Print Report

CEGL003341 Camassia quamash Lowland Wet Prairie

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Small Camas Lowland Wet Prairie

Colloquial Name: Willamette Valley Wet Prairie

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: Habitat is clay prairie and basalt scabland with a seasonally perched water table. Camassia quamash is the primary species in this association, with lesser amounts of Saxifraga oregana, Ranunculus occidentalis, and Triteleia hyacinthina. Camassia is conspicuous in spring and forms dense stands of gorgeous blue flowers, but it all but disappears with summer drought. Because of its seasonal presence, low elevation, and proximity to agriculture, many exotic species are present. Weeds such as Hypochaeris radicata, Stellaria, Aira caryophyllea, and Galium aparine may be inconspicuous when Camassia is at its peak but may dominate sites once it has disappeared. Both white and blue forms of Camassia quamash may be present, as well as Camassia leichtlinii. Camas was one of the most important staple foods for the original native peoples of the Willamette Valley, and wet prairies were intensively managed for food production. Arable prairies were converted to agriculture, and those on scabland sites were grazed by livestock, so that most surviving remnants are degraded with exotic species. This association may intergrade with the Triteleia hyacinthina association in areas of shallow soil over bedrock that have a perched water table or seasonal seepage.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

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

Floristics: Camassia quamash is the primary species in this association, with lesser amounts of Saxifraga oregana, Ranunculus occidentalis, and Triteleia hyacinthina. Camassia is conspicuous in spring and forms dense stands of gorgeous blue flowers, but it all but disappears with summer drought. Because of its seasonal presence, low elevation, and proximity to agriculture, many exotic species are present. Weeds such as Hypochaeris radicata, Stellaria, Aira caryophyllea, and Galium aparine may be inconspicuous when Camassia is at its peak but may dominate sites once it has disappeared. Both white and blue forms of Camassia quamash may be present, as well as Camassia leichtlinii.

Dynamics:  Camas was one of the most important staple foods for the original native peoples of the Willamette Valley, and wet prairies were intensively managed for food production (Boyd 1999). Arable prairies were converted to agriculture, and those on scabland sites were grazed by livestock, so that most surviving remnants are degraded with exotic species.
Environmental Description:  Habitat is clay prairie and basalt scabland with a seasonally perched water table.
Geographic Range: This association is found in western Oregon and Washington (Christy 2004) and Idaho.

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.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.4 Vancouverian Lowland Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M073 2.C.4.Nb.4
Group 2.C.4.Nb.4.b Bering''s Tufted Hairgrass - Pacific Silverweed - Slough Sedge Vancouverian Freshwater Coastal Marsh & Wet Meadow Group G517 2.C.4.Nb.4.b
Alliance A3821 Small Camas - Nuttall''s Quillwort - Lateral Sedge Lowland Wet Prairie Alliance A3821 2.C.4.Nb.4.b
Association CEGL003341 Small Camas Lowland Wet Prairie CEGL003341 2.C.4.Nb.4.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Camassia quamash - Triteleia hyacinthina Association (Chappell 2006a) [11 plots; possible new association as it occurs in a different physical environment with different associated species.]
? Camassia quamash / Sphagnum subsecundum (Sawyer et al. 2009) [45.416.01]
= Camassia quamash Association (Titus and Christy 1996a)
= Camassia quamash Association (Christy 2004)
= Camassia quamash (McCain and Christy 2005) [5 plots]
Concept Author(s): J.A. Christy (2004)

Author of Description: J.A. Christy (2004)

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 06-10-06
  • 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]
  • Christy, J. A. 2004. Native freshwater wetland plant associations of northwestern Oregon. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Oregon State University, Portland, OR.
  • Copass, C., and T. Ramm-Granberg. 2016b. Vancouver National Historic Reserve vegetation inventory and mapping project. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCCN/NRR--2016/1128. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 90 pp.
  • Erixson, J., and D. Cogan. 2012c. Vegetation inventory project report: Nez Perce National Historical Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/UCBN/NRR--2012/531. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 380 pp.
  • IDCDC [Idaho Conservation Data Center]. 2005. Wetland and riparian plant associations in Idaho. Idaho Conservation Data Center, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Boise. [http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/tech/CDC/ecology/wetland_riparian_assoc.cfm] (accessed 14 June 2005).
  • Kagan, J. S., J. A. Christy, M. P. Murray, and J. A. Titus. 2004. Classification of native vegetation of Oregon. January 2004. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Portland. 52 pp.
  • McCain, C., and J. A. Christy. 2005. Field guide to riparian plant communities in northwestern Oregon. Technical Paper R6-NR-ECOL-TP-01-05. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland. 357 pp.
  • Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
  • Titus, J. H., and J. A. Christy. 1996a. Vegetation of Big Marsh, Deschutes National Forest, Oregon. Report to Deschutes National Forest. Oregon Natural Heritage Program, The Nature Conservancy, Portland.
  • Titus, J. H., and J.A. Christy. 1996b. Unpublished vegetation data, Popcorn Swale Preserve. Oregon Natural Heritage Program, The Nature Conservancy, Portland.
  • 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.