Diagnostic species include <i>Bursera microphylla, Jatropha cinerea, Pachycereus pringlei, Solanum hindsianum</i>, and <i>Stenocereus gummosus</i>. This macrogroup comprises most of the Baja California peninsula extending north along the Gulf of California coastal plains to the lower Colorado River Valley south along the west coast of Sonora south to Guaymas, including the major islands. This desert scrub macrogroup occurs in diverse environments from the coast and inland plains to alluvial fans, foothills, and mountains. Climate is extremely arid with mean annual precipitation of less than 100 mm in the north increasing to 300 mm in southern Baja. Substrates vary from coarse-textured, deep granitic soils and a'a lava flows in broad valley bottoms, alluvial fans and on lower mountain slopes to finer-textured, alkaline, sometimes saline, clayey soils with low infiltration that are derived from marine deposit, basalt or other volcanic rock.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40499-{95424853-E1FB-4D43-B4B3-C96124245D7B}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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