Print Report

CEGL001107 Dasiphora fruticosa / Deschampsia cespitosa Wet Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Shrubby-cinquefoil / Tufted Hairgrass Wet Shrubland

Colloquial Name: Shrubby-cinquefoil / Tufted Hairgrass Wet Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This montane to subalpine shrubland association is widespread in the Rocky Mountains west to eastern Oregon and Utah on stream terraces above the channel, on drier edges of wetlands, on broad gently sloping valley bottoms and floodplains, on moderately steep mesic slopes near springs, and near glacial depressions. Elevation ranges from 2500-3300 m (8300-10,700 feet) in Colorado to 860-2267 m (2820-7400 feet) in Montana. Aspect is variable. Soils are typically derived from alluvium and are deep, fine-textured, but vary from sandy loam to clay loam. Gleying and mottling are common. Sites have a high water table that fluctuates (40-100 cm) seasonally. These riparian shrublands form an open to moderately dense, low-shrub layer dominated by Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda with thick cover of bunchgrasses. Other shrub species may include low cover of Artemisia cana, Betula glandulosa, Salix boothii, and Salix planifolia. The lush herbaceous layer is often typically diverse and usually dominated by the graminoid Deschampsia cespitosa, which is consistently present as a diagnostic species at least in trace amounts. Other characteristic graminoids may include Carex aurea, Carex aquatilis, Carex heteroneura var. chalciolepis, Carex nova, Carex pellita, Carex microptera, Danthonia intermedia, Elymus trachycaulus, Festuca rubra, Festuca saximontana, Festuca brachyphylla, Phleum alpinum, Poa secunda, and Trisetum spicatum. Numerous forb species may be present such as Antennaria spp., Argentina anserina, Polygonum bistortoides, Caltha leptosepala, Cerastium arvense, Geum rossii, Penstemon procerus, Potentilla spp., Selaginella spp., Solidago simplex, Symphyotrichum spp., Stellaria longipes, Thalictrum spp., Trifolium longipes, and Valeriana edulis. With heavy grazing Achillea millefolium, Antennaria spp., Carex nebrascensis, Fragaria virginiana, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis, and Potentilla gracilis increase in cover. Exotic graminoids Poa pratensis and Alopecurus pratensis and forbs Taraxacum officinale and Trifolium repens may be common in heavily grazed/disturbed stands.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda and Deschampsia cespitosa are both widespread mesic species that occur in a variety of mesic habitats. Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda shrublands and steppe are highly variable and need more survey and classification work to clarify diagnostic characteristics.

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

Floristics: These riparian shrublands form an open to moderately dense, low-shrub layer dominated by Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (= Pentaphylloides floribunda) with thick cover of bunchgrasses. Other shrub species may include low cover of Artemisia cana, Betula glandulosa, Salix boothii, and Salix planifolia. The lush herbaceous layer is often typically diverse and usually dominated by the graminoid Deschampsia cespitosa, which is consistently present as a diagnostic species in at least trace amounts. Other characteristic graminoids may include Carex aurea, Carex aquatilis, Carex heteroneura var. chalciolepis, Carex nova, Carex pellita (= Carex lanuginosa), Carex microptera, Danthonia intermedia, Elymus trachycaulus, Festuca rubra, Festuca saximontana, Festuca brachyphylla, Phleum alpinum, Poa secunda, and Trisetum spicatum. Numerous forb species may be present such as Antennaria spp., Argentina anserina, Polygonum bistortoides, Caltha leptosepala, Cerastium arvense, Geum rossii, Penstemon procerus, Potentilla diversifolia, Potentilla gracilis, Potentilla hippiana, Pseudocymopterus montanus, Rhodiola rhodantha, Selaginella spp., Solidago simplex var. simplex, Symphyotrichum campestre, Stellaria longipes, Thalictrum alpinum, Noccaea fendleri ssp. glauca (= Thlaspi montanum), Trifolium longipes, and Valeriana edulis. With heavy grazing Achillea millefolium, Antennaria spp., Carex nebrascensis, Fragaria virginiana, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis (= Juncus balticus), and Potentilla gracilis increase in cover (Padgett et al. 1989, Hansen et al. 1995, Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997, Hall and Hansen 1997, Kittel et al. 1999b, Carsey et al. 2003b). Exotic and/or invasive graminoids Poa pratensis and Alopecurus pratensis and forbs Taraxacum officinale and Trifolium repens may be common in heavily grazed/disturbed stands.

Dynamics:  Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda increases in abundance with continuous, season-long grazing within riparian areas (Kittel et al. 1999b, Carsey et al. 2003b). Deschampsia cespitosa is highly palatable to livestock. With heavy continuous grazing this community is often invaded by the introduced, grazing-tolerant grass Poa pratensis and may convert to a Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda / Poa pratensis shrubland, then eventual cause decline in Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda cover (Padgett et al. 1989, Hansen et al. 1995, Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997, Hall and Hansen 1997, Kittel et al. 1999b, Carsey et al. 2003b).
Environmental Description:  This montane to subalpine shrubland association is widespread in the Rocky Mountains west to the Cascades of Oregon on stream terraces above the channel, on drier edges of wetlands, on broad gently sloping valley bottoms and floodplains, on moderately steep mesic slopes near springs, and near glacial depressions. Elevation ranges from 2500-3450 m (8300-11,320 feet) in Colorado to 860-2267 m (2820-7400 feet) in Montana. Aspect is variable. Soils are typically derived from alluvium and are deep, fine-textured, but vary from sandy loam to clay loam. Gleying and mottling are common. Sites have a high water table that fluctuates (40-100 cm) seasonally.
Geographic Range: This montane riparian shrubland association is widespread in the Rocky Mountain region from Colorado to Montana west into Oregon and Utah.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CO, ID, MT, OR, UT, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

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.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 A3773 Red-osier Dogwood - Shrubby-cinquefoil - Currant species Wet Shrubland Alliance A3773 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Association CEGL001107 Shrubby-cinquefoil / Tufted Hairgrass Wet Shrubland CEGL001107 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: = Dasiphora (=Pentaphylloides) floribunda / Deschampsia caespitosa Shrubland (Carsey et al. 2003a)
= Dasiphora floribunda / Deschampsia cespitosa Shrubland (Carsey et al. 2003b)
= Pentaphylloides floribunda / Deschampsia cespitosa Plant Association (Johnston 1987)
= Pentaphylloides floribunda/Deschampsia cespitosa (Kittel et al. 1999b)
= Potentilla fruticosa / Deschampsia cespitosa (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997)
= Potentilla fruticosa / Deschampsia cespitosa Community Type (Youngblood et al. 1985b)
= Potentilla fruticosa / Deschampsia cespitosa Community Type (Youngblood et al. 1985a)
= Potentilla fruticosa / Deschampsia cespitosa Community Type (Padgett et al. 1989)
= Potentilla fruticosa / Deschampsia cespitosa Habitat Type (Hall and Hansen 1997)
= Potentilla fruticosa / Deschampsia cespitosa Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1995)
= Shrubby cinquefoil/tufted hairgrass (Pentaphylloides floribunda/Deschampsia cespitosa) Plant Association (Kittel et al. 1999a)
= Shrubby cinquefoil/tufted hairgrass (Pentaphylloides floribunda/Deschampsia cespitosa) Plant Association (Kittel et al. 1997a)
Concept Author(s): Western Ecology Group

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 07-25-05
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