Print Report

G533 Prosopis glandulosa - Prosopis velutina - Baccharis spp. North American Warm Desert Riparian Low Bosque & Shrubland Group

Type Concept Sentence: This low-elevation (<1100 m) desert riparian vegetation is dominated by scrub Prosopis glandulosa and/or Prosopis velutina, and/or shrubs Baccharis salicifolia, Pluchea sericea, Salix geyeriana, Shepherdia argentea, and/or Salix exigua. It is found along perennial and intermittent streams and rivers of the southwestern U.S. and adjacent Mexico.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Honey Mesquite - Velvet Mesquite - False Willow species North American Warm Desert Riparian Low Bosque & Shrubland Group

Colloquial Name: North American Warm Desert Riparian Low Bosque & Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Group

Type Concept: This group consists of riparian scrub found along low-elevation (<1100 m) perennial or intermittent streams and rivers throughout the warm desert regions of the southwestern U.S. and adjacent Mexico. The vegetation is low scrub or shrubland, not tall trees. Dominants include scrub Prosopis glandulosa and Prosopis velutina, and shrubs Baccharis salicifolia, Pluchea sericea, Salix geyeriana, Shepherdia argentea, and/or Salix exigua. Woody cover is relatively dense, especially when compared to drier washes. Dominant species, especially the mesquites, tap groundwater below the streambed when surface flows stop. Vegetation is dependent upon annual rise in the water table or annual/periodic flooding and associated sediment scour for growth and reproduction.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Desert climes of the southwestern U.S., intermittent and perennial streambanks, riverbanks and floodplains with native woody tree and shrub species.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Addition characteristic taxa to be added.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Scrubby growth of short bosque or thickets of shrubs that are winter-deciduous along lower elevation stream courses.

Floristics: Dominant scrub/trees include Prosopis glandulosa and Prosopis velutina. Dominants of shrub communities include Baccharis salicifolia, Pluchea sericea, Salix geyeriana, Shepherdia argentea, and Salix exigua. Understory species include low shrubs Celtis ehrenbergiana (= Celtis pallida) or Prunus serotina; forbs Amaranthus palmeri and Eustoma exaltatum; and graminoid species such as Bouteloua curtipendula, Distichlis spicata, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis (= Juncus balticus), Leymus condensatus, Muhlenbergia asperifolia, Muhlenbergia rigens, Phragmites australis, Schoenoplectus pungens, Sorghum halepense, and Sporobolus airoides. Floristic information was compiled from Eyre (1980), Brown (1982), Barbour and Major (1988), Szaro (1989), Dick-Peddie (1993), Holland and Heil (1995), Muldavin et al. (2000a, 2000b), and Griffith et al. (2004).

Dynamics:  Vegetation is dependent upon annual rise in the water table or annual/periodic flooding and associated sediment scour and/or annual rise in the water table for growth and reproduction (Szaro 1989, Muldavin et al. 2000b).
Environmental Description:  Climate: Low-elevation arid southwestern deserts. Soil/substrate/hydrology: Low-elevation (<1100 m) riparian corridors along small, medium and large perennial and intermittent streams and rivers throughout canyons and desert valleys with alluvial soils. Environmental information was compiled from Eyre (1980), Brown (1982), Barbour and Major (1988), Szaro (1989), Dick-Peddie (1993), Holland and Heil (1995), Muldavin et al. (2000a, 2000b), and Griffith et al. (2004).
Geographic Range: This group encompasses riparian corridors along small, medium and large perennial and intermittent streams and rivers throughout canyons and desert valleys of the warm desert regions of the southwestern U.S. and adjacent Mexico. Rivers include the lower Colorado (into the Grand Canyon), Gila, Santa Cruz, Salt, lower Rio Grande (below Elephant Butte Reservoir in New Mexico to the Coastal Plain of Texas), and the lower Pecos (up to near its confluence with Rio Hondo in southeastern New Mexico) and their tributaries that occur in the desert portions of their range.

