Print Report

A3782 Pinus jeffreyi / Arctostaphylos glauca - Ceanothus leucodermis Sparse Shrubland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: Sparsely vegetated steep cliff faces, narrow canyons, and rock outcrops dominated by a variety of opportunistic woody shrubs found in California''s central, southern coastal and interior central ranges.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Jeffrey Pine / Bigberry Manzanita - Chaparral Whitethorn Sparse Shrubland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Jeffrey Pine / Bigberry Manzanita - Chaparral Whitethorn Sparse Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance contains sparsely vegetated steep cliff faces, narrow canyons, and rock outcrops dominated by a variety of opportunistic woody shrubs and trees. Cover does not typically exceed 10%. Composition is made up of opportunistic species often from surrounding communities, including scattered trees and shrubs such as Arctostaphylos glauca, Ceanothus leucodermis, Ceanothus megacarpus, Cercocarpus montanus, Frangula californica, Pinus contorta var. murrayana, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus ponderosa, Pinus sabiniana, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Xylococcus bicolor. This alliance is found within California''s central, southern coastal and interior central ranges and Sierra Nevada. Substrate is rocky or thin skeletal soil of various parent materials.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Sparsely vegetated steep cliff faces, narrow canyons, and rock outcrops where cover does not typically exceed 10%. Substrate is rocky or thin soil including igneous, sedimentary, and serpentinite parent material. Composition is made up of opportunistic species often from surrounding communities including scattered trees and shrubs such as Arctostaphylos glauca, Ceanothus leucodermis, Ceanothus megacarpus, Cercocarpus montanus, Frangula californica, Pinus contorta var. murrayana, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus ponderosa, Pinus sabiniana, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Xylococcus bicolor.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This alliance may warrant splitting into a northern and southern alliance based on diagnostic species. This will be determined as more information is made available. The nominal species for this alliance represent two of the more ubiquitous species of this habitat and range.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is composed of sparsely vegetated woody species, including cold-deciduous shrubs and stunted needle leaved evergreen trees.

Floristics: Vegetation includes opportunistic species often from surrounding communities including scattered trees and shrubs such as Arctostaphylos glauca, Ceanothus leucodermis, Ceanothus megacarpus, Cercocarpus montanus, Frangula californica, Pinus contorta var. murrayana, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus ponderosa, Pinus sabiniana, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Xylococcus bicolor. Cover does not typically exceed 10%.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This alliance occurs on steep cliff faces, narrow canyons, and rock outcrops. Substrate is rocky or thin skeletal soil of various parent materials.
Geographic Range: This alliance is known from California''s central, southern coastal and interior central ranges and Sierra Nevada.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 6 Open Rock Vegetation Class C06 6
Subclass 6.B Temperate & Boreal Open Rock Vegetation Subclass S04 6.B
Formation 6.B.1 Temperate & Boreal Cliff, Scree & Other Rock Vegetation Formation F034 6.B.1
Division 6.B.1.Nb Western North American Temperate Cliff, Scree & Rock Vegetation Division D052 6.B.1.Nb
Macrogroup 6.B.1.Nb.1 Douglas-fir - Ponderosa Pine / Moss Western North American Cliff, Scree & Rock Vegetation Macrogroup M887 6.B.1.Nb.1
Group 6.B.1.Nb.1.a Sierra Lodgepole Pine / Bigpod Ceanothus - Smooth Mountain-mahogany Cliff, Scree & Rock Vegetation Group G563 6.B.1.Nb.1.a
Alliance A3782 Jeffrey Pine / Bigberry Manzanita - Chaparral Whitethorn Sparse Shrubland Alliance A3782 6.B.1.Nb.1.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Pinus jeffreyi (Jeffrey pine forest) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [87.020.00]
Concept Author(s): J.O. Sawyer, T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens (2009)

Author of Description: M.E. Hall and J. Evens

Acknowledgements: We have incorporated significant descriptive information previously compiled by J. Evens.

Version Date: 09-26-14
  • 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.
  • 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.