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CEGL003347 Festuca rubra - (Camassia leichtlinii, Grindelia stricta var. stricta) Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Red Fescue - (Large Camas, Oregon Gumweed) Grassland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This grassland association occurs only in the northern Puget Lowland of western Washington and the Georgia Basin of southwestern British Columbia, near marine shorelines. Stands are confined to dry to very dry sites located near saltwater shorelines, and is probably influenced strongly by salt spray. Sites include shallow to bedrock soils, bluffs in sandy glacial sediments, or small relatively level "prairies" on glacial outwash. It probably burned frequently and intentionally in pre-European settlement times, and its continued survival on many sites is dependent on disturbance to remove trees. This medium-tall species-rich grassland is sometimes dominated as much or more by forbs than graminoids. Scattered trees are sometimes present, especially Pseudotsuga menziesii, and scattered shrubs sometimes occur, especially Rosa nutkana. Festuca rubra (native varieties) is always present and usually dominant, though Festuca idahoensis ssp. roemeri is occasionally codominant or dominant. High constancy forbs are Cerastium arvense, Achillea millefolium, Camassia leichtlinii, Lomatium nudicaule, Grindelia stricta var. stricta, Vicia americana, and Zigadenus venenosus. This association is distinguished from similar associations by >10% combined cover of native Festuca rubra and Festuca idahoensis ssp. roemeri, along with the presence of Festuca rubra (native varieties) and Camassia leichtlinii or Grindelia stricta var. stricta, while Aspidotis densa and Camassia quamash are absent and indicative of a different association.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Two variants of the type exist. One is associated more with bedrock soils or small shoreline prairies and has Camassia leichtlinii. The other is found more on glacial bluffs, lacks Camassia leichtlinii, always has Grindelia stricta, and may have one or more other species present that are strongly associated with strand or marine shoreline communities.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This medium-tall species-rich grassland is sometimes dominated as much or more by forbs than graminoids. Scattered trees are sometimes present, especially Pseudotsuga menziesii, and scattered shrubs sometimes occur, especially Rosa nutkana. Festuca rubra (native varieties) is always present and usually dominant, though Festuca idahoensis ssp. roemeri is occasionally codominant or dominant. High constancy forbs are Cerastium arvense, Achillea millefolium, Camassia leichtlinii, Lomatium nudicaule, Grindelia stricta var. stricta (= Grindelia integrifolia var. macrophylla), Vicia americana, and Zigadenus venenosus.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This grassland association occurs only in the northern Puget Lowland of western Washington and the Georgia Basin of southwestern British Columbia, near marine shorelines. Stands are confined to dry to very dry sites located near saltwater shorelines, and is probably influenced strongly by salt spray. Sites include shallow to bedrock soils, bluffs in sandy glacial sediments, or small relatively level "prairies" on glacial outwash. It probably burned frequently and intentionally in pre-European settlement times, and its continued survival on many sites is dependent on disturbance to remove trees.
Geographic Range: Entire range of the type is in the San Juan Islands and northern Whidbey Island (San Juan, Island, and Whatcom counties) and Gulf Islands, British Columbia.
Nations: CA?,US
States/Provinces: BC?, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689210
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1
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.4 Southern Vancouverian Lowland Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup | M050 | 2.B.2.Nf.4 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a Manzanita species / Roemer''s Fescue - California Oatgrass Shrubland & Grassland Group | G488 | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a |
| Alliance | A4210 Roemer''s Fescue - California Oatgrass Interior Prairie, Bald & Bluff Grassland Alliance | A4210 | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a |
| Association | CEGL003347 Red Fescue - (Large Camas, Oregon Gumweed) Grassland | CEGL003347 | 2.B.2.Nf.4.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Festuca rubra - (Camassia leichtlinii, Grindelia stricta var. stricta) Herbaceous Vegetation (Copass and Ramm-Granberg 2016a)
= Festuca rubra - (Camassia leichtlinii, Grindelia stricta var. stricta) Herbaceous Vegetation Association (Rocchio et al. 2012)
= Festuca rubra - (Grindelia stricta - Camassia leichtlinii) (Chappell 2006b) [18 plots]
= Festuca rubra - (Grindelia stricta - Camassia leichtlinii) Association (Chappell 2006a) [18 plots]
= Festuca rubra - (Camassia leichtlinii, Grindelia stricta var. stricta) Herbaceous Vegetation Association (Rocchio et al. 2012)
= Festuca rubra - (Grindelia stricta - Camassia leichtlinii) (Chappell 2006b) [18 plots]
= Festuca rubra - (Grindelia stricta - Camassia leichtlinii) Association (Chappell 2006a) [18 plots]
- Chappell, C. B. 2006a. Plant associations of balds and bluffs of western Washington. Natural Heritage Report 2006-02. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Olympia. [http://www.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/communities/pdf/balds_veg.pdf]
- Chappell, C. B. 2006b. Upland plant associations of the Puget Trough ecoregion, Washington. Natural Heritage Report 2006-01. Washington Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program, Olympia, WA. [http://www.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/communities/pdf/intro.pdf]
- Chappell, C. B., R. Bigley, R. Crawford, and D. F. Giglio. No date. Field guide to terrestrial plant associations of the Puget Lowland, Washington. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA. [in preparation]
- Copass, C., and T. Ramm-Granberg. 2016a. Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve vegetation inventory and mapping project. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCCN/NRR--2016/1127. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 194 pp.
- Rocchio, F. J., R. C. Crawford, and C. C. Thompson. 2012. San Juan Island National Historical Park vegetation classification and mapping project. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCCN/NRR--2012/603. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 188 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.