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A3205 Dasylirion spp. / Bouteloua curtipendula - Muhlenbergia setifolia Foothill Desert Grassland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: These semi-desert grasslands are found primarily in the foothills of the Chihuahuan Desert and extend onto mesas and plains in the southwestern Great Plains. Stands have a moderately dense to dense herbaceous layer dominated by perennial grasses such as Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua rothrockii, Muhlenbergia setifolia, or Schizachyrium cirratum. An open canopy of typically mixed shrubs may be present, including Agave lechuguilla, Artemisia bigelovii, Calliandra eriophylla, Dasylirion leiophyllum, Dasylirion wheeleri, Mimosa dysocarpa, Nolina microcarpa, Nolina texana, and Viguiera stenoloba.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sotol species / Sideoats Grama - Curly-leaf Muhly Foothill Desert Grassland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Chihuahuan Desert Foothill Sotol / Sideoats Grama - Curly-leaf Muhly Grassland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: These semi-desert grasslands are found primarily in the foothills of the Chihuahuan Desert and extend onto mesas and plains in the southwestern Great Plains. Stands have a moderately dense to dense herbaceous layer dominated by perennial grasses such as Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua rothrockii, Muhlenbergia setifolia, or Schizachyrium cirratum. An open canopy of typically mixed shrubs may be present. Characteristic shrub species are Agave lechuguilla, Artemisia bigelovii, Calliandra eriophylla, Dasylirion leiophyllum, Dasylirion wheeleri, Mimosa dysocarpa, Nolina microcarpa, Nolina texana, and Viguiera stenoloba. Stands occur on gentle to steep slopes on typically shallow, often rocky soils.

Diagnostic Characteristics: This Chihuahuan Desert alliance is characterized by a moderately dense to dense herbaceous layer dominated by perennial grasses frequently with scattered shrub. Characteristic species include Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua rothrockii, Hilaria belangeri, Muhlenbergia setifolia, and Schizachyrium cirratum. An open canopy of typically mixed shrubs may be present. Characteristic shrub species include Agave lechuguilla, Artemisia bigelovii, Calliandra eriophylla, Dasylirion leiophyllum, Dasylirion wheeleri, Mimosa dysocarpa, Nolina microcarpa, Nolina texana, Viguiera stenoloba, and Yucca faxoniana.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: More classification review is needed to refine this alliance from this complex group, especially in regards to grasslands in the transition zone with the southwestern Great Plains.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Vegetation included in this alliance has a sparse to dense graminoid layer dominated by medium-tall perennial bunchgrasses. Occasional evergreen broad-leaved and needle-leaved trees and sparse cover of shrubs (<10%) are often present. Cover of forbs is also sparse.

Floristics: Stands have a moderately dense to dense herbaceous layer dominated by perennial grasses such as Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua rothrockii, Hesperostipa neomexicana, Hilaria belangeri, Muhlenbergia setifolia, or Schizachyrium cirratum. An open canopy of typically mixed shrubs may be present. Rosette shrubs are characteristic of this foothill semi-desert grassland with Agave lechuguilla, Dasylirion leiophyllum, Dasylirion wheeleri, Nolina microcarpa, Nolina texana, and Yucca faxoniana often present. Other foothill shrub species may include Artemisia bigelovii, Calliandra eriophylla, Mimosa dysocarpa, Parthenium incanum, and Viguiera stenoloba. The forb layer typically has low cover, but may be diverse.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  These semi-desert grasslands are found primarily in the foothills of the Chihuahuan Desert and extend onto mesas and plains in the southwestern Great Plains. Climate is semi-arid. Mean annual precipitation is approximately 24 cm, but is highly variable with drought years not uncommon. Typically, a third of the precipitation occurs in late winter, and two-thirds during July through October, often as high-intensity convective storms. Substrates are often shallow, rocky soils.
Geographic Range: This broadly defined desert grassland (shrub-steppe) alliance is typical of the Borderlands of Arizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico and occurs throughout much of the Chihuahuan Desert, extending west to the Sonoran Desert, with scattered occurrences northward to the Mogollon Rim in central Arizona, and east into Trans-Pecos of western Texas.

