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A3951 Ligusticum spp. - Lupinus spp. - Delphinium spp. Montane Mesic Meadow Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: Plant associations within this typically montane mesic meadow alliance are characterized by the dominance of diagnostic species Ligusticum filicinum, Ligusticum porteri, Ligusticum tenuifolium, Lupinus argenteus, or Lupinus parviflorus ssp. myrianthus and occur in the central Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Idaho extending south to ranges in Colorado.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Licorice-root species - Lupine species - Larkspur species Montane Mesic Meadow Alliance

Colloquial Name: Montane Licorice-root - Lupine - Larkspur Mesic Meadow

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: The vegetation of this montane mesic meadow alliance is characterized by a moderately dense, medium-tall herbaceous layer that is dominated by perennial forbs and composed of diagnostic and dominant species Ligusticum filicinum, Ligusticum porteri, Ligusticum tenuifolium, Lupinus argenteus, or Lupinus parviflorus ssp. myrianthus. This vegetation has high species richness. Other high frequency taxa include Delphinium x occidentale, Fragaria virginiana, Osmorhiza occidentalis, Pedicularis bracteosa, Senecio crassulus, Trollius laxus ssp. albiflorus, and Vicia americana. A few graminoids are frequent such as Elymus trachycaulus, Festuca thurberi, Phleum alpinum, Poa alpina, or Trisetum spicatum, but have sparse cover. Plant associations occur in the central Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Idaho extending south to ranges in Colorado. Stands typically occur in montane zones but extend into upper subalpine meadows in swales, depressions and protected areas. Elevation ranges from 2170-3800 m. Sites may be flat to steeply sloped, but all are moist during most of the growing season, and often on lower slopes near snow drifts that are saturated from snowmelt. Aspects are often cooler north- to east-facing. Soils are moderately deep; the upper horizons are well-drained, but stay moist because of a slowly permeable dense clay in the lower horizons.

Diagnostic Characteristics: These are mesic meadows dominated or codominated by forbs; especially diagnostic and often dominant species are Ligusticum filicinum, Ligusticum porteri, Ligusticum tenuifolium, Lupinus argenteus, or Lupinus parviflorus ssp. myrianthus. Other high frequency associated species include Delphinium x occidentale, Fragaria virginiana, Osmorhiza occidentalis, Pedicularis bracteosa, Poa spp., Senecio crassulus, Trollius laxus ssp. albiflorus, and Vicia americana.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: One association in this alliance, ~Lupinus spp. - Poa spp. Meadow (CEGL001943)$$, is based on standing crop data from just three small plots (5x5 m) on Carter Mountain in northwestern Wyoming (Thilenius and Brown 1987). Cover data and more information on this type from Carter Mountain are needed to show whether it is a distinct association or simply a patch in a larger alpine vegetation type. These stands were also disturbed by past domestic sheep grazing. Also, Johnston (1987) reported that Bowns and Bagley (1986) described similar stands at 2800 m in southwestern Utah, which are currently outside the range of this alliance.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Vegetation included in this alliance has a moderately dense to dense (60-100% cover), medium tall (0.5-0.7 m) herbaceous layer that is dominated by perennial forbs. Perennial graminoids are also a consistent component of the vegetation and may form a short herbaceous layer less than 0.5 m tall, but have typically lower cover than the forb layer.

Floristics: This alliance is characterized by a moderately dense, medium-tall herbaceous layer that is dominated by perennial forbs and composed of diagnostic and dominant species Ligusticum filicinum, Ligusticum porteri, Ligusticum tenuifolium, Lupinus argenteus, or Lupinus parviflorus ssp. myrianthus. This vegetation has high species richness with an average of 27 species per plot (Gregory 1983). Other associated species include forbs such as Achillea millefolium, Delphinium x occidentale, Eurybia integrifolia, Geranium viscosissimum var. viscosissimum, Helianthella quinquenervis, Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus, Osmorhiza occidentalis, Pedicularis bracteosa, Potentilla gracilis, Symphyotrichum foliaceum, and Vicia americana from lower elevation stands, and at higher elevations, Arenaria congesta, Geranium viscosissimum var. incisum, Geum rossii, Polygonum bistortoides, Senecio crassulus, and Trollius laxus ssp. albiflorus, sometimes forming an additional short herbaceous layer of cushion plants and short grasses in the upper subalpine/alpine ecotone (Gregory 1983, Thilenius and Brown 1987). A few graminoids are frequent, such as Bromus carinatus, Elymus trachycaulus, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca thurberi, Melica spectabilis, Phleum alpinum, Poa alpina, or Trisetum spicatum, but have sparse cover.

