Name:
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus - Coleogyne ramosissima / Achnatherum hymenoides Dry Shrubland & Grassland Macrogroup
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This macrogroup is found throughout the Intermountain West, including mid-elevation sites in eastern and central Mojave Desert, the Great Basin, Colorado Plateau, Columbia Plateau, and lower elevation sites in the central Rocky Mountains extending east across Wyoming Basins into the western Great Plains. Stands can occur as open shrubland, dwarf-shrub, shrub herbaceous or grassland communities. Characteristic shrubs include <i>Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Coleogyne ramosissima, Ephedra torreyana, Ephedra viridis, Ericameria nauseosa, Ericameria parryi, Gutierrezia sarothrae</i>, and <i>Krascheninnikovia lanata</i>. Less frequent diagnostic shrubs include <i>Artemisia filifolia, Chrysothamnus albidus, Ephedra cutleri, Ericameria teretifolia, Glossopetalon spinescens var. aridum, Opuntia</i> spp., <i>Parryella filifolia, Poliomintha incana, Psorothamnus fremontii, Purshia stansburiana, Quercus havardii var. tuckeri, Tetradymia canescens, Tetradymia tetrameres</i>, and <i>Vanclevea stylosa</i>. In cooler canyon and foothill sites, deciduous shrubs such as <i>Holodiscus discolor, Physocarpus malvaceus, Rhus glabra, Ribes</i> spp., and <i>Symphoricarpos</i> spp. maybe present. Additional shrubs characteristic of mid-elevation Mojave Desert sites are <i>Eriogonum fasciculatum, Ephedra californica, Ephedra nevadensis, Eriogonum corymbosum, Grayia spinosa, Lycium andersonii, Menodora spinescens, Nolina bigelovii, Nolina microcarpa, Nolina parryi, Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa, Purshia glandulosa, Purshia stansburiana, Salazaria mexicana, Thamnosma montana, Yucca brevifolia</i>, or <i>Yucca schidigera</i>. Wide-ranging shrubs <i>Atriplex canescens, Artemisia tridentata</i>, and <i>Sarcobatus vermiculatus</i> may be present, but do not dominate, as they are diagnostic of other macrogroups. The herbaceous layer is sparse to moderately dense and is characterized by perennial graminoids <i>Achnatherum hymenoides, Achnatherum lettermanii, Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua gracilis, Hesperostipa comata, Leymus salinus ssp. salinus, Muhlenbergia pungens, Pleuraphis jamesii, Poa fendleriana, Poa secunda, Pseudoroegneria spicata, Sporobolus airoides</i>, and <i>Sporobolus cryptandrus</i>. Forb cover is sparse but can be relatively diverse. These communities occur on a variety of landforms. Shrublands are common on windswept mesas, canyons, benchlands, colluvial slopes, alluvial fans and flats, broad basins and sandy plains. Grassland and steppe occur in both lowland and upland areas and may occupy swales, playas, mesatops, plateau parks, canyon bottoms and slopes, foothills, alluvial terraces, and plains. Sites range from gentle to steep slopes on all aspects. Soils are variable but are generally shallow, calcareous, and range from sandy to finer-textured (clays to silt-loams) that are often derived from limestone, sandstone or shale.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40533-{E058AD04-521C-4E43-A3E1-FA2840DF7B07}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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