Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Lemmon''s Willow / Woods'' Rose Wet Shrubland

Colloquial Name: Lemmon''s Willow Bench

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This riparian association is a tall shrubland found at moderate elevations of 840 to 1720 m (2760-5650 feet) in eastern Oregon, Idaho, northern Nevada, and northeastern California. It is found along alluvial bars, streambanks and benches in many types of valley settings. These settings range from V- to trough-shaped and very narrow to moderately wide with moderate to high gradients and moderately steep to very steep sideslopes. Most sites have a high percentage of rock or bare soil on the ground surface. This association is found on second and third order streams. Salix lemmonii forms a dense shrub overstory over Rosa woodsii and Ribes spp. (Ribes aureum and/or Ribes inerme) in the understory. Philadelphus lewisii occurs at sparse to abundant canopy cover in many shrub overstories in Oregon, but is not reported from the California, Nevada or Idaho stands. The herbaceous layer consists of a variety of forbs and grasses including Artemisia douglasiana, Achillea millefolium, Rumex crispus, Clematis ligusticifolia, Urtica dioica, Mimulus guttatus, and Hordeum brachyantherum. In areas that have been heavily used by livestock, Poa pratensis often dominates.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This type has recently been described from Oregon following extensive riparian inventories throughout eastern Oregon. This association includes communities called the Salix lemmonii / Bench described by Manning and Padgett (1995) from Nevada, and from Idaho by Jankovsky-Jones et al. (2001). The Oregon plots are very similar to the two Idaho plots, but probably include only part of these from Nevada and northeastern California. Because these riparian shrublands have been so heavily impacted by livestock, it is quite likely that this type actually includes more than one association. This type is distinguished by high Salix lemmonii cover with Rosa woodsii and Ribes species as the primary understory species. If many sites were excluded from grazing, some might become more like Salix lemmonii / Mesic Graminoid (Manning and Padgett 1995, not yet incorporated into the USNVC) or ~Salix lemmonii / Mesic-Tall Forbs Wet Shrubland (CEGL002771)$$. However, successional dynamics cannot be determined at this time.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available