Print Report
CEGL003715 Prunus ilicifolia - Heteromeles arbutifolia Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Hollyleaf Cherry - Toyon Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This shrubland is a mesic chaparral community that occurs in central and southern coastal California on moderate to steep northeast- and northwest-facing slopes at low elevations below 1000 m. Topography is usually concave, mid to upper slopes. Rock cover is relatively high in most stands, derived from granite, sedimentary or metamorphic parent material. Soils tend to be rich sandy to silt loams, mostly shallow but occasionally deep. Stands are characterized by a dominance or codominance of Prunus ilicifolia along with Heteromeles arbutifolia in the shrub layer. A variety of other shrub species may intermix as subdominant shrubs, such as Adenostoma fasciculatum, Arctostaphylos pringlei, Brickellia californica, Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber, Ceanothus cuneatus var. cuneatus, Ceanothus oliganthus, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Keckiella antirrhinoides, Diplacus aurantiacus, Rhamnus ilicifolia, Salvia apiana, Salvia mellifera, and Toxicodendron diversilobum. The herbaceous layer may have native grasses such as Leymus condensatus and Melica imperfecta at low cover. An emergent tree layer may be present and include Umbellularia californica and Quercus agrifolia at low cover.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Elsewhere Prunus ilicifolia stands may reach great age and become semi-arborescent (sensu mainland Cherry stands of Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995). Most of the Santa Monica Mountains stands appear to have burned in the relatively recent past and are multi-stemmed. Borchert et al. (2004) describe this same vegetation type as a Prunus ilicifolia - Heteromeles arbutifolia alliance, and they separate it from two other similar alliances: the Ceanothus megacarpus - Prunus ilicifolia Alliance and the Cercocarpus betuloides - Prunus ilicifolia Alliance. All three of these mixed alliances will be treated by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (2005 MS) as a part of the Prunus ilicifolia Alliance, which allows for codominance of other species with Prunus ilicifolia. The rationale behind this involves similar mesic conditions for all of these and apparently low variance within each one of these types not requiring further differentiation into alliances but into associations of the Prunus ilicifolia Alliance.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Prunus ilicifolia dominates or codominates in the overstory shrub layer, and Heteromeles arbutifolia is present with low to near equal cover. A variety of other species may intermix as subdominant shrubs, such as Adenostoma fasciculatum, Arctostaphylos pringlei, Brickellia californica, Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber (= Cercocarpus betuloides), Ceanothus cuneatus var. cuneatus, Ceanothus oliganthus, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Keckiella antirrhinoides, Diplacus aurantiacus (= Mimulus aurantiacus), Rhamnus ilicifolia, Salvia apiana, Salvia mellifera, and Toxicodendron diversilobum. The herbaceous layer is simple and sometimes includes Bowlesia incana, Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata, Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia, Galium porrigens var. porrigens, Hirschfeldia incana, Marah fabaceus, Marah macrocarpus, Melica imperfecta, Muhlenbergia rigens, Leymus condensatus, Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis, Phacelia malvifolia, and Pterostegia drymarioides, and the non-native Bromus madritensis. An emergent tree layer is occasionally present with Umbellularia californica or Quercus agrifolia at low cover.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: Elevation is usually below 1000 m and ranges between 281 and 999 m (921-3280 feet). Aspect is usually north-facing, and slopes are moderate to somewhat steep. Topography is usually concave, mid to upper slopes. Rock cover is relatively high in most stands, derived from granite, sedimentary or metamorphic parent material. Soils tend to be rich sandy to silt loams, mostly shallow but occasionally deep.
Geographic Range: This association is known from central and southern coastal California (including San Benito, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and western Riverside counties) and the Peninsular Ranges (including western Riverside County: San Jacinto foothills; San Diego County: western foothills).
Nations: US
States/Provinces: CA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.790201
Confidence Level: Moderate
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.1 Mediterranean Scrub & Grassland Formation | F038 | 2.B.1 |
| Division | 2.B.1.Na Californian Scrub & Grassland Division | D327 | 2.B.1.Na |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.1.Na.1 Chamise - Whiteleaf Manzanita - Scrub Oak Chaparral Macrogroup | M043 | 2.B.1.Na.1 |
| Group | 2.B.1.Na.1.b Scrub Oak - Eastwood''s Manzanita - California Ash Chaparral Group | G261 | 2.B.1.Na.1.b |
| Alliance | A3863 Hollyleaf Cherry - Toyon - Redheart Mesic Chaparral Alliance | A3863 | 2.B.1.Na.1.b |
| Association | CEGL003715 Hollyleaf Cherry - Toyon Shrubland | CEGL003715 | 2.B.1.Na.1.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Prunus ilicifolia - Heteromeles arbutifolia Shrubland (Evens and San 2006)
= Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia - Heteromeles arbutifolia (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.910.02]
= Prunus ilicifolia-Heteromeles arbutifolia Shrubland Association (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006)
< Prunus ilicifolia Alliance (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 2005)
< Prunus ilicifolia Alliance (Klein and Evens 2006)
= Toyon-Hollyleaf Cherry Alliance (Borchert et al. 2004)
= Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia - Heteromeles arbutifolia (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.910.02]
= Prunus ilicifolia-Heteromeles arbutifolia Shrubland Association (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006)
< Prunus ilicifolia Alliance (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 2005)
< Prunus ilicifolia Alliance (Klein and Evens 2006)
= Toyon-Hollyleaf Cherry Alliance (Borchert et al. 2004)
- Borchert, M., A. Lopez, C. Bauer, and T. Knowd. 2004. Field guide to coastal sage scrub and chaparral series of Los Padres National Forest. Report R5-TP-019. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, San Francisco, CA.
- Evens, J., and S. San. 2006. Vegetation alliances of the San Dieguito River Park region, San Diego County, California. Final report (August 2005) Version 2 (revised May 2006). Prepared by California Native Plant Society in cooperation with the California Natural Heritage Program of the California Department of Fish and Game and San Diego Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. 271 pp.
- Keeler-Wolf, T., and J. Evens. 2006. Vegetation classification of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and environs in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, California. A report submitted to National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area by California Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch and The California Native Plant Society, Vegetation Program, Sacramento, CA.
- Kittel, G., E. Reyes, J. Evens, J. Buck, and D. Johnson. 2012a. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Pinnacles National Monument. Natural Resource Report NPS/SFAN/NRR-2012/574. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 428 pp.
- Klein, A., and J. Evens. 2006. Vegetation alliances of western Riverside County, California. Contract Number: P0185404. Final report prepared for The California Department of Fish and Game, Habitat Conservation Division. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. 332 pp. [http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/vegcamp/pdfs/VegMappingRpt_Western_Riverside.pdf]
- 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.
- Sawyer, J. O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 2005. A manual of California vegetation. II. Draft manuscript. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.