Nations: MX,US

States/Provinces:  AZ, CA, MXBCN, MXCHH, MXCOA, MXNLE, MXSON, MXTAM, NM, NV, TX, UT


Confidence Level: High

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.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass S44 2.C
Formation 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation F013 2.C.4
Division 2.C.4.Nc Southwestern North American Warm Desert Freshwater Marsh & Bosque Division D032 2.C.4.Nc
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nc.1 Warm Desert Lowland Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M076 2.C.4.Nc.1
Group 2.C.4.Nc.1.b Honey Mesquite - Velvet Mesquite - False Willow species North American Warm Desert Riparian Low Bosque & Shrubland Group G533 2.C.4.Nc.1.b
Alliance A0933 Mule-fat Wet Shrubland Alliance A0933 2.C.4.Nc.1.b
Alliance A0947 Narrowleaf Willow Warm Desert Wet Shrubland Alliance A0947 2.C.4.Nc.1.b
Alliance A1033 Sugarberry - Skunkbush Sumac Wet Shrubland Alliance A1033 2.C.4.Nc.1.b
Alliance A3874 Emory''s Baccharis - Desert Baccharis Wet Shrubland Alliance A3874 2.C.4.Nc.1.b
Alliance A3875 Common Buttonbush - California Wild Rose Wet Shrubland Alliance A3875 2.C.4.Nc.1.b
Alliance A3876 Little Walnut Wet Scrub Alliance A3876 2.C.4.Nc.1.b
Alliance A3877 Honey Mesquite - Velvet Mesquite - Screwbean Mesquite Wet Scrub Alliance A3877 2.C.4.Nc.1.b
Alliance A3878 Arroyo Willow Warm Desert Wet Shrubland Alliance A3878 2.C.4.Nc.1.b
Alliance A4162 Canyon Grape - Desert Wild Grape Wet Shrubland Alliance A4162 2.C.4.Nc.1.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
Concept Author(s): D.E. Brown (1982a)

Author of Description: G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-02-15
  • Barbour, M. G., and J. Major, editors. 1988. Terrestrial vegetation of California: New expanded edition. California Native Plant Society, Special Publication 9, Sacramento. 1030 pp.
  • Brown, D. E., editor. 1982a. Biotic communities of the American Southwest-United States and Mexico. Desert Plants Special Issue 4(1-4):1-342.
  • Dick-Peddie, W. A. 1993. New Mexico vegetation: Past, present, and future. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. 244 pp.
  • Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
  • 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]
  • Griffith, G. E., S. A. Bryce, J. M. Omernik, J. A. Comstock, A. C. Rogers, B. Harrison, S. L. Hatch, and D. Bezanson. 2004. Ecoregions of Texas (two-sided color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs). U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA. Scale 1:2,500,000.
  • Holland, V. L., and D. J. Keil. 1995. California vegetation. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, IA. 516 pp.
  • Muldavin, E., P. Durkin, M. Bradley, M. Stuever, and P. Mehlhop. 2000a. Handbook of wetland vegetation communities of New Mexico. Volume I: Classification and community descriptions. Final report to the New Mexico Environment Department and the Environmental Protection Agency prepared by the New Mexico Natural Heritage Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
  • Muldavin, E., Y. Chauvin, and G. Harper. 2000b. The vegetation of White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico: Volume I. Handbook of vegetation communities. Final report to Environmental Directorate, White Sands Missile Range. New Mexico Natural Heritage Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. 195 pp. plus appendices
  • Rodriguez, D., K. G. Sikes, T. Keeler-Wolf, G. Kittel, J. Curtis, C. Curley, and J. Evens. 2017. Vegetation classification of Channel Islands National Park. Report to the National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
  • Stout, D., J. Buck-Diaz, S. Taylor, and J. M. Evens. 2013. Vegetation mapping and accuracy assessment report for Carrizo Plain National Monument. California Native Plant Society, Vegetation Program, Sacramento, CA. 71 pp.
  • Szaro, R. C. 1989. Riparian forest and scrubland community types of Arizona and New Mexico. Desert Plants Special Issue 9(3-4):70-139.