Print Report

A4149 Ericameria nauseosa - Eriogonum leptocladon - Tetradymia tetrameres Sparse Scrub Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: Sparsely vegetated scrub of sand dunes, sandsheets and sand blowouts of the western U.S. dominated by Ericameria nauseosa, Eriogonum leptocladon, and/or Tetradymia tetrameres, with understory of herbaceous species such as Achnatherum hymenoides, Leymus flavescens, Muhlenbergia pungens, and/or Psoralidium lanceolatum.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Rubber Rabbitbrush - Sand Buckwheat - Four-part Horsebrush Sparse Scrub Alliance

Colloquial Name: Rubber Rabbitbrush - Sand Buckwheat - Four-part Horsebrush Sparse Scrub

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This sparse shrubland alliance of the western U.S. has open and low vegetative cover from 15 to 50%. Dominant diagnostic shrub species are Ericameria nauseosa, Eriogonum leptocladon, and/or Tetradymia tetrameres. Dominant and consistently present understory herbaceous species include Achnatherum hymenoides, Leymus flavescens, Muhlenbergia pungens, and/or Psoralidium lanceolatum. This sparse community is characteristic of flat to rolling areas of sandsheets, stabilized or moving sand dunes, sand blowouts, or colluvial slopes, between 1220 and 2505 m (4000-8218 feet) elevation. Sites include valley floors, floodplains, and stream terraces, are gentle to moderately sloping, but range from flat to steep and may occur on any aspect. Soils are sands, loamy sands and sandy loams derived from local eroding sandstone or eolian sands. Most of the unvegetated surface is bare soil, although incipient biological soil crusts (consisting mostly of dark cyanobacteria) may cover up to 20% of the ground in more stable sites.

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: Open and sparse low shrubland (<2 m height).

Floristics: This sparse shrubland has open and low vegetative cover from 15 to 60%. Dominant diagnostic shrub species are Ericameria nauseosa, Eriogonum leptocladon, and/or Tetradymia tetrameres. Dominant and consistently present understory herbaceous species include Achnatherum hymenoides, Leymus flavescens, Muhlenbergia pungens, and Psoralidium lanceolatum. Other common shrub associates include Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Ephedra torreyana, Artemisia bigelovii, Atriplex canescens, Eriogonum corymbosum, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Ipomopsis congesta, Opuntia polyacantha, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, and Yucca elata (= var. utahensis). Associated herbaceous species that have very low cover include graminoids such as Aristida purpurea, Hesperostipa comata, Pleuraphis jamesii, and Sporobolus airoides, and forbs such as Abronia fragrans, Chamaesyce glyptosperma, Cirsium calcareum, Cirsium spp., Eriogonum cernuum, Gayophytum humile (= Gayophytum nuttallii), Heterotheca villosa, Lygodesmia grandiflora, Lygodesmia juncea, Machaeranthera canescens (= Aster canescens), Oenothera pallida, Oxytheca dendroidea (= Eriogonum dendroideum), Penstemon palmeri, Phacelia hastata var. hastata (= Phacelia leucophylla), Phacelia heterophylla, Salsola tragus, Sophora stenophylla, Sphaeralcea coccinea, Streptanthella longirostris, and Tragopogon dubius.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This alliance occurs on sandsheets, sand blowouts, and sand dunes both moving and stabilized. Soils are sands, loamy sands and sandy loams derived from local eroding sandstone or eolian sands.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found on southeastern Idaho Snake River basalts, Great Sand Dunes of south-central Colorado, and on the Colorado Plateau of southern and eastern Utah, northeastern Arizona and western Colorado.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AZ, CO, ID, NV, UT, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class C03 3
Subclass 3.B Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Subclass S11 3.B
Formation 3.B.1 Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation F033 3.B.1
Division 3.B.1.Ne Western North American Cool Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Division D040 3.B.1.Ne
Macrogroup 3.B.1.Ne.1 Yellow Rabbitbrush - Blackbrush / Indian Ricegrass Dry Shrubland & Grassland Macrogroup M171 3.B.1.Ne.1
Group 3.B.1.Ne.1.e Intermountain Sparsely Vegetated Dune Scrub & Grassland Group G775 3.B.1.Ne.1.e
Alliance A4149 Rubber Rabbitbrush - Sand Buckwheat - Four-part Horsebrush Sparse Scrub Alliance A4149 3.B.1.Ne.1.e
Association CEGL001329 Rubber Rabbitbrush / Yellow Wildrye / Lemon Scurfpea Shrubland CEGL001329 3.B.1.Ne.1.e
Association CEGL002759 Four-part Horsebrush Dune Sparse Vegetation CEGL002759 3.B.1.Ne.1.e
Association CEGL002821 Sand Buckwheat / Sandhill Muhly Dwarf-shrubland CEGL002821 3.B.1.Ne.1.e
Association CEGL002822 Sand Buckwheat Sparse Vegetation CEGL002822 3.B.1.Ne.1.e
Association CEGL002921 Rubber Rabbitbrush / Sandhill Muhly - Indian Ricegrass Shrub Grassland CEGL002921 3.B.1.Ne.1.e
Association CEGL002980 Rubber Rabbitbrush Sand Deposit Sparse Shrubland CEGL002980 3.B.1.Ne.1.e
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
Concept Author(s): K.A. Schulz, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2014)

Author of Description: G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-27-16
  • 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.