Print Report

CEGL005583 Tsuga mertensiana - Abies lasiocarpa / Vaccinium deliciosum - Phyllodoce empetriformis Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available


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

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This mountain hemlock - subalpine fir woodland of Washington and possibly British Columbia has a tree canopy that is usually dominated by Abies lasiocarpa with Tsuga mertensiana ranging from dominant to present. Abies amabilis is often present. Callitropsis nootkatensis can be present to prominent typically as a tall shrub. The shrubs Vaccinium membranaceum and Rhododendron albiflorum often occur directly under the trees. The well-developed dwarf-shrub layer is codominated by Vaccinium deliciosum and Phyllodoce empetriformis. The herb layer can include Luzula glabrata var. hitchcockii, Lupinus arcticus ssp. subalpinus, Lupinus latifolius, Arnica latifolia, and Valeriana sitchensis. This subalpine parkland association occurs above continuous forest and below upper treeline. It is absent from the driest climatic areas such as the northeast Olympics and northeastern Mount Rainier. Its typical form is a mosaic of tree clumps, small patches of forest or woodland, and dwarf-shrub openings.

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: The tree canopy is usually dominated by Abies lasiocarpa with Tsuga mertensiana ranging from dominant to present. Abies amabilis is often present. Callitropsis nootkatensis (= Cupressus nootkatensis) can be present to prominent typically as a tall shrub. The shrubs Vaccinium membranaceum and Rhododendron albiflorum often occur directly under the trees. The well-developed dwarf-shrub layer is codominated by Vaccinium deliciosum and Phyllodoce empetriformis. The herb layer can include Luzula glabrata var. hitchcockii, Lupinus arcticus ssp. subalpinus, Lupinus latifolius, Arnica latifolia, and Valeriana sitchensis.

Dynamics:  No Data Available

Environmental Description:  No Data Available

Geographic Range: No Data Available

Nations: CA?,US

States/Provinces:  BC?, WA




Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: GNR

Greasons: No Data Available


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. 1992)
< Tsuga mertensiana / Phyllodoce empetriformis - Vaccinium deliciosum (Henderson et al. 1989)
? Tsuga mertensiana / Phyllodoce empetriformis - Vaccinium deliciosum (Lillybridge et al. 1995) [TSME/PHEM-VADE ASSOCIATION CMS354]
= Tsuga mertensiana-Abies lasiocarpa/Vaccinium deliciosum-Phyllodoce empetriformis Woodland (Crawford et al. 2009)
= Tsuga mertensiana-Abies lasiocarpa/Vaccinium deliciosum-Phyllodoce empetriformis Woodland (Meidinger et al. 2005) [PNWCOAST_301]
? Tsuga mertensiana/Phyllodoce empetriformis-Vaccinium deliciosum (Kovalchik 2001)
? Tsuga mertensiana/Phyllodoce empetriformis-Vaccinium deliciosum Association (Diaz et al. 1997)
? Tsuga mertensiana/Vaccinium membranaceum/Phyllodoce empetriformis Community Type (del Moral et al. 1976)

Concept Author(s): Meidinger et al. (2005)

Author of Description: Crawford et al. (2009)

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-11-16

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