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A1614 Abronia latifolia - Ambrosia chamissonis Dune Grassland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: Sand mat herbaceous vegetation of the southern, central and northern California coasts dominated by Abronia latifolia and Ambrosia chamissonis.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Coastal Sand-verbena - Silver Bur-ragweed Dune Grassland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Dune Mat

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This sand mat herbaceous vegetation is known from the southern, central and northern California coasts. Total herbaceous cover is <50% and dominated by Abronia latifolia and Ambrosia chamissonis. Other herbaceous associates include Abronia maritima, Abronia umbellata, Achillea millefolium, Artemisia pycnocephala, Atriplex spp., Calystegia macrostegia, Calystegia soldanella, Camissonia cheiranthifolia, Cakile maritima, Cardionema ramosissimum, Carpobrotus spp., Croton californicus, Eriogonum latifolium, Eriogonum parvifolium, Erigeron glaucus, Eriophyllum stoechadifolium, Erysimum spp., Fragaria chiloensis, Grindelia stricta, Lathyrus littoralis, Malacothrix incana, and Poa douglasii. Scattered shrubs may include Baccharis pilularis, Ericameria ericoides, Lupinus arboreus, or Lupinus chamissonis. This vegetation occurs on sand dunes of coastal bars, river mouths, spits along the immediate coastline. Elevations range from sea level to 10 m.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Abronia latifolia, Ambrosia chamissonis, and other non-woody dune plants dominate on sand mat areas of southern, central and northern California coasts.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This alliance is poorly documented and described from Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: These are low, forb-dominated communities typically with less than 50% total cover. Emergent, scattered shrubs may be present at low cover.

Floristics: Total herbaceous cover is <50% and dominated by Abronia latifolia and Ambrosia chamissonis. Other herbaceous associates include Abronia maritima, Abronia umbellata, Achillea millefolium, Artemisia pycnocephala, Atriplex spp., Calystegia macrostegia, Calystegia soldanella, Camissonia cheiranthifolia, Cakile maritima, Cardionema ramosissimum, Carpobrotus spp., Croton californicus, Eriogonum latifolium, Eriogonum parvifolium, Erigeron glaucus, Eriophyllum stoechadifolium, Erysimum spp., Fragaria chiloensis, Grindelia stricta, Lathyrus littoralis, Malacothrix incana, and Poa douglasii. Scattered shrubs may include Baccharis pilularis, Ericameria ericoides, Lupinus arboreus, or Lupinus chamissonis.

Dynamics:  Occurrences within the inner dunes have higher species diversity as a result of reduced salt spray and saltwater overwash. The sand is exposed to high solar radiation and creates substrate with higher temperatures. Deep sands may remain moist, receiving and storing water, while the surface sand stays dry much of the time. Summer fogs ameliorate surface conditions to some degree (Pickart and Barbour 2007).
Environmental Description:  This vegetation occurs on sand dunes of coastal bars, river mouths, spits along the immediate coastline. Elevations range from sea level to 10 m.
Geographic Range: This alliance is known from the southern, central and northern California coasts.

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 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass S18 2.B
Formation 2.B.4 Temperate to Polar Scrub & Herb Coastal Vegetation Formation F005 2.B.4
Division 2.B.4.Nb Pacific North American Coastal Scrub & Herb Vegetation Division D027 2.B.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.B.4.Nb.2 Pacific Coastal Beach & Dune Macrogroup M059 2.B.4.Nb.2
Group 2.B.4.Nb.2.a Californian Coastal Beach & Dune Group G663 2.B.4.Nb.2.a
Alliance A1614 Coastal Sand-verbena - Silver Bur-ragweed Dune Grassland Alliance A1614 2.B.4.Nb.2.a
Concept Lineage: equivalent to A.1614

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Abronia latifolia - Ambrosia chamissonis (Dune mat) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [21.100.00]
= Abronia latifolia - Ambrosia chamissonis Herbaceous Alliance (Rodriguez et al. 2017)
= Abronia latifolia-Ambrosia chamissonis Herbaceous Alliance (CNPS 2017) [21.100.00]
= Sand Verbena-Beach Bursage Series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
Concept Author(s): J.O. Sawyer and T. Keeler-Wolf (1995)

Author of Description: M.E. Hall

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-26-14
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