Dynamics:  Disturbance by gophers appears to be necessary to maintaining forb dominance in these subalpine meadows. Gregory (1983) reports that the use of herbicides to control Delphinium x occidentale, which is poisonous to cattle, may have caused grass species to be more important in these meadows than they would be in untreated situations.
Environmental Description:  Plant associations within this mesic meadow alliance are found in the central Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Idaho extending south to ranges in Colorado. Sites are typically montane but extend into the upper subalpine to near treeline with elevations ranging from 2170-3800 m. Stands often occur in swales, depressions and protected areas. Sites may be flat to steeply sloped (0-60%), but all are moist during most of the growing season and often on lower slopes near snow drifts that are saturated from snowmelt. Cooler north- to east-facing aspects are prevalent. Soils are variable but are often moderately deep with the upper horizons well-drained, but staying moist because of slowly permeable dense clay in the lower horizons. Soil texture is gravelly loam to silty clay loam. Soil pH is 5.7-6.8. Parent materials may include glacial till, limestone, loess, quartzite, sandstone, siltstone, and shale. Adjacent communities are subalpine forests dominated by Picea engelmannii or Abies lasiocarpa.
Geographic Range: This alliance occurs in subalpine zones in the central Rocky Mountains in Wyoming, Utah and Idaho and extends south into the Colorado Rockies.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA, CO, ID, WY


Confidence Level: Low

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.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation F012 2.B.2
Division 2.B.2.Nf Western North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D022 2.B.2.Nf
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nf.3 Tufted Hairgrass - Licorice-root species - Mountain Muhly Subalpine-High Montane Mesic Meadow Macrogroup M168 2.B.2.Nf.3
Group 2.B.2.Nf.3.b Greenleaf Fescue - Tufted Hairgrass - Licorice-root species Rocky Mountain-Vancouverian Grassland & Meadow Group G271 2.B.2.Nf.3.b
Alliance A3951 Licorice-root species - Lupine species - Larkspur species Montane Mesic Meadow Alliance A3951 2.B.2.Nf.3.b
Association CEGL001915 Porter''s Licorice-root - Lodgepole Lupine Meadow CEGL001915 2.B.2.Nf.3.b
Association CEGL001916 Porter''s Licorice-root - American Vetch Meadow CEGL001916 2.B.2.Nf.3.b
Association CEGL001917 Idaho Licorice-root - American Globeflower Meadow CEGL001917 2.B.2.Nf.3.b
Association CEGL001941 Fernleaf Licorice-root - Duncecap Larkspur Meadow CEGL001941 2.B.2.Nf.3.b
Association CEGL001942 Silvery Lupine - Virginia Strawberry Meadow CEGL001942 2.B.2.Nf.3.b
Association CEGL001943 Lupine species - Bluegrass species Meadow CEGL001943 2.B.2.Nf.3.b
Association CEGL003491 Broadleaf Lupine Meadow CEGL003491 2.B.2.Nf.3.b
Concept Lineage: This new alliance includes associations from Old Alliance V.B.2.N.a. Ligusticum filicinum Herbaceous Alliance (A.1604), Old Alliance V.B.2.N.a. Ligusticum porteri Herbaceous Alliance (A.1601), Old Alliance V.B.2.N.a. Lupinus argenteus Herbaceous Alliance (A.1605), Old Alliance V.B.2.N.b. Ligusticum tenuifolium Herbaceous Alliance (A.1628).

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Ligusticum porteri Series (Johnston 1987)
> Upland Herb Community Type (Langenheim 1962) [central Colorado?]
Concept Author(s): K.A. Schulz, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 03-14-14
  • Bowns, J. E., and C. F. Bagley. 1986. Vegetation responses to long term sheep grazing on mountain ranges. Journal of Range Management 39:431-434.
  • 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.
  • Gregory, S. 1983. Subalpine forb community types of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming. Unpublished completion report #36 for USDA Forest Service Cooperative Education Agreement (contract 40-8555-3-115). Bozeman, MT 63 pp.
  • Hess, K., and C. H. Wasser. 1982. Grassland, shrubland, and forest habitat types of the White River-Arapaho National Forest. Unpublished final report 53-82 FT-1-19. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO. 335 pp.
  • Johnston, B. C. 1987. Plant associations of Region Two: Potential plant communities of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas. R2-ECOL-87-2. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Lakewood, CO. 429 pp.
  • Langenheim, J. H. 1962. Vegetation and environmental patterns in the Crested Butte area, Gunnison County, Colorado. Ecological Monographs 32:249-285.
  • Terwilliger, C., K. Hess, and C. Wasser. 1979a. Key to the preliminary habitat types of Region 2. Addendum to initial progress report for habitat type classification. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Fort Collins, CO.
  • Thilenius, J. F., and G. R. Brown. 1987. Herded vs. unherded sheep grazing systems on an alpine range in Wyoming. General Technical Report RM-147. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO.