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CEGL009686 Chorizanthe rigida - Geraea canescens Desert Pavement
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Devil''s Spineflower - Hairy Desert-sunflower Desert Pavement
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This often sparse desert pavement association occurs at low to mid elevations in the Mojave Desert and extends into the southern Great Basin in California and Nevada. Annual herbs Chorizanthe rigida and/or Geraea canescens are dominant or codominant and characteristic species in the sparse to moderately dense herbaceous layer (to 52% cover) with a variety of other herb species such as Camissonia, Chaenactis, Cryptantha, Eriogonum, Pectocarya, and exotics Bromus rubens and Schismus spp. Scattered shrubs may be present with low cover (<2%). Stands are found on well-developed desert pavement, primarily on low-lying areas such as valley floors and low slopes of alluvial fans/bajadas at -100 to 900 m elevation, commonly on hot western to southern aspects. Sites are very hot and dry and occur on flat to moderately steep slopes on all aspects. Soils are usually coarse-textured, typically sand and loam derived from alluvium or less often finer-textured soil derived from a variety of parent materials.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Vegetation in this often sparse desert pavement association is characterized by a sparse to moderately dense herbaceous layer (to 52% cover) composed of annual herbs without significant cover of perennial vegetation (usually <2%) (Evens et al. 2012, 2014). Year-to-year cover of annual plants is highly variable, responding to the amount of fall/winter precipitation and temperature (Evens et al. 2012). Infrequent wet conditions often occur in El Niño years and produce an abundance of flowering annuals, while plants are sparse in dry years (Evens et al. 2012). Chorizanthe rigida and/or Geraea canescens are dominant or codominant and characteristic species in this ephemeral association with a variety of other annual herbs, including Chorizanthe brevicornu, Langloisia setosissima, Loeseliastrum schottii, Plantago ovata, and many other annual species of Camissonia, Chaenactis, Chamaesyce, Cryptantha, Eriogonum, and Pectocarya, as well as exotic annuals Brassica tournefortii, Bromus rubens, Erodium cicutarium, and Schismus spp. (Evens et al. 2012, 2014). Scattered shrubs may be present, especially Atriplex hymenelytra, Encelia farinosa, Larrea tridentata, and Opuntia basilaris with very low cover (<2%) (Evens et al. 2012, 2014). Cover of nonvascular cryptogamic crust is highly variable (<2 to 50%) (Evens et al. 2012).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This often sparse desert pavement association occurs at low to mid elevations in the Mojave Desert and extends into the southern Great Basin. Stands are found on well-developed desert pavement, primarily on low-lying areas such as valley floors and low slopes of broad alluvial fans/bajada but may extend into lower piedmont slopes at -100 to 900 m elevation, commonly on hot western to southern aspects (Evens et al. 2012, 2014). Sites are very hot and dry and occur on flat to moderately steep slopes (0 to 23°) on all aspects. Soils are typically coarser-textured, sand or less often loam and rarely clay- or silty-textured. Substrates are usually derived from alluvium and less commonly conglomerate, dune sand, rhyolite or sandstone (Evens et al. 2012, 2014).
Geographic Range: The association is found commonly in the Mojave Desert and extends into the southern Great Basin of California and Nevada. It was sampled in Death Valley National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Mojave National Preserve, and Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AZ, CA, NV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.878891
Confidence Level: Low
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.6 Ocotillo - Desert-holly - Watson''s Amaranth North American Rock Vegetation Macrogroup | M117 | 3.A.2.Na.6 |
| Group | 3.A.2.Na.6.a Ocotillo - Bear-grass species - Desert-holly Rock Vegetation Group | G569 | 3.A.2.Na.6.a |
| Alliance | A4024 Devil''s Spineflower - Hairy Desert-sunflower Desert Pavement Alliance | A4024 | 3.A.2.Na.6.a |
| Association | CEGL009686 Devil''s Spineflower - Hairy Desert-sunflower Desert Pavement | CEGL009686 | 3.A.2.Na.6.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Chorizanthe rigida-Geraea canescens Desert Pavement Association (Evens et al. 2014)
< Geraea canescens - Chorizanthe rigida Desert Pavement Annual Herbaceous Alliance (Evens et al. 2012)
= Geraea canescens Ephemeral Herbaceous Vegetation [Park Special] (Reid and Hall 2010)
< Geraea canescens - Chorizanthe rigida Desert Pavement Annual Herbaceous Alliance (Evens et al. 2012)
= Geraea canescens Ephemeral Herbaceous Vegetation [Park Special] (Reid and Hall 2010)
- Evens, J. M., D. Roach-McIntosh, and D. Stout. 2012. Vegetation descriptions for Joshua Tree National Park. Unpublished report submitted to USDI, National Park Service, Mojave Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
- Evens, J. M., K. Sikes, D. Hastings, and J. Ratchford. 2014. Vegetation alliance descriptions for Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Death Valley National Park and Mojave National Preserve. Unpublished report submitted to USDI National Park Service, Mojave Desert Network Inventory and Monitoring Program. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
- Kearsley, M. J. C., K. Green, M. Tukman, M. Reid, M. Hall, T. J. Ayers, and K. Christie. 2015. Grand Canyon National Park-Grand Canyon / Parashant National Monument vegetation classification and mapping project. Natural Resource Report NPS/GRCA/NRR--2015/913. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 75 pp. plus appendices.
- Reid, M. S., and M. E. Hall. 2010. Vegetation classification of Grand Canyon National Park. Draft report submitted to National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
- Thomas, K. A., T. Keeler-Wolf, J. Franklin, and P. Stine. 2004. Mojave Desert Ecosystem Program: Central Mojave vegetation mapping database. U.S. Geological Survey, Western Regional Science Center. 251 pp.
- VegCAMP and AIS [Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program and Aerial Information Systems, Inc.]. 2013. 2012 California desert vegetation map and accuracy assessment in support of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. Unpublished report to California Department of Fish and Wildlife Renewable Energy Program and the California Energy Commission. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program and Aerial Information Systems, Inc.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.