Print Report

G305 Vaccinium spp. - Menziesia ferruginea / Xerophyllum tenax Central Rocky Mountain-Vancouverian Mesic Shrubland Group

Type Concept Sentence: This central Rocky Mountain group consists of western mesic montane shrublands where common species include Acer glabrum, Juniperus communis, Menziesia ferruginea, Ribes lacustre, Rubus parviflorus, Spiraea betulifolia, Spiraea splendens, Vaccinium cespitosum, Vaccinium membranaceum, Vaccinium myrtillus, and/or Vaccinium scoparium, with mesic indicator understory species of Chamerion angustifolium, Luzula glabrata var. hitchcockii, Pteridium aquilinum, and/or Xerophyllum tenax.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Blueberry species - Rusty Menziesia / Common Beargrass Central Rocky Mountain-Vancouverian Mesic Shrubland Group

Colloquial Name: Central Rocky Mountain-North Pacific High Montane Mesic Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Group

Type Concept: This shrubland group is found within the zone of continuous forest in the upper montane and subalpine zones of the northern Rocky Mountains, from Wyoming north and west into British Columbia and Alberta. It is composed of a diverse mix of deciduous shrubs. Soils tend to be moist, but will typically dry out in late spring or summer. Stands are typically initiated by fires and will persist on sites for long periods because of repeated burns and changes in the presence of volatile oils in the soil which impedes tree regeneration. It also occurs as smaller patches of shrubland on dry sites that are marginal for tree growth and that have typically also experienced fire. Sites often are ridgetops and upper to middle mountain slopes and more commonly on sunny southern aspects. Vegetation is mostly deciduous broadleaf shrubs, sometimes mixed with shrub-statured trees or sparse evergreen needleleaf trees and Populus tremuloides. Common species include Acer glabrum, Menziesia ferruginea, Ribes lacustre, Rubus parviflorus, Spiraea betulifolia, Spiraea splendens, Vaccinium cespitosum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium scoparium, and Vaccinium membranaceum, occurring alone or in any combination. Juniperus communis shrublands are found at high elevations in the eastern Cascades and are tentatively included here. Important graminoids and forbs include Xerophyllum tenax, Luzula glabrata var. hitchcockii, Chamerion angustifolium, and Pteridium aquilinum, reflecting the mesic nature of many of these shrublands.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Deciduous shrublands found in the high montane of the northern Rocky Mountains and northern Cascades. Composed of one of several Vaccinium species, Menziesia ferruginea, Spiraea splendens, and Acer glabrum. The graminoid/shrubby forb Xerophyllum tenax is a good indicator of these high montane, mesic settings in the Cascades and Northern Rockies.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This group seems tenuous, but the best way to address these shrublands is unclear. The most distinguishing feature of this group floristically is the Vaccinium spp., almost all of which occur from lower montane into the high subalpine in the Rockies and the Cascades. A possible alternative treatment is to combine the subalpine mesic shrublands with the montane-foothill dry shrublands as one group. The wetter (avalanche slopes primarily) shrub types are combined into a yet-to-be-described northern Rocky Mountain montane riparian and wet slope shrubland. Floristically, this is what the avalanche and wet slope shrublands are most related to. The proposed split of the subalpine shrubland into mesic and wet is not substantiated by the association lists or floristics.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Cold-deciduous shrublands, sometimes of dwarf stature (the Vaccinium spp. can be <0.5m), often with significant herbaceous cover, of both perennials graminoids, forbs and ferns.

Floristics: Common species include mesic subalpine shrubs such as Acer glabrum, Menziesia ferruginea, Ribes lacustre, Rubus parviflorus, Spiraea betulifolia, Spiraea splendens, Vaccinium cespitosum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium scoparium, and Vaccinium membranaceum, occurring alone or in any combination. Juniperus communis shrublands are found at high elevations in the eastern Cascades and are tentatively included here. Other common woody plants include Paxistima myrsinites, Sorbus scopulina, and Sorbus sitchensis. The ground cover is moderately dense to dense and forb-rich; important graminoids and forbs include Athyrium filix-femina, Castilleja spp., Chamerion angustifolium, Erythronium grandiflorum, Luzula glabrata, Myosotis asiatica (= Myosotis alpestris), Pteridium aquilinum, Thalictrum occidentale, Urtica dioica, and Xerophyllum tenax, reflecting the mesic nature of many of these shrublands. Mosses and ferns are often present. Occasional seedlings or saplings of conifers may be present, reflecting the occurrence of these shrublands within a predominantly forested landscape. In disturbance-maintained avalanche chute shrublands, stunted and broken trees may comprise significant cover. Species might include Populus tremuloides and conifers Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus albicaulis, or Pinus flexilis.

