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CEGL001571 Leymus triticoides Wet Meadow

Type Concept Sentence: Leymus triticoides dominates the herbaceous layer but is rarely found without several introduced annual plants. Once a widespread grassland of California on heavy clay soils, Leymus triticoides grasslands today are restricted to relict places in California''s Central Valley and neighboring coastal and Sierra Nevada foothills and along riparian areas in Nevada.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Beardless Wildrye Wet Meadow

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: Once a widespread grassland of California on heavy clay soils, Leymus triticoides grasslands today are restricted to relict places in California''s Central Valley and neighboring coastal and Sierra Nevada foothills. It has also been documented along riparian areas in Nevada. It occurs on clay or clay loam soils and has been documented along the margins of marshes, as narrow bands of wetland-upland borders as a natural ecotones, and along levee tops and margins of marshes adjacent to zones intermittent flooding. In addition, stands have been documented along riparian floodplains. Leymus triticoides dominates the herbaceous layer but is rarely found without several introduced annual plants such as Sonchus spp., Vulpia myuros, Polypogon monspeliensis, Lactuca serriola, Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum, Bromus diandrus, or Avena fatua. Stands in valley bottoms may have a few emergent oak trees or elderberry, giving this grassland a savanna-like appearance.

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: Leymus triticoides dominates the herbaceous layer but is rarely found without several introduced annual plants such as Sonchus spp., Vulpia myuros, Polypogon monspeliensis, Lactuca serriola, Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum (= Lolium multiflorum), Bromus diandrus, or Avena fatua. Stands in valley bottoms may have a few emergent oak trees or elderberry, giving this grassland a savanna-like appearance.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  Once a widespread grassland of California on heavy soils and hillslopes, Leymus triticoides grasslands today are restricted to relict places in the Central Valley, valleys of southern California and neighboring coastal ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills (Hamilton 1997, Holstein 2001). It occurs on clay or clay loam soils and has been documented along the margins of marshes, as narrow bands of wetland-upland borders as a natural ecotones, and along levee tops and margins of marshes adjacent to zones intermittent flooding (Keeler-Wolf and Vaghti 2000). In addition, stands have been documented be along riparian floodplains (E. Peterson pers. comm. 2006).
Geographic Range: Once a widespread grassland of California on heavy soils and hillslopes, Leymus triticoides grasslands today are restricted to relict places in California''s Central Valley and neighboring coastal and Sierra Nevada foothills, and has been documented along riparian areas in Nevada.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA, NV


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4?

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.5 Salt Marsh Formation F035 2.C.5
Division 2.C.5.Nd North American Western Interior Brackish Marsh, Playa & Shrubland Division D036 2.C.5.Nd
Macrogroup 2.C.5.Nd.1 Warm & Cool Desert Alkali-Saline Marsh, Playa & Shrubland Macrogroup M082 2.C.5.Nd.1
Group 2.C.5.Nd.1.a Saltgrass - Lemmon''s Alkali Grass - Saltwort species Alkaline-Saline Marsh & Playa Group G538 2.C.5.Nd.1.a
Alliance A1329 Basin Wildrye - Beardless Wildrye Alkaline Wet Meadow Alliance A1329 2.C.5.Nd.1.a
Association CEGL001571 Beardless Wildrye Wet Meadow CEGL001571 2.C.5.Nd.1.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Elymus triticoides Association (Rodriguez et al. 2017)
? Leymus triticoides Association (Sproul et al. 2011)
> Leymus triticoides-Bromus spp.-Avena spp. Association (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
= Leymus triticoides (Sawyer et al. 2009) [41.080.01]
> Leymus triticoides Association (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
= Leymus triticoides Herbaceous Vegetation (Keeler-Wolf and Vaghti 2000)
Concept Author(s): Western Ecology Group

Author of Description: G. Kittel and J. Evens

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-25-07
  • Blackburn, W. H., P. T. Tueller, and R. E. Eckert, Jr. 1969a. Vegetation and soils of the Cow Creek watershed. Vegetation and soils of the Mill Creek watershed. In cooperation with USDI Bureau of Land Management. University of Nevada, College of Agriculture, Reno. 71 pp.
  • 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.
  • Buck-Diaz, J., S. Batiuk, and J. M. Evens. 2012. Vegetation alliances and associations of the Great Valley ecoregion, California. California Native Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://cnps.org/cnps/vegetation/pdf/great_valley_eco-vegclass2012.pdf]
  • Evens, J., and S. San. 2004. Vegetation associations of a serpentine area: Coyote Ridge, Santa Clara County, California. Unpublished report. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
  • Hamilton, J. G. 1997. Changing perceptions of pre-European grasslands in California. Madroño 44(4):311-333.
  • Holstein, G. 2001. Pre-agricultural grassland in central California. Madroño 48(4):253-264.
  • Keeler-Wolf, T., and J. Evens. 2006. Vegetation classification of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and environs in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, California. A report submitted to National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area by California Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch and The California Native Plant Society, Vegetation Program, Sacramento, CA.
  • Keeler-Wolf, T., and M. Vaghti. 2000. Vegetation mapping of Suisun Marsh, Solano County, California. A report to the California Department of Water Resources. California Department of Fish and Game, California Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento, CA.
  • Kittel, G., E. Reyes, J. Evens, J. Buck, and D. Johnson. 2012a. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Pinnacles National Monument. Natural Resource Report NPS/SFAN/NRR-2012/574. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 428 pp.
  • Peterson, E. B. 2008. International Vegetation Classification alliances and associations occurring in Nevada with proposed additions. Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Carson City, NV. 348 pp.
  • Peterson, Eric. Personal communication. Plant Ecologist, Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Carson City, NV.
  • Rodriguez, D., K. G. Sikes, T. Keeler-Wolf, G. Kittel, J. Curtis, C. Curley, and J. Evens. 2017. Vegetation classification of Channel Islands National Park. Report to the National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
  • 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.
  • Sproul, F., T. Keeler-Wolf, P. Gordon-Reedy, J. Dunn, A. Klein, and K. Harper. 2011. Vegetation classification manual for western San Diego County. AECOM, California Department of Fish and Game, San Diego Area Governments.
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.