Print Report

M044 Artemisia californica - Salvia mellifera - Baccharis pilularis Coastal Scrub Macrogroup

Type Concept Sentence: California coastal scrub consists of a diverse mix of drought-deciduous shrubs and characteristic obligate-seeding or resprouting evergreen shrubs occurring in coastal and foothill communities of southwestern Oregon, along the California coast and inner foothills, and south into Baja Norte, Mexico.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Coastal Sagebrush - Black Sage - Coyotebrush Coastal Scrub Macrogroup

Colloquial Name: Californian Coastal Scrub

Hierarchy Level:  Macrogroup

Type Concept: This is a diverse macrogroup, which ranges from southwestern Oregon, California coast and inner foothills, south into Baja Norte, Mexico; it also occurs on the off-shore islands. It is composed of mixed coastal shrublands dominated by drought-deciduous shrubs in the south or partially drought-deciduous shrubs in the central and northern areas, and at times characteristic (constant and sometimes dominant) obligate-seeding evergreen and resprouting, deep-rooted evergreen shrubs. Cold-deciduous shrubs can be dominant on cool, mesic north-facing slopes in some locations, especially further north. These shrublands are often called "soft" chaparral; while sometimes forming dense thickets, it is possible to navigate through them as the branches are forgiving. Diagnostic shrub species include Artemisia californica, Baccharis pilularis, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, Encelia californica, Eriodictyon californicum, Eriogonum cinereum, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Eriophyllum stoechadifolium, Gaultheria shallon, Isocoma menziesii, Lotus scoparius, Lupinus spp., Malacothamnus fasciculatus, Malacothamnus fremontii, Opuntia littoralis, Rubus ursinus, Salvia apiana, Salvia leucophylla, Salvia mellifera, Toxicodendron diversilobum, and Vaccinium ovatum. The macrogroup generally occurs where the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean moderates summer drought. The climate is seasonally wet, with most precipitation falling as rain between November and April). Landforms include coastal terraces, low to middle slopes, valley bottoms, coastal bluffs, and rock outcrops. Southern coastal scrub occurs below 1000 m (3300 feet) elevation and extends inland from the maritime zone in hotter, drier conditions than northern (less fog-drenched) shrublands (e.g., areas with 10-60 cm of annual precipitation). The more central and northern scrub extends inland in some areas to over 1500 m (4900 feet). Some of the inland distribution follows the corridors of marine influences of coastal fog or cool marine air where it is pushed inland by prevailing winds and in areas with steep slopes and disturbance. Soils vary from coarse gravels to clays but typically only support plant-available moisture with winter and spring rains. Generally, the shrublands in this macrogroup can become established following fire. However, they do not require fire for regeneration; they also occur on sites denuded by landslides, slumps, debris flows and other mass-wasting events.

Diagnostic Characteristics: This macrogroup consists of non-sclerophyll shrublands which range from strongly seasonal drought-deciduous species with evolutionary and ecological relationships to semi-desert species in the south, to hemi-sclerophyll evergreen mesophytic species in northern and protected central and southern portions of the coastal Mediterranean zone. These are drought-deciduous, partially drought-deciduous, and hemi-sclerophyll evergreen shrublands of the coast and foothills of California and southwest Oregon, with some evergreen sclerophyllous shrubs occurring within moister inland conditions and areas with inland coastal fogs. Diagnostic species include Artemisia californica, Baccharis pilularis, Cleome isomeris, Encelia californica, Ericameria linearifolia, Eriodictyon californicum, Eriodictyon crassifolium, Eriogonum cinereum, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. fasciculatum, Eriophyllum stoechadifolium, Garrya elliptica, Gutierrezia californica, Isocoma menziesii, Lotus scoparius, Lupinus spp., Malacothamnus fasciculatus, Malacothamnus fremontii, Opuntia littoralis, Rubus ursinus, Salvia apiana, Salvia leucophylla, and Salvia mellifera.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This macrogroup includes a number of early-seral shrublands identified by Sawyer et al. (2009), dominated by species such as Dendromecon rigida, Ericameria linearifolia, Ericameria palmeri, Eriodictyon californicum, Eriodictyon crassifolium, Frangula californica, Gutierrezia californica, Hazardia squarrosa, Isocoma menziesii, Lotus scoparius, Lupinus albifrons, and Malacothamnus fasciculatus. The ecology/environmental parameters of these seral scrub types have lead toward a new seral scrub group in this macrogroup. The geographic range is broad as some of these seral scrub associations occur in the Sierra Nevada and Sierra Nevada foothills (along steep slopes, dry alluvial terraces, and areas where chaparral has recently burned), while others occur along rugged coastlines (J. Evens pers. comm. 2013).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Southern coastal sage scrub is dominated by drought-deciduous shrubs 0.5-2 m in height but at times can have characteristic (constant but not dominant) obligate-seeding evergreen and resprouting, deep-rooted sclerophyllous shrubs. The northern coastal scrub tends to have evergreen or partially drought-deciduous shrubs, sometimes prostrate. It is often called "soft" chaparral; while sometimes forming a dense thicket, it is possible to navigate through it as the branches are forgiving (Holland and Keil 1995, Ford and Hayes 2007). In some locations, cold-deciduous shrubs are dominant. Herbaceous taxa can range from low to moderate cover.

