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A4179 Grindelia stricta - Grindelia sp. Wet Mudflat Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: Grindelia stricta, Grindelia camporum, or another Grindelia species is dominant in the herbaceous layer. This alliance occurs on slightly elevated or drier ground that is adjacent to coastal dunes, salt marshes, or alkaline marshes, including bluffs, levees, and road margins.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Oregon Gumweed - Gumweed species Wet Mudflat Alliance

Colloquial Name: Gumweed Wet Mudflat

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance consists of intermittent to continuous cover of herbs <1 m in height. Grindelia stricta, Grindelia camporum, or another Grindelia species is dominant in the herbaceous layer with Distichlis spicata, Erigeron glaucus, Frankenia salina, Jaumea carnosa, Juncus arcticus, Limonium californicum, Sarcocornia pacifica, and Triglochin maritima. Non-native species Bromus diandrus, Chenopodium murale, Hordeum murinum, and Mesembryanthemum crystallinum can be abundant. It occurs on slightly elevated or drier ground that is adjacent to coastal dunes, salt marshes, or alkaline marshes, including bluffs, levees, and road margins. On the Channel Islands it is found on upper slopes and ridgetops on moderate to steep slopes (7-14°, 10-30%) on fine clay soils.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Stands of Grindelia stricta appear small (up to 1 ha) in the Central Valley (USFS Section 262A) and vary along the North Coast (263A). Stands at Suisun Marsh (Keeler-Wolf and Vaghti 2000) and at Point Reyes National Seashore (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2003b) form salt meadows with Juncus arcticus or occur adjacent to more low-lying stands of Sarcocornia pacifica. Stands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta (Hickson and Keeler-Wolf 2007) have Distichlis spicata, and they are classified as part of a Distichlis spicata alliance. Many of these stands have been subjected to cattle grazing. Stands observed at Stone Lagoon in Humboldt County associate with Distichlis spicata stands on coastal dunes. Other species of Grindelia appear to occur in similar settings as Grindelia stricta in California. They include observed stands of Grindelia camporum in the Great Valley (262A) in low-lying floodplains. More sampling and analysis are needed to clarify Grindelia stands in overall coastal salt marsh, alkaline marsh, and grassland patterns. Additional stands have been sampled on Anacapa and Santa Rosa islands. Additional samples were analyzed in the Great Valley (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012),

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: This alliance is found in the Central Valley and coastal California.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3?

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass S44 2.C
Formation 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation F013 2.C.4
Division 2.C.4.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D031 2.C.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nb.4 Vancouverian Lowland Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M073 2.C.4.Nb.4
Group 2.C.4.Nb.4.a Blunt Spikerush - Teal Lovegrass - Marsh Seedbox Temperate Pacific Freshwater Wet Mudflat Group G525 2.C.4.Nb.4.a
Alliance A4179 Oregon Gumweed - Gumweed species Wet Mudflat Alliance A4179 2.C.4.Nb.4.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Grindelia (camporum, stricta) Herbaceous Alliance (Rodriguez et al. 2017)
= Grindelia (stricta) (Gum plant patches) Provisional Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [52.206.00]
>< Cismontane Alkali Marsh (#52310) (Holland 1986b)
>< Coastal Brackish Marsh (#52200) (Holland 1986b)
>< Northern Coastal Salt Marsh (#52110) (Holland 1986b)
Concept Author(s): J.O. Sawyer et al. (2009)

Author of Description: M.J. Russo after Sawyer et al. (2009)

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-08-16
  • Buck-Diaz, J., S. Batiuk, and J. M. Evens. 2012. Vegetation alliances and associations of the Great Valley ecoregion, California. California Native Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://cnps.org/cnps/vegetation/pdf/great_valley_eco-vegclass2012.pdf]
  • CNPS [California Native Plant Society]. 2015-2017. A manual of California vegetation [online]. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://vegetation.cnps.org/].
  • 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.
  • Hickson, D., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 2007. Vegetation and land use classification and map of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Prepared for the Bay Delta Region, California Department of Fish and Game by the Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program, California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento. 152 pp. plus appendices.
  • Holland, R. F. 1986b. Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California. Unpublished report prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, Nongame-Heritage Program and Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento. 156 pp.
  • Keeler-Wolf, T., D. Schirokauer, J. Meinke, and P. van der Leeden. 2003b. Classification of the vegetation of Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation area, Samuel P. Taylor, Mount Tamalpais, and Tomales state parks, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties, California. California Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife Habitat Data Analysis Branch, Sacramento, CA.
  • Keeler-Wolf, T., and M. Vaghti. 2000. Vegetation mapping of Suisun Marsh, Solano County, California. A report to the California Department of Water Resources. California Department of Fish and Game, California Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento, CA.
  • Rodriguez, D., K. G. Sikes, T. Keeler-Wolf, G. Kittel, J. Curtis, C. Curley, and J. Evens. 2017. Vegetation classification of Channel Islands National Park. Report to the National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
  • 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.