Print Report

CEGL001946 Veratrum californicum Wet Meadow

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: California False Hellebore Wet Meadow

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This mesic herbaceous association is described from subalpine meadows in the Sierra Nevada surrounding Lake Tahoe. Most occurrences are on the margins of meadows, and slopes are gentle, not exceeding 15%. Elevations range from 2334 to 2853 m (7658-9360 feet), and snow duration is moderate to long. The water table is usually at least 1 m below the surface during most of the growing season. Total vegetation cover ranges from 85-100% and is characterized by a high percentage cover of the tall herbaceous species Veratrum californicum. Common associated species include Juncus nevadensis, Oreostemma alpigenum var. andersonii, Carex scopulorum, Deschampsia cespitosa and Carex luzulifolia.

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: In central and eastern Oregon (Crowe et al. 2004), bare ground or litter occupy much of the ground surface in this association. Most associated forb and graminoid species occur at low cover. Average height of herbaceous vegetation is approximately 130 cm. Common forb species include Veratrum californicum, Mimulus guttatus, Taraxacum officinale, Polygonum bistortoides, Sidalcea oregana, Epilobium ciliatum, and Geum macrophyllum. Common graminoids are Poa pratensis (invasive) and Hordeum brachyantherum.

Dynamics:  This association with its characteristic high canopy cover of Veratrum californicum indicates that heavy grazing has occurred on the site presently or in the past. Once well-established on a site, Veratrum californicum seems to persist for very long periods of time. Speculation as to the original associations occurring on these sites has ranged from Mertensia ciliata (Manning and Padgett 1995) to Deschampsia cespitosa (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997) to Populus tremuloides / Elymus glaucus, Elymus glaucus, and Calamagrostis canadensis (Kovalchik 1987).
Environmental Description:  In central and eastern Oregon (Crowe et al. 2004), this association occurs on springs, slumps, floodplains and in moist meadows at high elevations or mid elevations in cold-air drainages (1310-2400 m [4300-7880 feet]). Valleys are U- and trough-shaped and generally north-facing. Where streams were associated with sites sampled, they were Rosgen E4, E6 and F5 types. Most soils are cold, moist and have thick, dark, organic-rich surface horizons (Mollic Epipedons) with textures ranging from silt loam to sandy loam. A few sites had soils with high coarse fragment contents. Water tables generally remain within 50 to 70 cm of the soil surface throughout the growing season.
Geographic Range: This association is documented in the Sierra Nevada of Nevada and California in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe. It is also reported from Oregon and Utah.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA, NV, OR, UT


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4

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.b Sedge species - Reedgrass species Montane Wet Meadow & Marsh Group G521 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Alliance A3809 Common Cow-parsnip - California False Hellebore - Yellowcress species Wet Meadow Alliance A3809 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Association CEGL001946 California False Hellebore Wet Meadow CEGL001946 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Veratrum californicum - Carex angustata - Solidago canadensis Association (Murray 2000)
? Veratrum californicum (Sawyer et al. 2009) [45.423.02]
= Veratrum californicum Association (Kovalchik 1987)
= Veratrum californicum Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
= Veratrum californicum Community Type (Youngblood et al. 1985a)
= Veratrum californicum Community Type (Padgett et al. 1989)
? Veratrum spp. (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997)
Concept Author(s): Western Ecology Group

Author of Description: Crowe et al. (2004) and J.J. Coles

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-01-06
  • Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
  • Crowe, E. A., B. L. Kovalchik, and M. J. Kerr. 2004. Riparian and wetland vegetation of central and eastern Oregon. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Institute for Natural Resources, Oregon State University, Portland. 473 pp. [http://oregonstate.edu/ornhic/ publications.html]
  • Crowe, E. A., and R. R. Clausnitzer. 1997. Mid-montane wetland plant associations of the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman national forests. Technical Paper R6-NR-ECOL-TP-22-97. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR.
  • Ganskopp, D. C. 1979. Plant communities and habitat types of the Meadow Creek Experimental Watershed. Unpublished thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 162 pp.
  • Hemstrom, M. A., S. E. Logan, and W. Pavlat. 1987. Plant association and management guide, Willamette National Forest. Report R6-Ecol 257-B-86. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 312 pp.
  • Kagan, J. S., J. A. Christy, M. P. Murray, and J. A. Titus. 2004. Classification of native vegetation of Oregon. January 2004. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Portland. 52 pp.
  • Kovalchik, B. L. 1987. Riparian zone associations - Deschutes, Ochoco, Fremont, and Winema national forests. Technical Paper 279-87. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 171 pp.
  • Manning, M. E., and W. G. Padgett. 1995. Riparian community type classification for Humboldt and Toiyabe national forests, Nevada and eastern California. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Region. 306 pp.
  • Murray, M. P. 2000. Wetland plant associations of the western hemlock zone in the central coastal and westslope Cascade Mountains. Unpublished report, Oregon Natural Heritage Program, Portland, OR. 82 pp. [http://www.natureserve.org/nhp/us/or/nw_or_wetlands.pdf]
  • Nachlinger, J. L. 1985. The ecology of subalpine meadows in the Lake Tahoe region, California and Nevada. Unpublished thesis, University of Nevada, Reno. 151 pp.
  • Padgett, W. G., A. P. Youngblood, and A. H. Winward. 1989. Riparian community type classification of Utah and southeastern Idaho. Research Paper R4-ECOL-89-0. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT.
  • Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
  • Titus, J. H., M. Kerr, E. Crowe, and B. Kovalchik. 1998. Riparian zones of eastern Oregon. Oregon Natural Heritage Program, Portland.
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
  • Youngblood, A. P., W. G. Padgett, and A. H. Winward. 1985a. Riparian community type classification of eastern Idaho-western Wyoming. R4-Ecol-85-01. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Region, Ogden, UT. 78 pp.