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A3461 Rhus integrifolia Coastal Bluff Chaparral Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: Coastal bluffs of the southern California coast dominated or codominated by Rhus integrifolia in association with other coastal bluff species.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Lemonade Sumac Coastal Bluff Chaparral Alliance

Colloquial Name: Coastal Bluff Lemonade Sumac Chaparral

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: The vegetation is characterized by a two-tiered, open to continuous shrub canopy dominated or codominated by Rhus integrifolia. Other shrub associates may include Adenostoma fasciculatum, Artemisia californica, Diplacus aurantiacus, Encelia californica, Eriogonum cinereum, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Malacothamnus fasciculatus, Malosma laurina, Opuntia spp., Rhamnus crocea, Salvia leucophylla, Salvia mellifera, Sambucus nigra, Xylococcus bicolor, and Hesperoyucca whipplei. Scattered species of trees, including Juglans californica, Quercus agrifolia, Pinus torreyana, and Schinus molle, may occur. The herbaceous layer is open. These shrublands are known from the southern California coast and occur on gentle to abrupt slopes and coastal bluffs of variable aspect. Soils are loams and clays. Elevations range from 5-750 m.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Shrubland vegetation of southern California coastal bluffs and slopes where Rhus integrifolia has >30% relative cover in association with other coastal scrub species.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Little information exists for the description of this alliance and the information presented here is based on Keeler-Wolf and Evens (2006).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This vegetation is characterized by a two-tiered, open to continuous shrub canopy <3 m tall and dominated by drought-deciduous shrubs typically with a moderate herbaceous layer.

Floristics: The vegetation is characterized by a two-tiered, open to continuous shrub canopy dominated or codominated by Rhus integrifolia. Other shrub associates may include Adenostoma fasciculatum, Artemisia californica, Diplacus aurantiacus, Encelia californica, Eriogonum cinereum, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Malacothamnus fasciculatus, Malosma laurina, Opuntia spp., Rhamnus crocea, Salvia leucophylla, Salvia mellifera, Sambucus nigra, Xylococcus bicolor, and Hesperoyucca whipplei. Scattered species of trees, including Juglans californica, Quercus agrifolia, Pinus torreyana, and Schinus molle, may occur. The herbaceous layer is open.

Species of Interest: Salvia brandegeei (CRPR 1B.2), a Santa Rosa Island endemic, is sometimes present in this alliance. The following species tracked by the CNPS Rare Plant Inventory (2015) occur at less than 20% constancy in samples of this alliance: Lotus dendroideus var. dendroideus (= Acmispon dendroideus var. dendroideus) (CRPR 4.2), Dudleya greenei (CRPR 4.2), Eriogonum grande var. grande (CRPR 4.2), Eriogonum grande var. rubescens (CRPR 1B.2), Hazardia detonsa (CRPR 4.3), Orobanche parishii ssp. brachyloba (CRPR 4.2), and Achnatherum diegoense (= Stipa diegoensis) (CRPR 4.2).

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  These shrublands occur on gentle to abrupt slopes and coastal bluffs of variable aspect. Soils are loams and clays. Elevations range from 5-750 m.
Geographic Range: This alliance is known from the southern California coast from the Santa Monica Mountains and the Channel Islands. It likely occurs into Baja California in Mexico.

Nations: MX,US

States/Provinces:  CA, MXBCN


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.1 Mediterranean Scrub & Grassland Formation F038 2.B.1
Division 2.B.1.Na Californian Scrub & Grassland Division D327 2.B.1.Na
Macrogroup 2.B.1.Na.1 Chamise - Whiteleaf Manzanita - Scrub Oak Chaparral Macrogroup M043 2.B.1.Na.1
Group 2.B.1.Na.1.c Woolly-leaf Manzanita - Glossyleaf Manzanita - Barranca Brush Maritime Chaparral Group G258 2.B.1.Na.1.c
Alliance A3461 Lemonade Sumac Coastal Bluff Chaparral Alliance A3461 2.B.1.Na.1.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Rhus integrifolia (Lemonade berry scrub) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.803.00]
= Rhus integrifolia Coastal Bluff Shrubland Alliance (Rodriguez et al. 2017)
= Rhus integrifolia shrubland alliance (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006)
= Rhus integrifolia Shrubland Alliance (CNPS 2017) [37.803.00]
>< Southern Mixed Chaparral (#37120) (Holland 1986b)
>< Sumac Shrub (Holland 1986b)
? Sumac series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
Concept Author(s): T. Keeler-Wolf and J. Evens (2006)

Author of Description: M.E. Hall

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-26-14
  • CNPS [California Native Plant Society]. 2015-2017. A manual of California vegetation [online]. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://vegetation.cnps.org/].
  • Evens, J., and S. San. 2006. Vegetation alliances of the San Dieguito River Park region, San Diego County, California. Final report (August 2005) Version 2 (revised May 2006). Prepared by California Native Plant Society in cooperation with the California Natural Heritage Program of the California Department of Fish and Game and San Diego Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. 271 pp.
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  • 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.
  • Keeler-Wolf, T., and J. Evens. 2006. Vegetation classification of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and environs in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, California. A report submitted to National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area by California Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch and The California Native Plant Society, Vegetation Program, Sacramento, CA.
  • Lloret, F., and P. H. Zedler. 1991. Recruitment pattern of Rhus integrifolia populations in periods between fire in chaparral. Journal of Vegetation Science 2:217-230.
  • Rodriguez, D., K. G. Sikes, T. Keeler-Wolf, G. Kittel, J. Curtis, C. Curley, and J. Evens. 2017. Vegetation classification of Channel Islands National Park. Report to the National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
  • 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.
  • Sproul, F., T. Keeler-Wolf, P. Gordon-Reedy, J. Dunn, A. Klein, and K. Harper. 2011. Vegetation classification manual for western San Diego County. AECOM, California Department of Fish and Game, San Diego Area Governments.
  • TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. 2007. Santa Cruz Island vegetation map final report: Photo interpretation and mapping classification report. Prepared for The Nature Conservancy by Aerial Information Systems, Inc., Redlands, CA.
  • Taylor, R. S. 2004. A natural history of coastal sage scrub in southern California: Regional floristic patterns and relations to physical geography, how it changes over time, and how well reserves represent its biodiversity. Ph.D. dissertation, Geography Department, University of California, Santa Barbara. 222 pp.