Print Report

CEGL001240 Salix wolfii / Mesic Forbs Wet Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Wolf''s Willow / Mesic Forbs Wet Shrubland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This plant association occurs from mid-montane to upper subalpine elevations of 1890-3355 m (6200-11,000 feet) in Colorado, Idaho, western Wyoming, and Utah. It frequently covers wide, open, low-gradient areas near first- and second-order streams. It can be recognized by the generally dense layer of low-growing, silvery Salix wolfii dominating the short-shrub layer, with a variety of mesic forbs and some graminoids in the undergrowth. Other willow species that may be present include Salix planifolia, Salix boothii, and Salix geyeriana. Additional short shrubs that are often present include Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda, Betula glandulosa, Ribes inerme, and Lonicera involucrata. Total forb cover exceeds that of total graminoid cover. No single forb species is particularly more abundant than any other, and no one species is present in every stand. The forb species most commonly present include Caltha leptosepala, Mertensia ciliata, Senecio triangularis, Ligusticum porteri, Fragaria virginiana, Cardamine cordifolia, Geum macrophyllum, Saxifraga odontoloma, and Heracleum maximum. Graminoid species that may be present include Deschampsia cespitosa, Calamagrostis canadensis, and various Carex species.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: It can be recognized by the generally dense layer of low-growing, silvery Salix wolfii dominating the short-shrub layer with a variety of mesic forbs and some graminoids in the undergrowth. Other willow species that may be present include Salix planifolia, Salix boothii, and Salix geyeriana. Additional short shrubs that are often present include Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (= Pentaphylloides floribunda), Betula glandulosa, Ribes inerme, and Lonicera involucrata. Total forb cover exceeds that of total graminoid cover. No single forb species is particularly more abundant than any other, and no one species is present in every stand. The forb species most commonly present include Caltha leptosepala, Mertensia ciliata, Senecio triangularis, Ligusticum porteri, Fragaria virginiana, Cardamine cordifolia, Geum macrophyllum, Veratrum californicum, Saxifraga odontoloma, and Heracleum maximum. Graminoid species that may be present include Deschampsia cespitosa, Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex microptera, and other Carex species.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This plant association occurs from mid-montane to upper subalpine elevations of 1890-3355 m (6200-11,000 feet) in Colorado, Idaho, western Wyoming, and Utah. It frequently covers wide, open, low-gradient areas near first- and second-order streams. The type can occur on toeslopes and valley sideslopes, seeps, meadows, benches, stream terraces, as well as flat to gently undulating valley floors. Slopes range form 0 to 35%; valleys are typically wide, but occurrences in narrow, steep valleys are not unusual. Soils are thick and well-developed, often with Mollic Epipedon, occasionally with thick organic layers at the surface. Textures range from clayey to fine loamy to coarse-loam, with up to 35% coarse fragments. Soils are moist, often saturated to near-saturated for much of the growing season. Water tables can be at the surface or greater than 100 cm below the surface.
Geographic Range: This association is known from Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CO, ID, UT, WY


Confidence Level: High

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass S44 2.C
Formation 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation F013 2.C.4
Division 2.C.4.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D031 2.C.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nb.5 Sitka Alder - Booth''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M893 2.C.4.Nb.5
Group 2.C.4.Nb.5.d Willow species - Alder species - Water Birch Riparian & Seep Shrubland Group G527 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Alliance A3770 Wolf''s Willow - Short-fruit Willow - Resin Birch Wet Shrubland Alliance A3770 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Association CEGL001240 Wolf''s Willow / Mesic Forbs Wet Shrubland CEGL001240 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Salix wolfii / Swertia perennis - Pedicularis groenlandica Community Type (Mutz and Queiroz 1983)
? Salix wolfii / Swertia perennis - Pedicularis groenlandica Plant Association (Tuhy and Jensen 1982)
< Salix wolfii / Swertia perennis Community Type (Tuhy and Jensen 1982) [Includes stands with understories dominated by graminoids.]
= Salix wolfii / Mesic Forb Community Type (Youngblood et al. 1985a)
= Salix wolfii / Mesic Forb Community Type (Padgett et al. 1989)
= Salix wolfii / Mesic Forb Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Salix wolfii / Mesic Forb Shrubland (Carsey et al. 2003a)
= Salix wolfii / Mesic Forbs Community Type (Walford et al. 2001)
= Salix wolfii/Mesic forb (Kittel et al. 1999b)
< Low Salix / Mesic Forb Community Type (Manning and Padgett 1995) [Stands from the Ruby Mountains are dominated by Salix wolfii.]
= Wolf willow/mesic forb (Salix wolfii/Mesic Forbs) Plant Association (Kittel et al. 1999a)
Concept Author(s): Padgett et al. (1989)

Author of Description: J. Thompson, J. Stevens, G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 08-09-05
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