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CEGL001708 Hesperostipa neomexicana Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: New Mexico Feathergrass Grassland
Colloquial Name: New Mexico Feathergrass Mixedgrass Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This grassland community occurs on extremely dry and warm sites in the southeastern Colorado Great Plains, along the adjacent Rocky Mountain foothills, and in the San Luis Valley of south-central Colorado. It has been documented on rocky (basalt), steep, southerly slopes at the higher elevations of its range or on any aspect on limestone or shale outcrops at lower elevations. The community is a grassland that is most often heavily dominated by the cool-season, bunchgrass Hesperostipa neomexicana. Good condition stands have abundant Hesperostipa neomexicana with many plants having touching or overlapping canopies. Bouteloua gracilis is nearly always present in this community and is more abundant in degraded stands or on ecotones to finer textured soils. A similar association, ~Hesperostipa neomexicana Mixed Prairie Grassland (CEGL001711)$$, occurs in New Mexico but differs in that it is more species-rich and generally not so heavily dominated by Hesperostipa neomexicana.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Classification of this community was based mainly on occurrence records and one published literature source. Approximately one-half of the occurrences have been visited within the last five years. ~Hesperostipa neomexicana Mixed Prairie Grassland (CEGL001711)$$ occurs in New Mexico but differs in that it is more species-rich and generally not so heavily dominated by Hesperostipa neomexicana (E. Muldavin pers. comm.).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The community is a grassland that is most often heavily dominated by the cool-season, bunchgrass Hesperostipa neomexicana (= Stipa neomexicana). Good condition stands have abundant Hesperostipa neomexicana with many plants having touching or overlapping canopies. Bouteloua gracilis is nearly always present in this community and is more abundant in degraded stands or on ecotones to finer textured soils.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This community occurs on extremely dry and warm sites in the southeastern Colorado Great Plains, along the adjacent Rocky Mountain foothills, and in the San Luis Valley of south-central Colorado. It has been documented on rocky (basalt), steep, southerly slopes at the higher elevations of its range or on any aspect on limestone or shale outcrops at lower elevations.
Geographic Range: The association is only known from the southeast Colorado Great Plains, along the adjacent Rocky Mountain foothills, and in the San Luis valley of south-central Colorado. It may also occur in extreme northeastern New Mexico.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CO
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689599
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
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.Nb Central North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D023 | 2.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nb.3 Blue Grama - Buffalograss Shortgrass Prairie Macrogroup | M053 | 2.B.2.Nb.3 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nb.3.a Blue Grama - Buffalograss - James'' Galleta Shortgrass Prairie Group | G144 | 2.B.2.Nb.3.a |
| Alliance | A4002 Blue Grama - Hairy Grama - New Mexico Feathergrass Shortgrass Prairie Alliance | A4002 | 2.B.2.Nb.3.a |
| Association | CEGL001708 New Mexico Feathergrass Grassland | CEGL001708 | 2.B.2.Nb.3.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Stipa neomexicana Community (Moir 1969b)
- Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
- Bunin, J. E. 1985. Vegetation of the City of Boulder, Colorado open space lands. Report prepared for the City of Boulder, Real Estate/Open Space, Boulder, CO. 114 pp.
- CNHP [Colorado Natural Heritage Program]. 2006-2017. Tracked natural plant communities. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. [https://cnhp.colostate.edu/ourdata/trackinglist/plant_communities/]
- Moir, W. H. 1969a. The lodgepole pine zone in Colorado. The American Midland Naturalist 81(1):87-99.
- Moir, W. H. 1969b. Steppe communities in the foothills of the Colorado Front Range and their relative productivities. The American Midland Naturalist 81(2):331-340.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.