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CEGL005349 Calliandra eriophylla / Mixed Desert Grasses Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Fairy Duster / Mixed Desert Grasses Shrubland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This shrubland occurs in southern Arizona, typically on gentle to moderate slopes of ridges and foothills extending out into basins. Plot data from Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge indicate an elevational range of 1090-1145 m (3590-3750 feet) on well-drained sandy loam. Substrates are often rocky with 10-45% surface rock. The vegetation is characterized by a moderately dense (20-60% cover) short-shrub canopy strongly dominated by Calliandra eriophylla with an open to dense (10-95% cover) herbaceous layer dominated by mixed perennial graminoids. Characteristic species are Aristida spp., Bouteloua chondrosioides, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua rothrockii, Chloris virgata, Digitaria californica, and Setaria spp. Other common species include Allionia incarnata, Aristida ternipes, Boerhavia erecta, Urochloa arizonica, Chamaesyce florida, Chamaesyce hyssopifolia, Ferocactus wislizeni, Gutierrezia spp., Ipomoea hederacea, Isocoma tenuisecta, Kallstroemia grandiflora, Krameria erecta, Opuntia engelmannii, Cylindropuntia spinosior, and Phemeranthus aurantiacus. Diagnostic of this shrubland association is the strong dominance of Calliandra eriophylla in the shrub layer (20% or more cover) along with a mixed perennial graminoid layer that is not codominated by Eragrostis lehmanniana and that has less 25% cover and less than a third of the total perennial graminoid cover of that introduced grass. Other shrubs may be present, such as Prosopis velutina, Dasylirion wheeleri, and Fouquieria splendens, with low cover (<10%).
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge 100-m transects 11, 77, 87 were classified here as a best fit because of the moderate cover of Calliandra eriophylla and mixed desert grasses, but each may represent undescribed desert grassland associations; more samples and field data are needed to clarify. The other option is to leave 100-m transects 11, 77 and 87 as unclassified.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation is characterized by a moderately dense (20-60% cover) short-shrub canopy strongly dominated by Calliandra eriophylla with an open to dense (10-95% cover) herbaceous layer dominated by mixed perennial graminoids. Characteristic species are Aristida spp., Bouteloua chondrosioides, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua rothrockii, Chloris virgata, Digitaria californica, and Setaria spp. Other common species include Allionia incarnata, Aristida ternipes, Boerhavia erecta, Urochloa arizonica (= Brachiaria arizonica), Chamaesyce florida, Chamaesyce hyssopifolia, Ferocactus wislizeni, Gutierrezia spp., Ipomoea hederacea, Isocoma tenuisecta, Kallstroemia grandiflora, Krameria erecta, Opuntia engelmannii, Cylindropuntia spinosior (= Opuntia spinosior), and Phemeranthus aurantiacus (= Talinum aurantiacum). Diagnostic of this shrubland association is the strong dominance of Calliandra eriophylla in the shrub layer (20% or more cover) along with a mixed perennial graminoid layer that is not codominated by Eragrostis lehmanniana and that has less 25% cover and less than a third of the total perennial graminoid cover of that introduced grass. Other shrubs may be present, such as Prosopis velutina, Dasylirion wheeleri, and Fouquieria splendens, with low cover (<10%).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This shrubland occurs in southern Arizona, typically on gentle to moderate slopes of ridges and foothills extending out into basins. Plot data from Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge indicate an elevational range of 1090-1145 m (3590-3750 feet) on well-drained sandy loam. Substrates are often rocky with 10-45% surface rock.
Geographic Range: This shrubland is found on foothills in southern Arizona and likely occurs in southwestern New Mexico and Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico.
Nations: MX?,US
States/Provinces: AZ, MXCHH?, MXSON?, NM?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.806336
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class | C03 | 3 |
| Subclass | 3.A Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Woodland, Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S06 | 3.A |
| Formation | 3.A.2 Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F015 | 3.A.2 |
| Division | 3.A.2.Na North American Warm Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D039 | 3.A.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 3.A.2.Na.3 Black Grama - Bullgrass - Tobosa Grass Chihuahuan Semi-Desert Grassland Macrogroup | M087 | 3.A.2.Na.3 |
| Group | 3.A.2.Na.3.a Black Grama - Chino Grama - Bush Muhly Semi-Desert Grassland Group | G490 | 3.A.2.Na.3.a |
| Alliance | A3205 Sotol species / Sideoats Grama - Curly-leaf Muhly Foothill Desert Grassland Alliance | A3205 | 3.A.2.Na.3.a |
| Association | CEGL005349 Fairy Duster / Mixed Desert Grasses Shrubland | CEGL005349 | 3.A.2.Na.3.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Calliandra eriophylla / Mixed Desert Grasses Shrubland (Schulz 2004)
- Schulz, K. A. 2004. Vegetation classification of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona. Unpublished report submitted to USDI Fish and Wildlife Service. NatureServe, Western Regional Office, Boulder, CO.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.