Print Report

A3860 Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens - Arctostaphylos glandulosa Pre-montane Chaparral Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance contains chaparral of Quercus chrysolepis, Quercus wislizeni, Arctostaphylos glandulosa, and/or Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea as the dominant or codominant species in the shrub canopy. This alliance occurs in cismontane California and tends to occur at middle or moderately high elevations in the central and southern Coast Ranges that regularly experience winter freezes.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Scrub Interior Live Oak - Eastwood''s Manzanita Pre-montane Chaparral Alliance

Colloquial Name: Pre-montane Scrub Interior Live Oak - Eastwood''s Manzanita Chaparral

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance contains Quercus chrysolepis, Quercus wislizeni, Arctostaphylos glandulosa, or Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea as the sole or dominant species in the shrub canopy. Other shrubs may include Adenostoma fasciculatum, Aesculus californica, Arctostaphylos glauca, Ceanothus cuneatus, Ceanothus integerrimus, Ceanothus leucodermis, Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber, Frangula californica, Juniperus californica, Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia, Quercus dumosa, Rhamnus ilicifolia, and Toxicodendron diversilobum. Emergent individual trees could include Pinus coulteri, Pinus sabiniana, and Pinus attenuata. The herbaceous layer is highly variable. This alliance occurs in cismontane California, generally between 300 and 2200 m elevation, often on north-facing slopes. Substrates are usually rocky and derived from alluvium or bedrock. This alliance tends to occur at middle or moderately high elevations in the central and southern Coast Ranges that regularly experience winter freezes. The precipitation pattern where this alliance grows is strongly seasonal, with most rain falling between November and April. Average yearly precipitation totals are around 50 cm. Summers are warm and dry. This alliance often follows disturbance, growing on sites that have been burned, logged, or otherwise disturbed.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This shrubland is characterized by a continuous canopy of sclerophyllous, broad-leaved evergreen shrubs less than 3-6 m in height. Emergent conifers (20-35 m tall) may be present. The herbaceous layer is sparse or absent.

Floristics: This alliance contains Quercus chrysolepis, Quercus wislizeni, Arctostaphylos glandulosa, or Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea as the sole or dominant species in the shrub canopy. Other shrubs may include Adenostoma fasciculatum, Aesculus californica, Arctostaphylos glauca, Ceanothus cuneatus, Ceanothus integerrimus, Ceanothus leucodermis, Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber, Frangula californica (= Rhamnus californica), Juniperus californica, Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia, Quercus dumosa, Rhamnus ilicifolia, and Toxicodendron diversilobum. Emergent individual trees could include Pinus coulteri, Pinus sabiniana, and Pinus attenuata. The herbaceous layer is highly variable.

Dynamics:  This alliance often follows disturbance, growing on sites that have been burned, logged, or otherwise disturbed.
Environmental Description:  This alliance occurs in cismontane California, generally between 300 and 2200 m elevation, often on north-facing slopes. Substrates are usually rocky and derived from alluvium or bedrock. This alliance tends to occur at middle or moderately high elevations in the central and southern Coast Ranges that regularly experience winter freezes. The precipitation pattern where this alliance grows is strongly seasonal, with most rain falling between November and April. Average yearly precipitation totals are around 50 cm. Summers are warm and dry.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found along California''s central and southern Coast Ranges, and in the foothills of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada, and the montane Sierra Nevada, Transverse and Peninsular ranges. It also occurs in the northern portion of Baja California, Mexico.

Nations: MX,US

States/Provinces:  CA, MXBCN


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR

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.b Scrub Oak - Eastwood''s Manzanita - California Ash Chaparral Group G261 2.B.1.Na.1.b
Alliance A3860 Scrub Interior Live Oak - Eastwood''s Manzanita Pre-montane Chaparral Alliance A3860 2.B.1.Na.1.b
Association CEGL003176 Chamise - Eastwood''s Manzanita - Muskbush / Serpentine Reedgrass Shrubland CEGL003176 2.B.1.Na.1.b
Association CEGL003177 Chamise - Eastwood''s Manzanita - Interior Live Oak Shrubland CEGL003177 2.B.1.Na.1.b
Association CEGL003180 Eastwood''s Manzanita - Interior Live Oak Shrubland CEGL003180 2.B.1.Na.1.b
Association CEGL003502 Chamise - Eastwood''s Manzanita Shrubland CEGL003502 2.B.1.Na.1.b
Concept Lineage: A.757, A.776, A.786

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Arctostaphylos glandulosa (Eastwood manzanita chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.302.00]
> Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea (Pink-bract manzanita chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.310.00]
> Quercus chrysolepis (Canyon live oak chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.413.00]
> Quercus wislizeni (Interior live oak chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.420.00]
> Quercus wislizeni Shrubland Alliance (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2012)
> Quercus wislizeni Forest Alliance (Interior live oak woodland) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
>< Interior Live Oak Chaparral (#37A00) (Holland 1986b)
>< Mixed Chaparral (Cheatham and Haller 1975)
>< Northern North Slope Chaparral (#37E10) (Holland 1986b)
>< Poison Oak Chaparral (#37F00) (Holland 1986b)
>< Upper Sonoran Manzanita Chaparral (#37B00) (Holland 1986b)
Concept Author(s): M.S. Reid, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M.S. Reid

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
  • Buck-Diaz, J., S. Batiuk, and J. M. Evens. 2012. Vegetation alliances and associations of the Great Valley ecoregion, California. California Native Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://cnps.org/cnps/vegetation/pdf/great_valley_eco-vegclass2012.pdf]
  • Cheatham, N. H., and J. R. Haller. 1975. An annotated list of California habitat types. Unpublished report. University of California, Natural Land and Water Reserves System.
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  • Hickman, J. C. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. University of California Press, Ltd., Berkeley, CA. 1400 pp.
  • 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.
  • Kartesz, J. T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: J. T. Kartesz and C. A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, NC.
  • Keeler-Wolf, T., P. E. Moore, E. T. Reyes, J. M. Menke, D. N. Johnson, and D. L. Karavidas. 2012. Yosemite National Park vegetation classification and mapping project report. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/YOSE/NRTR--2012/598. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
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  • 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.