Print Report

A2563 Salix orestera Wet Shrubland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This vegetation forms a dense shrub canopy between 0.5 and 2 m in height, dominated by the tall willow Salix orestera. It grows on low-gradient basin floors, streamsides, and wet meadows around 3050-3200 m (10,000-10,500 feet) elevation in the Sierra Nevada of California and in Oregon and Nevada. Soils are silt or clay loams derived from metamorphic parent materials.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sierra Willow Wet Shrubland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Sierra Willow Wet Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This vegetation forms a dense shrub canopy between 0.5 and 2 m in height, dominated by the tall willow Salix orestera. Other shrub species that may be present to codominant include Ribes montigenum, Vaccinium cespitosum, and Phyllodoce breweri. The herbaceous understory tends to be light cover dominated by graminoids such as Calamagrostis breweri, Carex exserta, Carex fissuricola, Carex spectabilis, Juncus parryi, Luzula subcongesta, Phleum alpinum, Poa secunda, Poa stebbinsii, and Ptilagrostis kingii. Forbs present may include Achillea millefolium, Allium validum, Antennaria media, Antennaria rosea, Arnica mollis, Castilleja lemmonii, Chamerion angustifolium, Cirsium sp., Lupinus lepidus, Mimulus primuloides, Montia chamissoi, Muhlenbergia filiformis, Oreostemma alpigenum var. alpigenum, Pedicularis attollens, Penstemon rydbergii, Potentilla drummondii, Potentilla gracilis, Senecio scorzonella, Senecio triangularis, and/or Symphyotrichum spathulatum var. spathulatum. This vegetation grows on low-gradient basin floors, streamsides, and wet meadows around 3050-3200 m (10,000-10,500 feet) elevation in the Sierra Nevada of California and in Oregon and Nevada. Soils are silt or clay loams derived from metamorphic parent materials.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Riparian shrublands dominated by Salix orestera with >50% relative cover in the shrub layer (Manning and Padgett 1995, Keeler-Wolf et al. 2004, Potter 2005).

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Descriptive information is only from Yosemite National Park. Need to incorporate information from Sawyer et al. (2009).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This vegetation forms a dense shrub canopy between 0.5 and 2 m in height, dominated by the tall willow Salix orestera.

Floristics: This vegetation forms a dense shrub canopy between 0.5 and 2 m in height, dominated by the tall willow Salix orestera. Other shrub species that may be present to codominant include Ribes montigenum, Vaccinium cespitosum, and Phyllodoce breweri. The herbaceous understory tends to be light cover dominated by graminoids such as Calamagrostis breweri, Carex exserta, Carex fissuricola, Carex spectabilis, Juncus parryi, Luzula subcongesta, Phleum alpinum, Poa secunda, Poa stebbinsii, and Ptilagrostis kingii. Forbs present may include Achillea millefolium, Allium validum, Antennaria media, Antennaria rosea, Arnica mollis, Castilleja lemmonii, Chamerion angustifolium (= Epilobium angustifolium), Cirsium sp., Lupinus lepidus, Mimulus primuloides, Montia chamissoi, Muhlenbergia filiformis, Oreostemma alpigenum var. alpigenum, Pedicularis attollens, Penstemon rydbergii, Potentilla drummondii, Potentilla gracilis, Senecio scorzonella, Senecio triangularis, and/or Symphyotrichum spathulatum var. spathulatum (= Aster occidentalis var. occidentalis).

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This vegetation grows on low-gradient basin floors, streamsides, and wet meadows around 3050-3200 m (10,000-10,500 feet) elevation in the Sierra Nevada of California. Soils are silt or clay loams derived from metamorphic parent materials.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the Sierra Nevada of California and in Oregon and Nevada.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA, NV, OR


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.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.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D031 2.C.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nb.5 Sitka Alder - Booth''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M893 2.C.4.Nb.5
Group 2.C.4.Nb.5.d Willow species - Alder species - Water Birch Riparian & Seep Shrubland Group G527 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Alliance A2563 Sierra Willow Wet Shrubland Alliance A2563 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Association CEGL008700 Sierra Willow / Arrowleaf Ragwort Wet Shrubland CEGL008700 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Association CEGL008701 Sierra Willow / Pacific Onion Wet Shrubland CEGL008701 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Association CEGL008702 Sierra Willow / Shorthair Reedgrass Wet Shrubland CEGL008702 2.C.4.Nb.5.d
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Salix orestera (Sierra gray willow thickets) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [61.115.00]
= Salix orestera Shrubland Alliance (CNPS 2017) [61.115.00]
< Montane Riparian Scrub (#63500) (Holland 1986b)
>< Montane wetland shrub habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Subalpine wetland shrub habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
Concept Author(s): J.O. Sawyer et al. (2009)

Author of Description: G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-26-14
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  • Cheng, S. 2004. Forest Service research natural areas in California. General Technical Paper PSW-GTR-188. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Albany, CA.
  • 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.
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  • Keeler-Wolf, T., M. Schindel, S. San, P. Moore, and D. Hickson. 2003a. Classification of the vegetation of Yosemite National Park and surrounding environs in Tuolumne, Mariposa, Madera and Mono counties, California. Unpublished report by NatureServe in cooperation with the California Native Plant Society and California Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch, Sacramento, CA.
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  • Klikoff, L. G. 1965. Microenvironmental influence on vegetational pattern near timberline in the central Sierra Nevada. Ecological Monographs 35:187-211.
  • Major, J., and D. W. Taylor. 1977. Alpine. Pages 601-675 in: Barbour, M. G. and J. Major, eds. 1977. Terrestrial vegetation of California. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
  • Manning, M. E., and W. G. Padgett. 1995. Riparian community type classification for Humboldt and Toiyabe national forests, Nevada and eastern California. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Region. 306 pp.
  • Potter, D. A. 2005. Riparian plant community classification: West slope, central and southern Sierra Nevada, California. Technical Paper R5-TP-022. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, Vallejo, CA. 634 pp.
  • 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 T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A manual of California vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 471 pp.