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CEGL001669 Pseudoroegneria spicata - Festuca idahoensis Canyon Grassland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Bluebunch Wheatgrass - Idaho Fescue Canyon Grassland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This regional endemic grassland association occurs in the Wallowa Mountains, Hells Canyon, Seven Devil Mountains, and Salmon River Mountains of eastern Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The association occurs on gentle to steep southeast-, north-, to southwest-facing, lower, mid, and upper slopes and ridgetops at 460-1830 m (1500-6000 feet) elevation in highly dissected foothills and canyon slope terrain. The grassland vegetation is codominated by Festuca idahoensis and Pseudoroegneria spicata. These species form a relatively dense bunchgrass canopy. Poa secunda is consistently present in the understory. Important herbaceous species include Sedum stenopetalum, Eriophyllum lanatum, Arnica sororia, Castilleja spp., Allium acuminatum, Calochortus spp., Achillea millefolium, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Crepis acuminata, and Lupinus spp.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: The plant association is described as Festuca idahoensis - Pseudoroegneria spicata by Tisdale (1986) for the Hells Canyon region of Oregon and Idaho. Johnson and Simon (1987) describe four Festuca idahoensis - Pseudoroegneria spicata associations that encompass more fully the range of compositional and environmental variation exhibited by the broader Festuca idahoensis - Pseudoroegneria spicata described by Tisdale (1986). Johnson and Clausnitzer (1992) describe the association from the Blue Mountains of Oregon. Rust (1997a) prepared a crosswalk of the Festuca idahoensis - Pseudoroegneria spicata plant associations from the Hells Canyon region based on published data summaries. Recent work in the upper Hells Canyon region (Rust et al. 2000a) supports the divisions recognized by Johnson and Simon (1987). The more refined classification of Johnson and Simon (1987) will likely serve the needs of conservation of biological diversity. Daubenmire (1970) described ~Pseudoroegneria spicata - Festuca idahoensis Palouse Grassland (CEGL001670)$$ a plant association endemic to the Palouse Prairie region of western Idaho and eastern Washington states. The appropriate name for the grassland association of the Hells Canyon region is Festuca idahoensis - Pseudoroegneria spicata.

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

Floristics: The grassland vegetation is codominated by Festuca idahoensis and Pseudoroegneria spicata. These species form a relatively dense bunchgrass canopy. Poa secunda is consistently present in the understory. Important herbaceous species include Sedum stenopetalum, Eriophyllum lanatum, Arnica sororia, Castilleja spp., Allium acuminatum, Calochortus spp., Achillea millefolium, Balsamorhiza sagittata, Crepis acuminata, and Lupinus spp.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  The association occurs on gentle to steep southeast-, north-, to southwest-facing, lower, mid, and upper slopes and ridgetops at 460-1830 m (1500-6000 feet) elevation in highly dissected foothills and canyon slope terrain.
Geographic Range: This plant association is known from the Wallowa Mountains, Hells Canyon, Seven Devil Mountains, and Salmon River Mountains of the eastern and western portions, respectively, of the Blue Mountains and Idaho Batholith ecoregional sections.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  ID, OR, WA


Confidence Level: Low

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.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation F012 2.B.2
Division 2.B.2.Nf Western North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D022 2.B.2.Nf
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nf.2 Saskatoon Serviceberry / Idaho Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup M048 2.B.2.Nf.2
Group 2.B.2.Nf.2.c Rough Fescue - Idaho Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass Central Rocky Mountain Foothill Grassland Group G273 2.B.2.Nf.2.c
Alliance A3987 Idaho Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass - Sandberg Bluegrass Dry Grassland Alliance A3987 2.B.2.Nf.2.c
Association CEGL001669 Bluebunch Wheatgrass - Idaho Fescue Canyon Grassland CEGL001669 2.B.2.Nf.2.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Festuca idahoensis - Pseudoroegneria spicata (Tisdale 1986)
? Festuca idahoensis - Pseudoroegneria spicata associations (Rust 1997a)
? Festuca idahoensis - Pseudoroegneria spicata associations (Johnson and Simon 1987)
Concept Author(s): S.K. Rust

Author of Description: S.K. Rust

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 11-26-97
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  • Daubenmire, R. F. 1970. Steppe vegetation of Washington. Washington State University Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin No. 62. 131 pp.
  • Ganskopp, D. C. 1979. Plant communities and habitat types of the Meadow Creek Experimental Watershed. Unpublished thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 162 pp.
  • Johnson, C. G., Jr., and S. A. Simon. 1987. Plant associations of the Wallowa-Snake Province Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Technical Paper R6-ECOL-TP-255A-86. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. 399 pp. plus appendices.
  • Johnson, C. G., and R. R. Clausnitzer. 1992. Plant associations of the Blue and Ochoco mountains. R6-ERW-TP-036-92. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. 163 pp. plus appendices.
  • Johnson, C. G., and S. A. Simon. 1985. Plant associations of the Wallowa Valley Ranger District, Part II: Steppe. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. 258 pp.
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  • Rust, S. K. 1997a. Community concepts and applications for conservation. Unpublished report prepared for USDA Forest Service, Northern Region, Intermountain Region and Intermountain Research Station. Conservation Data Center, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Boise. 67 pp.
  • Rust, S. K., M. Mancuso, C. J. Murphy, and P. R. Jones. 2000a. Vegetation map of the Rocking M Ranch Wildlife Conservation Easement, Washington County, Idaho. Unpublished report prepared for USDI Bureau of Land Management, Boise District, Cascade Resource Area. Conservation Data Center, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Boise, ID.
  • Tisdale, E. W. 1979. A preliminary classification of Snake River Canyon grasslands in Idaho. Forestry, Wildlife, and Range Experiment Station Bulletin No. 32, University of Idaho, Moscow. 8 pp.
  • Tisdale, E. W. 1986. Canyon grasslands and associated shrublands of west-central Idaho and adjacent areas. Bulletin No. 40. Forest, Wildlife and Range Experiment Station, University of Idaho, Moscow. 42 pp.
  • WNHP [Washington Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data files. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA.
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.