Print Report

CEGL005579 Tsuga mertensiana / Phyllodoce empetriformis - Vaccinium deliciosum Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Mountain Hemlock / Pink Mountain-heath - Cascade Bilberry Woodland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This mountain hemlock woodland occurs in Washington and possibly British Columbia. It typically forms a mosaic of tree clumps or small patches of forest or woodland with dwarf-shrub openings. It also occurs as an upper montane woodland just below the subalpine parkland. Tsuga mertensiana dominates the tree layer and Abies amabilis is usually present to prominent. Abies lasiocarpa is usually absent or, if present, is relatively minor in comparison to other trees. The shrubs Vaccinium alaskaense, Rhododendron albiflorum, or Vaccinium membranaceum are usually present and often have substantial cover around the bases of trees. The dominant understory vegetation is dwarf-shrubs, primarily Phyllodoce empetriformis and Vaccinium deliciosum, and secondarily Cassiope mertensiana and Luetkea pectinata. This subalpine parkland or woodland association is found at high elevations. It is absent from dry climatic areas including the northeastern Olympics and northeastern Mount Rainier.

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: No Data Available

Floristics: No Data Available

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  No Data Available
Geographic Range: No Data Available

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  BC, OR, WA


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 1 Forest & Woodland Class C01 1
Subclass 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass S15 1.B
Formation 1.B.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation F008 1.B.2
Division 1.B.2.Nd Vancouverian Forest & Woodland Division D192 1.B.2.Nd
Macrogroup 1.B.2.Nd.4 California Red Fir - Mountain Hemlock - Sierra Lodgepole Pine Forest Macrogroup M025 1.B.2.Nd.4
Group 1.B.2.Nd.4.c Mountain Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir - Alaska-cedar Wood Group G849 1.B.2.Nd.4.c
Alliance A3727 Mountain Hemlock - Pacific Silver Fir - Alaska-cedar Tree Island Alliance A3727 1.B.2.Nd.4.c
Association CEGL005579 Mountain Hemlock / Pink Mountain-heath - Cascade Bilberry Woodland CEGL005579 1.B.2.Nd.4.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Tsuga mertensiana / Phyllodoce empetriformis - Vaccinium deliciosum (Henderson et al. 1989)
< Tsuga mertensiana / Phyllodoce empetriformis - Vaccinium deliciosum (Henderson et al. 1992)
? Tsuga mertensiana / Phyllodoce empetriformis - Vaccinium deliciosum (Lillybridge et al. 1995) [TSME/PHEM-VADE ASSOCIATION CMS354]
? Tsuga mertensiana / Phyllodoce empetriformis (Sawyer et al. 2009) [84.100.01]
? Tsuga mertensiana/Phyllodoce empetriformis-Vaccinium deliciosum (Kovalchik 2001)
? Tsuga mertensiana/Phyllodoce empetriformis-Vaccinium deliciosum Association (Diaz et al. 1997)
= Tsuga mertensiana/Phyllodoce empetriformis-Vaccinium deliciosum Woodland (Crawford et al. 2009) [PNWCOAST_286]
= Tsuga mertensiana/Phyllodoce empetriformis-Vaccinium deliciosum Woodland (Meidinger et al. 2005) [PNWCOAST_286]
? Tsuga mertensiana/Vaccinium membranaceum/Phyllodoce empetriformis Community Type (del Moral et al. 1976)
? MH mmp1 /01 (Banner et al. 1993)
? MH mmp1 /01 (Green and Klinka 1994)
Concept Author(s): Meidinger et al. (2005)

Author of Description: Crawford et al. (2009)

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-11-16
  • BCMFRB [British Columbia Ministry of Forests Research Branch]. 2003a. Vegetation classification hierarchy: BECMaster May 2003. British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Victoria, BC.
  • Banner, A., W. MacKenzie, S. Haeussler, S. Thomson, J. Pojar, and R. Trowbridge. 1993. A field guide to site identification and interpretation for the Prince Rupert Forest Region. Ministry of Forests Research Program. Victoria, BC. Parts 1 and 2. Land Management Handbook Number 26.
  • Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
  • Chappell, C. B. 2006a. Plant associations of balds and bluffs of western Washington. Natural Heritage Report 2006-02. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Olympia. [http://www.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/communities/pdf/balds_veg.pdf]
  • Crawford, R. C., C. B. Chappell, C. C. Thompson, and F. J. Rocchio. 2009. Vegetation classification of Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic national parks. Plant association descriptions and identification keys: Appendices A-G. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCCN/NRTR--2009/D-586. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 586 pp.
  • Diaz, N. M., C. T. High, T. K. Mellen, D. E. Smith, and C. Topik. 1997. Plant association and management guide for the mountain hemlock zone. Gifford Pinchot and Mt. Hood National Forests. Technical Report R6-MTH-GP-TP-08-95. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 111 pp.
  • Douglas, G. W. 1971. An ecological survey of potential natural areas in the North Cascades National Park complex. Unpublished report prepared for Intercampus Education and Science Preserves Commission, State of Washington. 137 pp.
  • Green, R. N., and K. Klinka. 1994. A field guide to site interpretation for the Vancouver Forest Region. British Columbia Ministry of Forests. ISSN 0229-1622 Land Management Handbook 28. 285 pp.
  • Henderson, J. A., D. A. Peter, R. Lesher, and D. C. Shaw. 1989. Forested plant associations of the Olympic National Forest. R6-ECOL-TP-001-88. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 502 pp.
  • Henderson, J. A., D. A. Peter, R. Lesher, and D. C. Shaw. 1992. Field guide to forested plant associations of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Technical Paper R6-ECOL-TP-028-91. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 196 pp.
  • Henderson, J. A., D. A. Peter, and R. Lesher. 1985. Preliminary plant associations and habitat types of the Mt. Baker Ranger District, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Unpublished report for USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region. 74 pp.
  • Henderson, J. A., D. A. Peter, and R. Lesher. 1986. Preliminary plant associations of the Olympic National Forest. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region. 136 pp.
  • Henderson, J. A., and D. Peter. 1983. Preliminary plant associations and habitat types of the Skykomish Ranger District, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Unpublished report prepared for USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region. 67 pp.
  • Kovalchik, B. L. 2001. Classification and management of aquatic, riparian and wetland sites on the national forests of eastern Washington. Part 1: The series descriptions. 429 pp. plus appendix. [http://www.reo.gov/col/wetland_classification/wetland_classification.pdf]
  • Lillybridge, T. R., B. L. Kovalchik, C. K. Williams, and B. G. Smith. 1995. Field guide for forested plant associations of the Wenatchee National Forest. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-359. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR. 335 pp.
  • Meidinger, D., C. Chappell, C. Cadrin, G. Kittel, C. McCain, K. Boggs, J. Kagan, G. Cushon, A. Banner, and T. DeMeo. 2005. International Vegetation Classification of the Pacific Northwest: International correlation of temperate coastal forest plant associations of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. Contributors: B.C. Ministry of Forests, USDA Forest Service, B.C. Conservation Data Centre, Alaska Natural Heritage Program, Washington Natural Heritage Program, and Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center.
  • 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.
  • WNHP [Washington Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data files. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA.
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
  • del Moral, R., A. F. Watson, and R. S. Fleming. 1976. Vegetation structure in the Alpine Lakes region of Washington State: Classification of vegetation on granitic rocks. Syesis 9:291-316.