Print Report

CEGL001987 Senecio triangularis Wet Meadow

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Arrowleaf Ragwort Wet Meadow

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This association has large gaps in its documented range, occurring in the alpine/subalpine of Colorado and reported again in the mountains of Montana, eastern Oregon and northward into Alberta. This broadly distributed wetland type occurs in small and often linear patches. In Montana and Oregon this type has been well-documented as a riparian stringer of high-gradient, ephemeral, first- or second-order streams; water tables are at the surface throughout the summer. This type also occurs as a species-rich herb meadow on fluvial, residual and colluvial landforms, many of which are subject to snow avalanches. Its documented elevation range in Montana-Alberta is from 1225 to 2181 m (4020-7150 feet). All substrates are apparently relatively medium- to coarse-textured and well-drained. However, all these seemingly disparate environments are subirrigated, with oxygenated water through most of the growing season. The vegetation is characterized by a dense herbaceous layer dominated by Senecio triangularis. Graminoids are a minor component, with Poa alpina, Phleum alpinum, Juncus drummondii, Trisetum spicatum, Elymus glaucus, Glyceria striata, and Carex disperma the reported species. Shrubs are virtually absent; only Ribes spp. associated with wetlands are present in trace amounts. The diagnostic forb Senecio triangularis is 100% constant and almost always the dominant, the only recorded exceptions being Chamerion spp. and Epilobium spp. which may increase markedly following disturbance. Other moderate- to high-constancy forbs indicative of wet-site conditions include Trollius laxus, Parnassia fimbriata, Mimulus lewisii, Veratrum viride, Equisetum arvense, Thalictrum occidentale, Geum macrophyllum, Arnica cordifolia, and Ranunculus spp. Species more associated with the diverse forb meadow condition include Allium schoenoprasum, Arnica mollis, Angelica arguta, Castilleja rhexiifolia, Castilleja miniata, Chamerion angustifolium, Erigeron peregrinus, Epilobium spp. (including Epilobium ciliatum, Epilobium anagallidifolium), and Valeriana sitchensis.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association is defined as a PNV vegetation type. If it were renamed as a dominance type, the species would include Senecio triangularis and Trautvetteria caroliniensis. Damm (2001) has recognized two subassociations of this association in Glacier National Park and has identified several other wet subalpine/alpine communities that differ only in lacking the tall forb layer or having it poorly represented. ~Senecio triangularis - Mimulus guttatus Wet Meadow (CEGL001988)$$ derived from Mattson (1984) (for only Yellowstone National Park) should be archived as it matches quite closely the environmental and vegetation parameters of this more broadly described type. ~Senecio triangularis - Veratrum californicum Wet Meadow (CEGL001989)$$ should be crosswalked as well; the dominance of tall hygric- to subhydric-associated forbs places it very close to ~Senecio triangularis Wet Meadow (CEGL001987)$$. It will be understood that because it is a wide-ranging type, there will be regional floristic differences in its composition, but ecologically it is one unit.

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

Floristics: This association is characterized by a dense herbaceous layer dominated by Senecio triangularis. In Montana, shrubs are virtually absent, only Ribes spp. associated with wetlands are present in trace amounts. Graminoid are also a minor presence, with Poa alpina, Phleum alpinum, Juncus drummondii, Trisetum spicatum, and Elymus glaucus being at least 40% constant but seldom exhibiting more than 2-3% cover (Hansen et al. 1995) In Oregon, Crowe and Clausnitzer (1997) report that Glyceria striata (= Glyceria elata) and Carex disperma occur in most stands. The diagnostic forb Senecio triangularis is 100% constant and almost always the dominant, the only recorded exceptions being Chamerion spp. and Epilobium spp. which may increase markedly following disturbance. Other moderate- to high-constancy forbs indicative of wet-site conditions include Trollius laxus, Parnassia fimbriata, Mimulus lewisii, Veratrum viride, Mertensia spp., and Equisetum arvense. In Oregon common forbs include Thalictrum occidentale, Geum macrophyllum, Canadanthus modestus (= Aster modestus), Arnica cordifolia, and Ranunculus spp. Species more associated with the diverse forb meadow condition include Allium schoenoprasum, Arnica mollis, Angelica arguta, Castilleja rhexiifolia, Castilleja miniata, Chamerion angustifolium (= Epilobium angustifolium), Erigeron peregrinus, Epilobium spp. (including Epilobium ciliatum, Epilobium anagallidifolium (= Epilobium alpinum)), and Valeriana sitchensis. In Wyoming, Agrostis exarata is constant, and Mimulus guttatus or Mimulus lewisii, Platanthera dilatata (= Habenaria dilatata), Epilobium anagallidifolium, and Mitella pentandra are common and sometimes abundant (Mattson 1984).

