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A3834 Cornus sericea Pacific Slope Shrub Swamp Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: In this alliance, Cornus sericea forms small thickets. Occasionally other shrubs or trees may be present. This shrubland occurs along fast-moving streams in the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Coast Ranges of Washington, Oregon and California, and Coastal Mountains of British Columbia. It is known to occur at elevations from 0-2800 m. It also occurs along backwater channels at lower elevations within the San Joaquin Delta and lowlands of the Puget Trough/Willamette Valley.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Red-osier Dogwood Pacific Slope Shrub Swamp Alliance

Colloquial Name: Pacific Slope Red-osier Dogwood Shrub Swamp

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: In this alliance, Cornus sericea forms small thickets. Occasionally other shrubs or trees may be present and include Prunus virginiana, Ribes nevadense, Rosa woodsii, Rubus parviflorus, Salix hookeriana, Salix jepsonii, Salix lasiolepis, Salix lemmonii, Salix lucida, Salix scouleriana, and Salix sitchensis. This shrubland occurs along fast-moving streams in the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Coast Ranges of Washington, Oregon and California, and Coastal Mountains of British Columbia. It is known to occur at elevations from 0-2800 m. It also occurs along backwater channels at lower elevations within the San Joaquin Delta and lowlands of the Puget Trough/Willamette Valley.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Stands of the Pacific Northwest dominated by Cornus sericea.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This is not the interior type known from the Rocky Mountains. For that, see ~Cornus sericea - Dasiphora fruticosa - Ribes spp. Wet Shrubland Alliance (A3773)$$ in ~Western Montane-Subalpine Riparian & Seep Shrubland Group (G527)$$.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Shrublands dominated by a 1- to 4-m tall, broad-leaved deciduous shrub.

Floristics: Cornus sericea forms small thickets. Occasionally other shrubs or trees may be present and include Salix hookeriana, Salix sitchensis, Prunus virginiana, Ribes nevadense, Rosa woodsii, Rubus parviflorus, Salix jepsonii, Salix lasiolepis, Salix lemmonii, Salix lucida, and Salix scouleriana. The herbaceous stratum is very sparse due to the dense shrub canopy. Graminoid species can include Phalaris arundinacea and Poa palustris. Forb cover is also sparse and can include Galium triflorum and Heracleum maximum (= Heracleum lanatum).

Dynamics:  Cornus sericea forms a relatively stable community because of its strong rhizomes and stolons (Hansen et al. 1988b).
Environmental Description:  This alliance occurs adjacent to streams and rivers, on alluvial terraces adjacent to stream channels and near seeps on moist toeslopes (slope 0-10%) of canyon walls. It also occurs on narrow stream benches in ravines and on narrow terraces of wider valleys. Soils are commonly young with little or no development and usually show evidence of periodic fluvial scouring and deposition. Soil texture varies little from loam to sandy loam with abundant coarse fragments throughout the profile.
Geographic Range: This alliance is known from the western and eastern slopes of the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges of Washington, Oregon and California and Coastal Mountains of British Columbia.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  BC, CA, OR, WA


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

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.4 Vancouverian Lowland Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M073 2.C.4.Nb.4
Group 2.C.4.Nb.4.c Alder species - Willow species - Meadowsweet species Wet Shrubland Group G322 2.C.4.Nb.4.c
Alliance A3834 Red-osier Dogwood Pacific Slope Shrub Swamp Alliance A3834 2.C.4.Nb.4.c
Association CEGL003292 Red-osier Dogwood - (Dune Willow, Sitka Willow) Shrub Swamp CEGL003292 2.C.4.Nb.4.c
Association CEGL005301 Red-osier Dogwood Pacific Shrub Swamp CEGL005301 2.C.4.Nb.4.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Cornus sericea (Red osier thickets) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [80.100.00]
= Cornus sericea Alliance (Red osier thickets) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
= Cornus sericea Shrubland Alliance (CNPS 2017) [80.100.00]
? Swida spp. Series (Johnston 1987)
>< Great Valley Riparian Scrub (#63400) (Holland 1986b)
>< Montane Riparian Scrub (#63500) (Holland 1986b)
< Montane wetland shrub habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
Concept Author(s): G. Kittel, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-08-14
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