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G268 Festuca arizonica - Festuca thurberi - Muhlenbergia montana Grassland Group

Type Concept Sentence: This southern Rocky Mountains grassland group typically occurs between 2200 and 3000 m elevation on flat to rolling plains and parks or on lower sideslopes that are dry, and is characterized by an open to dense perennial graminoid layer dominated by Blepharoneuron tricholepis, Danthonia intermedia, Danthonia parryi, Festuca arizonica, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca thurberi, Muhlenbergia filiculmis, Muhlenbergia montana, Pascopyrum smithii, or Pseudoroegneria spicata.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Arizona Fescue - Thurber''s Fescue - Mountain Muhly Grassland Group

Colloquial Name: Southern Rocky Mountain Montane-Subalpine Grassland

Hierarchy Level:  Group

Type Concept: This southern Rocky Mountains group extends west to high plateaus and mountains in the Colorado Plateau. Vegetation is characterized by an open to dense perennial graminoid layer. Larger occurrences usually consist of a mosaic of two or three plant associations with one of the following dominant grasses: Blepharoneuron tricholepis, Danthonia parryi, Festuca arizonica, Muhlenbergia montana, Pascopyrum smithii, or Pseudoroegneria spicata at lower elevation / warmer aspects, or Danthonia intermedia, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca thurberi, or Muhlenbergia filiculmis at subalpine elevation / cooler aspects. The common subdominants include Bouteloua gracilis, Hesperostipa comata, or Poa secunda. Bouteloua gracilis often dominates sites with warm aspects and heavy grazing history. Forb species such as Potentilla hippiana may be present to codominant. These large-patch grasslands are intermixed with matrix stands of spruce-fir, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, and aspen forests. In limited circumstances (e.g., South Park in Colorado), they form the "matrix" of high-elevation plateaus and inter-montane valleys. Stands typically occur between 2200 and 3000 m elevation on flat to rolling plains and parks or on lower sideslopes that are dry, but may extend up to 3350 m on warm aspects. Soils resemble prairie soils in that the A-horizon is dark brown, relatively high in organic matter, slightly acidic, and usually well-drained. Small-patch representations of this group do occur at high elevations of the Trans-Pecos where they present as occurrences of ~Festuca arizonica - Blepharoneuron tricholepis Grassland (CEGL004508)$$. These occurrences often occupy sites adjacent to ~Eastern Madrean Chaparral Group (G280)$$.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Vegetation is composed of an open to dense perennial graminoid layer that is generally less than 1 m tall. Danthonia parryi, Festuca arizonica, and Muhlenbergia montana are important species and typically dominate montane grasslands; Danthonia intermedia and Festuca thurberi are typical of subalpine grasslands in the southern Rocky Mountains. Other characteristic graminoid species that may be present to dominant include Achnatherum lettermanii, Blepharoneuron tricholepis, Bouteloua gracilis, Carex duriuscula, Carex rossii, Carex siccata, Elymus lanceolatus, Festuca calligera, Festuca idahoensis, Hesperostipa comata, Muhlenbergia filiculmis, Poa fendleriana, Poa nervosa, Poa lettermanii, and Pseudoroegneria spicata.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Montane grasslands are very similar and intergrade with their montane and subalpine counterparts. The transition of this group to ~Central Rocky Mountain Montane Grassland Group (G267)$$ probably occurs somewhere in central Colorado or southern Wyoming. This Southern Rockies grassland group may co-occur with patches of the more mesic ~Rocky Mountain-North Pacific Subalpine-Montane Mesic Grassland & Meadow Group (G271)$$, which is distinguished by dominance of mesic forb and grass species such as Deschampsia cespitosa and Mertensia ciliata. Pascopyrum smithii-dominated grasslands tend to be restricted to mesic swales within drier upland types.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Vegetation is composed of an open to dense perennial graminoid layer that is generally less than 1 m tall. Forb cover is variable and may be present to codominant.

Floristics: Vegetation in this group is characterized by an open to dense perennial graminoid layer. Larger occurrences usually consist of a mosaic of two or three plant associations with one of the following dominant grasses: Blepharoneuron tricholepis, Danthonia parryi, Festuca arizonica, Muhlenbergia montana, Pascopyrum smithii, or Pseudoroegneria spicata at lower elevation / warmer aspects, or Danthonia intermedia, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca thurberi, or Muhlenbergia filiculmis at subalpine elevation / cooler aspects. Other characteristic graminoid species that may be present to dominant include Achnatherum lettermanii, Blepharoneuron tricholepis, Bouteloua gracilis, Carex duriuscula, Carex rossii, Carex siccata, Elymus lanceolatus, Festuca calligera, Hesperostipa comata, Poa fendleriana, Poa nervosa, and Poa lettermanii. The common subdominants include Bouteloua gracilis, Hesperostipa comata, or Poa secunda. Bouteloua gracilis often dominates sites with warm aspects and heavy grazing history. Forb species such as Achillea millefolium, Castilleja spp., Erigeron simplex, Erigeron ursinus, Eriogonum umbellatum, Geranium viscosissimum, Hymenoxys richardsonii, Lathyrus lanszwertii, Oxytropis oreophila, Penstemon secundiflorus, Potentilla hippiana, Solidago multiradiata, and Symphyotrichum foliaceum (= Aster foliaceus) may be present to codominant. In disturbed stands, species such as Heterotheca villosa may codominant. These large-patch grasslands are intermixed with matrix stands of spruce-fir, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, and aspen forests. In limited circumstances (e.g., South Park in Colorado), they form the "matrix" of high-elevation plateaus and inter-montane valleys. Small-patch representations of this group do occur at high elevations of the Trans-Pecos where they present as occurrences of ~Festuca arizonica - Blepharoneuron tricholepis Grassland (CEGL004508)$$. These occurrences often occupy sites adjacent to ~Eastern Madrean Chaparral Group (G280)$$.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This Rocky Mountain grassland group typically occurs between 2200 and 3000 m elevation on flat to rolling plains and inter-montane parks or on lower sideslopes that are dry, but it may extend up to 3350 m on warm aspects. Soils resemble prairie soils in that the A-horizon is dark brown, relatively high in organic matter, slightly acidic, and usually well-drained.
Geographic Range: This grassland group occurs between 2200 and 3000 m elevation in the southern Rocky Mountains and extends west to high plateaus and mountains in the Colorado Plateau.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AZ, CO, MT, NM, NV, SD, TX, UT, WY


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.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation F012 2.B.2
Division 2.B.2.Nf Western North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D022 2.B.2.Nf
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nf.3 Tufted Hairgrass - Licorice-root species - Mountain Muhly Subalpine-High Montane Mesic Meadow Macrogroup M168 2.B.2.Nf.3
Group 2.B.2.Nf.3.a Arizona Fescue - Thurber''s Fescue - Mountain Muhly Grassland Group G268 2.B.2.Nf.3.a
Alliance A3953 Arizona Fescue - Mountain Muhly - Muttongrass Southern Rocky Mountain Montane Grassland Alliance A3953 2.B.2.Nf.3.a
Alliance A3954 Thurber''s Fescue - Timber Oatgrass - Letterman''s Bluegrass Southern Rocky Mountain Subalpine Grassland Alliance A3954 2.B.2.Nf.3.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Rocky Mountain Alpine and Subalpine Grassland, Bunchgrass Series - 141.41 (Brown et al. 1979)
Concept Author(s): D.E. Brown, C.H. Lowe, and C.P. Pase (1979)

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 11-09-15
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