Dynamics:  Stands are typically initiated by fires and will persist on sites for long periods because of repeated burns and changes in the presence of volatile oils in the soil which impedes tree regeneration. It also occurs as smaller patches of shrubland on dry sites that are marginal for tree growth and that have typically also experienced fire.
Environmental Description:  Cold, wet winters with plentiful snow are typical, along with wind desiccation in the subalpine-alpine transition. Soils tend to be moist, but will typically dry out in late spring or summer. Stands are typically initiated by fires and will persist on sites for long periods because of repeated burns and changes in the presence of volatile oils in the soil which impedes tree regeneration. These shrublands also occur as smaller patches of shrubland on dry sites that are marginal for tree growth and that have typically also experienced fire. Sites often are ridgetops and upper to middle mountain slopes and more commonly on sunny southern aspects.
Geographic Range: This group occurs in the mountains throughout the Northern Rockies, from Wyoming north and west into British Columbia and Alberta. It also occurs in the East Cascades, but how far south into the Sierra Nevada is as yet unclear.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, BC, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA, 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.2 Saskatoon Serviceberry / Idaho Fescue - Bluebunch Wheatgrass Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup M048 2.B.2.Nf.2
Group 2.B.2.Nf.2.d Blueberry species - Rusty Menziesia / Common Beargrass Central Rocky Mountain-Vancouverian Mesic Shrubland Group G305 2.B.2.Nf.2.d
Alliance A3968 Subalpine Fir - Quaking Aspen / Rocky Mountain Maple Central Rocky Mountain Avalanche Chute Shrubland Alliance A3968 2.B.2.Nf.2.d
Alliance A3969 Thinleaf Huckleberry - Whortleberry - Grouse Whortleberry Montane-Subalpine Shrubland Alliance A3969 2.B.2.Nf.2.d
Alliance A3970 Fool''s-huckleberry - Shinyleaf Meadowsweet Montane-Subalpine Shrubland Alliance A3970 2.B.2.Nf.2.d
Concept Lineage: G275 archived and alliances moved to G527 (A3973 & A3974) or G305 (A3975) (KAS 8-20-14)

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
Concept Author(s): M.S. Reid, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2011)

Author of Description: M.S. Reid and K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-20-15
  • Butler, D. R. 1979. Snow avalanche path terrain and vegetation, Glacier National Park, Montana. Arctic and Alpine Research 11:17-32.
  • Butler, D. R. 1985. Vegetation and geomorphic change on snow avalanche paths, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. Great Basin Naturalist 45(2):313-317.
  • Ecosystems Working Group. 1998. Standards for broad terrestrial ecosystem classification and mapping for British Columbia. Prepared by the Ecosystems Working Group, Terrestrial Ecosystem Task Force, Resources Inventory Committee, for the Province of British Columbia. 174 pp. plus appendices. [http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/risc/pubs/teecolo/tem/indextem.htm]
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, S. Gawler, M. Hall, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, L. Sneddon, K. Schulz, J. Teague, M. Russo, K. Snow, and P. Comer, editors. 2010-2019a. Divisions, Macrogroups and Groups for the Revised U.S. National Vegetation Classification. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. plus appendices. [in preparation]
  • Franklin, J. F., and C. T. Dyrness. 1973. Natural vegetation of Oregon and Washington. General Technical Report PNW-8. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Portland, OR. 417 pp.
  • Hall, F. C. 1973. Plant communities of the Blue Mountains in eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. R6 Area Guide 3-1. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 62 pp.
  • Johnson, C. G., Jr., and S. A. Simon. 1987. Plant associations of the Wallowa-Snake Province Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Technical Paper R6-ECOL-TP-255A-86. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. 399 pp. plus appendices.
  • Johnson, C. G., and R. R. Clausnitzer. 1992. Plant associations of the Blue and Ochoco mountains. R6-ERW-TP-036-92. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. 163 pp. plus appendices.
  • Malanson, G. P., and D. R. Butler. 1984. Transverse pattern vegetation on avalanche paths in the northern Rocky Mountains, Montana. Great Basin Naturalist 44(3):453-458.
  • Poulton, C. E. 1955. Ecology of the non-forested vegetation in Umatilla and Morrow counties, Oregon. Unpublished dissertation. State College of Washington, Pullman. 166 pp.
  • Shiflet, T. N., editor. 1994. Rangeland cover types of the United States. Society for Range Management. Denver, CO. 152 pp.