Nations: MX,US

States/Provinces:  AZ, MXCHH, MXCOA, MXSON?, NM, OK?, TX


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.3 Black Grama - Bullgrass - Tobosa Grass Chihuahuan Semi-Desert Grassland Macrogroup M087 3.A.2.Na.3
Group 3.A.2.Na.3.a Black Grama - Chino Grama - Bush Muhly Semi-Desert Grassland Group G490 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Alliance A3205 Sotol species / Sideoats Grama - Curly-leaf Muhly Foothill Desert Grassland Alliance A3205 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001376 Ocotillo / Sideoats Grama Shrubland CEGL001376 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001377 Ocotillo / Hairy Grama Shrubland CEGL001377 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001512 Common Sotol / Curly-leaf Muhly Shrub Grassland CEGL001512 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001513 Ocotillo / Curly-leaf Muhly Shrub Grassland CEGL001513 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001544 Bigelow''s Sagebrush / Curly-leaf Muhly Shrub Grassland CEGL001544 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001590 Sideoats Grama - Cane Bluestem Grassland CEGL001590 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001592 Sideoats Grama - Texas Bluestem Grassland CEGL001592 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001593 Common Sotol / Sideoats Grama Shrub Grassland CEGL001593 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001730 Common Sotol / Black Grama Shrub Grassland CEGL001730 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001734 Mariola / Black Grama Shrub Grassland CEGL001734 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001741 Bigelow''s Sagebrush / Black Grama Dwarf-shrub Grassland CEGL001741 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001747 Black Grama - Sideoats Grama Grassland CEGL001747 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001748 Black Grama - Blue Grama Grassland CEGL001748 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001749 Black Grama - Hairy Grama Grassland CEGL001749 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001753 Black Grama - New Mexico Feathergrass Grassland CEGL001753 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001758 Blue Grama - Plains Lovegrass Grassland CEGL001758 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001765 Hairy Grama - Purple Grama Grassland CEGL001765 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL001767 Hairy Grama - Arizona Cottontop Grassland CEGL001767 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL004055 Texas Bluestem Grassland CEGL004055 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL004245 Green Sotol - Lechuguilla / Hairy Grama - Blue Grama - Black Grama Shrubland CEGL004245 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL004248 Eve''s-needle / Hairy Grama - Blue Grama - Black Grama Shrub Grassland CEGL004248 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL004604 Green Sotol - Resinbush - Lechuguilla / Chino Grama Shrubland CEGL004604 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL005330 Rothrock''s Grama Grassland CEGL005330 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL005336 Velvetpod Mimosa / Sideoats Grama Shrubland CEGL005336 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Association CEGL005349 Fairy Duster / Mixed Desert Grasses Shrubland CEGL005349 3.A.2.Na.3.a
Concept Lineage: There are many old alliances included in this alliance some in part such as V.A.5.N.d. Bouteloua curtipendula Herbaceous Alliance (A.1244), V.A.7.N.m. Bouteloua curtipendula Shrub Herbaceous Alliance (A.1552); V.A.7.N.m. Bouteloua hirsuta - Bouteloua gracilis - Bouteloua eriopoda Shrub Herbaceous Alliance (A.1548), III.B.3.N.a. Calliandra eriophylla Shrubland Alliance (A.2684); III.A.5.N.a. Dasylirion leiophyllum - (Agave lechuguilla, Viguiera stenoloba) Shrubland Alliance (A.850); III.A.5.N.a. Fouquieria splendens Shrubland Alliance (A.863), III.B.3.N.a. Mimosa dysocarpa Shrubland Alliance (A.2685); V.A.7.N.e. Muhlenbergia setifolia / Artemisia bigelovii Shrub Herbaceous Alliance (A.1530); and V.A.5.N.c. Schizachyrium cirratum Herbaceous Alliance (A.1221), A.7.N.m. Bouteloua curtipendula Shrub Herbaceous Alliance (A.1552), V.A.5.N.e. Bouteloua eriopoda Herbaceous Alliance (A.1284), V.A.7.N.m. Bouteloua eriopoda Xeromorphic Shrub Herbaceous Alliance (A.1553), V.A.5.N.e. Bouteloua hirsuta Herbaceous Alliance (A.1285), V.A.7.N.h. Muhlenbergia setifolia Shrub Herbaceous Alliance (A.1541), V.A.7.N.h. Muhlenbergia setifolia Shrub Herbaceous Alliance (A.1541) (in part).

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
Concept Author(s): K.A. Schulz, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
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  • Bourgeron, P. S., L. D. Engelking, H. C. Humphries, E. Muldavin, and W. H. Moir. 1995a. Assessing the conservation value of the Gray Ranch: Rarity, diversity and representativeness. Desert Plants 11(2-3):3-68.
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