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A3887 Hazardia squarrosa - Ericameria palmeri Scrub Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This shrubland alliance is dominated by Hazardia squarrosa and/or Ericameria palmeri, plus other coastal sage shrub species, such as Artemisia californica, Eriogonum cinereum, Eriophyllum confertiflorum, and Salvia spp., and grasses. These are early-successional shrublands occupying sites after disturbances in central and southern coastal California and the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sawtooth Goldenbush - Palmer''s Goldenbush Scrub Alliance

Colloquial Name: Sawtooth Goldenbush - Palmer''s Goldenbush Scrub

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: These early-seral shrublands are dominated by a variable mix of species such as Hazardia squarrosa and Ericameria palmeri, plus other coastal sage species, such as Artemisia californica, Baccharis pilularis, Ceanothus spp., Diplacus aurantiacus, Encelia californica, Eriogonum cinereum, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Eriophyllum confertiflorum, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Lotus scoparius, Malosma laurina, Rhus ovata, Salvia apiana, Salvia leucophylla, Salvia mellifera, and Hesperoyucca whipplei, and grasses. These are early-successional shrublands, generally post-fire, but also after other disturbances. They are found within a matrix of grasslands, both annual and perennial, and grasses are an important component within this alliance. It occurs in central and southern coastal California and the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Hazardia squarrosa or Ericameria palmeri dominant in the shrub layer.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Stands develop from many types of grassland, chaparral and coastal sage scrub after recent fires, and on heavy clay soils. This alliance is transitional from either heavily disturbed annual grasslands or perennial grasslands with Nassella pulchra and Hemizonia fasciculata, to longer-persisting shrublands of Artemisia californica or Salvia leucophylla (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006). It could move to a new seral group within ~Californian Coastal Scrub Macrogroup (M044)$$. Consider adding to this alliance description either Gutierrezia californica and/or Isocoma menziesii as other subshrubs that can be dominant with a mixture of grassland species. Malacothamnus fasciculatus is not associated with grassland matrices like Isocoma, Hazardia, and Ericameria palmeri are (J. Evens pers. comm. 2013).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: These early-successional shrublands are dominated by a variable mix of species such as Hazardia squarrosa and Ericameria palmeri, plus other coastal sage species such as Artemisia californica, Baccharis pilularis, Ceanothus spp., Diplacus aurantiacus, Encelia californica, Eriogonum cinereum, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Eriophyllum confertiflorum, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Lotus scoparius, Malosma laurina, Rhus ovata, Salvia apiana, Salvia leucophylla, Salvia mellifera, and Hesperoyucca whipplei, and several grasses such as Nassella pulchra and Hemizonia fasciculata (= Deinandra fasciculata).

Dynamics:  These are early-successional shrublands, generally post-fire, but also after other disturbances. They are found within a matrix of grasslands, both annual and perennial, and grasses are an important component within this alliance.
Environmental Description:  No Data Available
Geographic Range: This alliance occurs in central and southern coastal California and the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA


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.2 Coastal Sagebrush - Black Sage - Coyotebrush Coastal Scrub Macrogroup M044 2.B.1.Na.2
Group 2.B.1.Na.2.a Common Deerweed - Yerba Santa species - Silver Lupine Coastal-Foothill Seral Scrub Group G782 2.B.1.Na.2.a
Alliance A3887 Sawtooth Goldenbush - Palmer''s Goldenbush Scrub Alliance A3887 2.B.1.Na.2.a
Association CEGL002884 Sawtooth Goldenbush / Purple Needlegrass Shrubland CEGL002884 2.B.1.Na.2.a
Association CEGL003689 Sawtooth Goldenbush / Purple Needlegrass - Clustered Tarweed Shrubland CEGL003689 2.B.1.Na.2.a
Association CEGL003691 Sawtooth Goldenbush - Coastal Sagebrush Shrubland CEGL003691 2.B.1.Na.2.a
Concept Lineage: includes A.2664, A.2671

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Dendromecon rigida (Bush poppy scrub) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.750.00]
> Ericameria linearifolia (Narrowleaf goldenbush scrub) Provisional Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [38.125.00]
> Ericameria palmeri (Palmer’s goldenbush scrub) Provisional Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [38.130.00]
> Eriogonum heermannii (Heermann’s buckwheat patches) Provisional Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [32.035.00]
> Eriogonum wrightii (Wright’s buckwheat patches) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [32.041.00]
> Eriogonum wrightii Alliance (Wright’s buckwheat patches) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
> Gutierrezia californica (California match weed patches) Provisional Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [32.042.00]
> Gutierrezia californica Alliance (California match weed patches) (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
> Hazardia squarrosa (Sawtooth golden bush scrub) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [32.055.00]
> Isocoma menziesii (Menzies’s golden bush scrub) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [32.044.00]
Concept Author(s): M.S. Reid, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M.S. Reid and J. Evens

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

Version Date: 12-18-14
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  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
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