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CEGL003111 Nassella pulchra Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: These grasslands are dominated by the perennial, tussock-forming bunchgrass Nassella pulchra. They are moderately widespread in California and occur across a variety of environmental settings.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Purple Needlegrass Grassland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: These grasslands are moderately widespread in California and occur across such a variety of environmental parameters that few generalities can be made. Sites range from sea level to 1300 m in elevation, and include all topographic locations. Climate is Mediterranean with mean annual precipitation ranging from about 12 cm in the southwestern San Joaquin Valley to 200 cm in the montane of northwestern California. Soils are usually deep, fine-textured (clay is common), moist to saturated in winter, but very dry in the summer. Stands have a medium-tall graminoid layer 0.5-1 m in height, that is dominated by the perennial, tussock-forming bunchgrass Nassella pulchra. In some stands, this is the only perennial grass. Other perennial grasses that may be common include Elymus glaucus, Festuca californica, Koeleria macrantha, Melica californica, Melica imperfecta, Nassella cernua, Nassella lepida, Poa secunda, and Sanicula bipinnatifida. Cover of the bunchgrasses is described as open, but may be high in some stands. Perennial and annual forbs form a matrix between the bunchgrass tussocks; information on forb species composition is not available. It has been reported that forbs predominantly include plants with bulbs and annuals in the Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Fabaceae, and Lamiaceae plant families. Occasionally, emergent shrubs or trees may be present, but no information is available on species. Most, if not all, stands include non-native annual grass species mixed with the perennial natives. Non-natives commonly present include Avena barbata, Avena fatua, Bromus diandrus, Bromus hordeaceus, Bromus madritensis, and Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum.
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: This is a medium-tall grassland from 0.5-1 m in height, dominated by the perennial, tussock-forming bunchgrass Nassella pulchra. In some stands, this is the only perennial grass. Other perennial grasses that may be common include Elymus glaucus, Festuca californica, Koeleria macrantha, Melica californica, Melica imperfecta, Nassella cernua, Nassella lepida, Poa secunda, and Sanicula bipinnatifida. Cover of the bunchgrasses is described as open, but may in some stands be high. Perennial and annual forbs form a matrix between the bunchgrass tussocks; information on species composition is not available. Heady (1988) states that forbs predominantly include plants with bulbs, and annuals in the Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Fabaceae, and Lamiaceae plant families. Occasionally, emergent shrubs or trees may be present, but no information is available on species. Most, if not all, stands include non-native annual grass species mixed with the perennial natives. Non-natives commonly present include Avena barbata, Avena fatua, Bromus diandrus, Bromus hordeaceus, Bromus madritensis, and Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum (= Lolium multiflorum).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This vegetation type is moderately widespread in California and occurs across such a variety of environmental parameters that few generalities can be made. Sites range from sea level to 1300 m in elevation and include all topographic locations. Average annual precipitation ranges from about 12 cm in the southwestern San Joaquin Valley to 200 cm in the montane region of northwestern California. Much of this precipitation falls as rain in the fall and winter months. Winters are cool. However, summers are typically very dry and hot, and soil water deficits are prevalent for 4 to 8 months every year. Soils are usually fine-textured (clay is common), moist to saturated in winter, but very dry in the summer.
Geographic Range: This association occurs in scattered localities around the Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Salinas valleys, as well as the Los Angeles Basin, of California. The distribution forms a discontinuous "ring" around the Central Valley. Stands are also found in the montane portions of the Peninsular Ranges, the northern and central Coast Ranges of California, and probably extend into the northern ranges of Baja California, Mexico.
Nations: MX?,US
States/Provinces: CA, MXBCN?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684875
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
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.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass | S18 | 2.B |
| Formation | 2.B.1 Mediterranean Scrub & Grassland Formation | F038 | 2.B.1 |
| Division | 2.B.1.Na Californian Scrub & Grassland Division | D327 | 2.B.1.Na |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.1.Na.3 Purple Needlegrass - Harvest Brodiaea - Rusty Popcorn-flower Native Grassland Macrogroup | M045 | 2.B.1.Na.3 |
| Group | 2.B.1.Na.3.b Purple Needlegrass - California Melicgrass - Giant Wildrye Grassland Group | G496 | 2.B.1.Na.3.b |
| Alliance | A1289 Purple Needlegrass Grassland Alliance | A1289 | 2.B.1.Na.3.b |
| Association | CEGL003111 Purple Needlegrass Grassland | CEGL003111 | 2.B.1.Na.3.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Nassella pulchra Association (Sproul et al. 2011)
= Nassella pulchra (Sawyer et al. 2009) [41.150.04]
< Nassella pulchra Alliance (Klein et al. 2007)
= Nassella pulchra Association (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
= Nassella pulchra Herbaceous Alliance (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006)
= Nassella pulchra Herbaceous Vegetation (Evens and Kentner 2006)
= Stipa pulchra Association (Rodriguez et al. 2017)
= Nassella pulchra (Sawyer et al. 2009) [41.150.04]
< Nassella pulchra Alliance (Klein et al. 2007)
= Nassella pulchra Association (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
= Nassella pulchra Herbaceous Alliance (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006)
= Nassella pulchra Herbaceous Vegetation (Evens and Kentner 2006)
= Stipa pulchra Association (Rodriguez et al. 2017)
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