Print Report

A0509 Pinus balfouriana Woodland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This montane and subalpine woodland alliance is dominated by Pinus balfouriana (ssp. balfouriana and/or ssp. austrina). It occurs on a variety of substrates in the northern Coast Ranges, the subalpine Klamath Mountains, and the southern subalpine Sierra Nevada in California.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Foxtail Pine Woodland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Foxtail Pine Woodland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This montane and subalpine woodland alliance is dominated by Pinus balfouriana (Pinus balfouriana ssp. balfouriana or Pinus balfouriana ssp. austrina). Other trees present may include Abies magnifica var. shastensis, Pinus albicaulis, Pinus contorta var. murrayana, Pinus flexilis, Pinus monticola, and Tsuga mertensiana. The shrub and herbaceous layers are usually sparse. The shrubs Anemone drummondii or Chrysolepis sempervirens are often associated with stands. This alliance occurs in the montane northern Coast Ranges, the subalpine Klamath Mountains, and the southern subalpine Sierra Nevada in California at elevations from 2100-3500 m. Stands are usually best developed on dry, rocky sites and most extensive on upper slopes, crests, ridges, summits, upper slopes to forest line. Soils are loose, well drained, and often rocky, including glacial till. It occurs on a variety of substrates. Northern stands, composed of Pinus balfouriana ssp. balfouriana, grow on Franciscan greywacke sandstone, metavolcanics, and schist-derived soils. Southern stands of Pinus balfouriana ssp. austrina grow on ultramafic soils. In the Sierra Nevada, Pinus balfouriana stands occur on granitic soils. Precipitation is highly seasonal, with the bulk falling as snow from November to April. Late summer is droughty after the snow has melted. At the higher elevations, trees will be smaller in stature and contorted, but they rarely form krummholz.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Pinus balfouriana >25% tree cover in the tree canopy (Kittel et al. 2012a).

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: There is not enough information about the Sawyer et al. (2009) associations to know if they should be combined into one of the other two alliances in this group. This alliance includes stands of both subspecies of Pinus balfouriana (ssp. austrina found in the southern Sierra Nevada and ssp. balfouriana found in the Klamath and Yolla Bolly mountains).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This rounded-crown, temperate or subpolar, needle-leaved evergreen woodland forms an open to intermittent canopy less than 20 m in height. The shrub layer is open, and the herbaceous layer is sparse.

Floristics: This woodland of montane and subalpine California is dominated by Pinus balfouriana (Pinus balfouriana ssp. balfouriana or Pinus balfouriana ssp. austrina). Other trees present may include Abies magnifica var. shastensis (= Abies x shastensis), Pinus albicaulis, Pinus contorta var. murrayana, Pinus flexilis, Pinus monticola, and Tsuga mertensiana. The shrub and herbaceous layers are usually sparse. The shrubs Anemone drummondii or Chrysolepis sempervirens are often associated with stands.

Dynamics:  Ignitions are common from lightning in these habitats. The lack of continuous fuel greatly limits fire spread.
Environmental Description:  This montane and subalpine woodland occurs on a variety of substrates. Northern stands, composed of Pinus balfouriana ssp. balfouriana, grow on Franciscan greywacke sandstone, metavolcanics, and schist-derived soils. Southern stands of Pinus balfouriana ssp. austrina grow on ultramafic soils. In the Sierra Nevada, Pinus balfouriana stands occur on granitic soils. Stands occur at elevations from 2100-3500 m and are usually best developed on dry, rocky sites. Precipitation is highly seasonal, with the bulk falling as snow from November to April. Late summer is droughty after the snow has melted. At the higher elevations, trees will be smaller in stature and contorted, but they rarely form krummholz.
Geographic Range: This alliance occurs in the montane northern Coast Ranges, the subalpine Klamath Mountains, and the southern subalpine Sierra Nevada in California.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 1 Forest & Woodland Class C01 1
Subclass 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass S15 1.B
Formation 1.B.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation F008 1.B.2
Division 1.B.2.Nd Vancouverian Forest & Woodland Division D192 1.B.2.Nd
Macrogroup 1.B.2.Nd.4 California Red Fir - Mountain Hemlock - Sierra Lodgepole Pine Forest Macrogroup M025 1.B.2.Nd.4
Group 1.B.2.Nd.4.b Sierra Lodgepole Pine Woodland Group G243 1.B.2.Nd.4.b
Alliance A0509 Foxtail Pine Woodland Alliance A0509 1.B.2.Nd.4.b
Concept Lineage: equivalent to A.509

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus balfouriana (Foxtail pine woodland) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [87.150.00]
= Pinus balfouriana Woodland Alliance (CNPS 2017) [87.150.00]
= Foxtail Pine Forest (#86300) (Holland 1986b)
= Foxtail pine series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
Concept Author(s): M. Schindel, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M.S. Reid

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
  • Barbour, M. G. 1988. Californian upland forests and woodlands. Pages 131-164 in: M. G. Barbour and W. D. Billings, editors. North American terrestrial vegetation. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY.
  • CNPS [California Native Plant Society]. 2015-2017. A manual of California vegetation [online]. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://vegetation.cnps.org/].
  • Eckert, A. J. 2006. Influence of substrate type and microsite availability on the persistance of foxtail pine (Pinus balfouriana, Pinaceae) in the Klamath Mountains, California. American Journal of Botany 93:1615-1624.
  • Eckert, A. J., and J. O. Sawyer. 2002. Foxtail pine importance and conifer diversity in the Klamath Mountains and southern Sierra Nevada, California. Madroño 49:33-45.
  • Eckert, A. J., and M. L. Eckert. 2007. Environmental and ecological effects on size class disturbations of foxtail pine (Pinus baulforiana, Pinaceae) in the Klamath Mountains, California. Madroño 54:117-125.
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, M. Hall, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, L. Sneddon, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2013-2019b. Screening alliances for induction into the U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Part 1 - Alliance concept review. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
  • Griffin, J. R., and W. B. Critchfield. 1972. The distribution of forest trees in California. Research Paper PSW-82/1972. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Berkeley, CA. 114 pp.
  • Holland, R. F. 1986b. Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California. Unpublished report prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, Nongame-Heritage Program and Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento. 156 pp.
  • Howard, J. L. 2004b. Pinus balfouriana. In: Fire Effects Information System [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/]
  • Keeler-Wolf, V., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1974. A contribution to the natural history of the northern Yolla Bolly Mountains. Senior thesis, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA.
  • Ryerson, A. D. 1983. Population structure of Pinus balfouriana Grev. & Balf. along the margins of its distribution area in the Sierran and Klamath regions of California. Master’s thesis, Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA.
  • Ryerson, A. D. 1984. Krummholz foxtail pines. Fremontia 11:30.
  • Sawyer, J. O. 2006. Northwest California: A natural history. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.
  • Sawyer, J. O. 2007. Forests of northwestern California. Pages 253-295 in: M. G. Barbour, T. Keeler-Wolf, and A. Schoenherr, editors. Terrestrial vegetation of California, third edition. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.
  • Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
  • Sawyer, J. O., and D. A. Thornburgh. 1977. Montane and subalpine vegetation of the Klamath Mountains. Pages 699-732 in: M. G. Barbour and J. Major, editors. Terrestrial vegetation of California. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
  • Sawyer, J. O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A manual of California vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 471 pp.