Floristics: In southern coastal scrub, the most predominant shrubs include Artemisia californica, Encelia californica, Eriodictyon crassifolium, Eriogonum cinereum, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Malacothamnus fasciculatus, Opuntia littoralis, Salvia apiana, Salvia leucophylla, and Salvia mellifera. Characteristic (constant but not dominant) resprouting, deep-rooted sclerophyllous shrubs include Malosma laurina, Rhus integrifolia, and Rhamnus crocea. More central and northern coastal scrub includes such species as Baccharis pilularis, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, Eriodictyon californicum, Eriophyllum stoechadifolium, Lupinus spp., Malacothamnus fremontii, Rubus ursinus, Toxicodendron diversilobum, and Vaccinium ovatum. South of San Francisco Bay, the coastal scrub is similar in structure, but different in species composition. Baccharis pilularis is important, but associated shrub species include Artemisia californica, Diplacus aurantiacus (= Mimulus aurantiacus), Eriophyllum confertiflorum, and Salvia spp. This macrogroup includes a number of other, early-seral shrublands identified by Sawyer et al. (2009), dominated by species such as Cleome isomeris (= Isomeris arborea), Dendromecon rigida, Ericameria linearifolia, Ericameria palmeri, Eriodictyon californicum, Gutierrezia californica, Hazardia squarrosa, Isocoma menziesii, Lotus scoparius, Lupinus albifrons, Malacothamnus fasciculatus. For example, on recently disturbed sites, such as after fire, Diplacus aurantiacus (= Mimulus aurantiacus), Lotus scoparius, and Lupinus albifrons can be dominant across this macrogroup''s range. The exotics Carpobrotus chilensis and Carpobrotus edulis can have high cover in some coastal areas.

Dynamics:  Shrublands in this macrogroup can become established following fire. However, they do not require fire for regeneration. In southern coastal sage scrub, fire frequency was historically low, but in recent years, with adjacency to urban and suburban areas, the fire frequency has increased (e.g., a result of arson or cigarette ignition) resulting in type conversion to non-native and ruderal annual grasslands and early-seral types. Malosma laurina and Rhus integrifolia are also increasing in abundance because they can continually resprout after repeated fires. In places, Opuntia littoralis may proliferate and cover entire slopes in dry rocky areas with low-intensity repeated fires that have killed the scrub taxa, while Opuntia littoralis can resprout and spread to cover large patches. Coastal scrub also can occupy sites denuded by landslides, slumps, debris flows, and other mass wasting events. It sometimes occupies chaparral sites for a number of years after a burn, before the larger, woodier chaparral shrubs reestablish their dominance. The main sage scrub species have seeds that are wind and gravity dispersed, and recovery of sage scrub communities post-disturbance may involve dispersal and germination from plants outside the disturbed area (Rundel 2007).

Baccharis pilularis is a vigorous, short-lived species which can form dense even-aged stands. It may serve as a nurse plant for native grasses as well as coastal live oak (Quercus agrifolia). When a Baccharis pilularis individual dies, live oak seedlings are released from competitive suppression. Early seral stands may form on disturbed sites such as roadsides, levees, and sites of recent landslides. Little has been published on the fire ecology of Baccharis pilularis. It resprouts after fire and the smallest individuals produce most of the sprouts. Its seeds are wind-dispersed; thus, seedlings can be abundant after fire, even if this species had low pre-burn cover (Borchert et al. 2004).
Environmental Description:  The macrogroup generally occurs where the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean moderates summer drought. The climate is seasonally wet, with most precipitation falling as rain between November and April. Found on coastal terraces, low to middle slopes, valley bottoms coastal bluffs, and rock outcrops, generally on rocky or gravelly soils, often windy. Southern coastal scrub occurs below 1000 m (3300 feet) elevation and may extend inland from the maritime zone in hotter, drier conditions (less fog-drenched) than northern shrublands (e.g., areas with 10-60 cm of annual precipitation) (Rundel 2007). The more northern scrub extends inland in California in the vicinity of San Francisco Bay, the margins of the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta and up the Sierra Nevada foothills and North Coast Range and Klamath Range foothills to over 1500 m (4900 feet). This inland distribution follows the corridors of marine influences of coastal fog or cool marine air where it is pushed inland by prevailing winds (Ford and Hayes 2007) and in areas with steep slopes and disturbance. Soils vary from coarse gravels to clays but typically only support plant-available moisture with winter and spring rains.
Geographic Range: This macrogroup is found from southwestern coastal Oregon, along the California coast and foothills, south into Baja Norte, Mexico. It also occurs on the coastal islands of California and Baja, generally below 1000 m (3300 feet) elevation and may extend inland (and over 1500 m [4920 feet] in elevation) from the maritime zone.

Nations: MX,US

States/Provinces:  CA, MXBCN, OR


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR

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.2 Coastal Sagebrush - Black Sage - Coyotebrush Coastal Scrub Macrogroup M044 2.B.1.Na.2
Group 2.B.1.Na.2.a Common Deerweed - Yerba Santa species - Silver Lupine Coastal-Foothill Seral Scrub Group G782 2.B.1.Na.2.a
Group 2.B.1.Na.2.b Coastal Sagebrush - Black Sage - White Sage Coastal Scrub Group G264 2.B.1.Na.2.b
Group 2.B.1.Na.2.c Californian North Coastal & Mesic Scrub Group G662 2.B.1.Na.2.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > 133.2 Californian Coastalscrub (Brown 1982a)
> Central (Lucian) Coastal Scrub (#32200) (Holland 1986b)
> Coastal Sage Shrub (205) (Shiflet 1994)
= Coastal Scrub (#32000) (Holland 1986b)
> Coastal sage scrub (Munz and Keck 1949)
> Northern (Franciscan) Coastal Scrub (#32100) (Holland 1986b)
> Northern Coastal Scrub (Ford and Hayes 2007)
> Northern coastal scrub (Munz and Keck 1949)
> Sage Scrub (Rundel 2007)
> Venturan Coastal Sage Scrub (#32300) (Holland 1986b)
Concept Author(s): R.F. Holland (1986b); P.A. Munz and D.D. Keck (1949)

Author of Description: T. Keeler-Wolf, M.S. Reid, and J. Evens

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 10-15-14
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