Dynamics:  The riparian examples of this association are envisioned by Hansen et al. (1995) to be early-seral communities destined to become conifer-dominated sites but, with repeated flooding and scouring, rarely mature beyond the sapling stage. Achuff et al. (1997) identify the meadow portion and scree slope portion of the type as successionally mature.

In Oregon, this association may succeed to Alnus sinuata / Mesic Forb Association (Crowe et al. 2004) if the site remains stable for a long enough period of time. Some sample sites in the Strawberry Mountains were located in watersheds that had been severely burned two years prior to sampling. All upland trees were killed in the fire and the sideslopes were still depauperate. These sites were heavily shaded by subalpine fir forests prior to the fire, and once the forests regrow and shade the sites again, this association will undoubtedly succeed to another association.
Environmental Description:  This is a broadly distributed wetland type that occurs in small and often linear patches. In Montana this type has been well-documented as a riparian stringer (Hansen et al. 1995) of high-gradient, ephemeral, first- or second-order streams; water tables are at the surface throughout the summer. This type also occurs as a species-rich herb meadow on fluvial, residual and colluvial landforms, many of which are subject to snow avalanches. Its documented elevation range in Montana-Alberta is from 1225 to 2181 m (4020-7150 feet) (Hansen et al. 1995). In Oregon it occupies similar habitats, occurring on alluvial bars and streambanks (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997). It also occupies midslope to toeslope positions of talus and scree slopes, as well as glacio-fluvial deposits that receive late-melting runoff (subsurface). All substrates are apparently relatively medium- to coarse-textured and well-drained. However, the unifying factor of all these seemingly disparate environments is that sites are subirrigated, ostensibly with oxygenated water through most of the growing season.
Geographic Range: This association is reported from the mountains of Montana, eastern Oregon and northward into Alberta and British Columbia, Canada.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, AK?, CA?, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5?

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 A3810 Brook Saxifrage - Arrowleaf Ragwort - Mountain Bluebells Wet Meadow Alliance A3810 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Association CEGL001987 Arrowleaf Ragwort Wet Meadow CEGL001987 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: >< Erigeron peregrinus - Valeriana sitchensis Vegetation Type (Achuff and Corns 1982)
>< Erigeron peregrinus - Valeriana sitchensis Vegetation Type (Achuff et al. 1993)
>< Erigeron peregrinus - Valeriana sitchensis Vegetation Type (Achuff and Dudynsky 1984b)
>< Erigeron peregrinus - Valeriana sitchensis Vegetation Type (Achuff and Dudynsky 1984a)
? Lupinus polyphyllus - Senecio triangularis Community Type (Manning and Padgett 1995) [includes plots similar to this association]
? Saxifraga odontoloma - Senecio triangularis Association (Diaz and Mellen 1996)
> Saxifragetum lyallii Association (Damm 2001)
> Senecio triangularis - Agrostis exarata Habitat Type (Mattson 1984)
= Senecio triangularis - Aster modestus community (Diaz and Mellen 1996) [(p.191)]
= Senecio triangularis - Erigeron peregrinus Vegetation Type (Achuff et al. 2002)
= Senecio triangularis - Mimuletum lewisii Association (Damm 2001)
= Senecio triangularis Association (Christy 2004)
= Senecio triangularis (Kovalchik 1987) [(p.124)]
= Senecio triangularis (McCain and Christy 2005) [21 plots]
= Senecio triangularis (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997) [(p.212)]
> Senecio triangularis - Mixed Subalpine Forb Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
> Senecio triangularis Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
= Senecio triangularis Community Type (Hansen et al. 1995)
= Senecio triangularis Wet Meadow (DiPaolo et al. 2018)
>< Trollio - Parnassietum fimbriatae Association (Damm 2001)
Concept Author(s): Western Ecology Group

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 08-01-05
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