Print Report

A4181 Lasthenia fremontii - Distichlis spicata Vernal Pool Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: Cressa truxillensis, Distichlis spicata, and/or Lasthenia fremontii are characteristically present and may be dominant in the herbaceous layer. This alliance occurs in California at low elevations (0-30 m) in alkaline or saline claypan pools on recent alluvial deposits of <20,000 years old.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Fremont''s Goldfields - Saltgrass Vernal Pool Alliance

Colloquial Name: Fremont''s Goldfields - Saltgrass Alkaline Vernal Pool

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance consists of intermittent to continuous cover of herbs and subshrubs <50 cm in height. Cressa truxillensis, Distichlis spicata, and/or Lasthenia fremontii are characteristically present and may be dominant in the herbaceous layer with other indicator species, including Atriplex persistens, Crypsis schoenoides, Downingia bella, Downingia insignis, Grindelia camporum, Centromadia pungens, Hordeum depressum, Lasthenia glaberrima, Lasthenia platycarpha, Lepidium dictyotum, Lilaea scilloides, Limnanthes douglasii ssp. rosea, Myosurus minimus, Navarretia leucocephala, Plagiobothrys stipitatus, Pleuropogon californicus, and Psilocarphus brevissimus. Other plants may include Achyrachaena mollis, Arthrocnemum subterminale, Brodiaea coronaria, Centromadia spp., Cicendia quadrangularis, Cotula coronopifolia, Crassula connata, Croton setigerus, Cynodon dactylon, Deinandra spp., Eleocharis acicularis, Epilobium spp., Eryngium aristulatum, Gnaphalium palustre, Hemizonia congesta, Hordeum spp., Juncus arcticus, Lactuca serriola, Lepidium spp., Marsilea vestita, Medicago polymorpha, Phalaris lemmonii, Plantago spp., Poa secunda, Polygonum spp., Senecio vulgaris, Spergularia platensis, or Trifolium spp. Rare taxa in this alliance include low constancy of Astragalus tener var. tener, Atriplex persistens, Downingia pusilla, Gratiola heterosepala, Legenere limosa, and Orcuttia pilosa. This alliance occurs in California at low elevations (0-30 m) in alkaline or saline claypan pools on recent alluvial deposits of <20,000 years old. Soils are alkaline (pH >9) with sodium-rich clay and low permeability. They are short-inundated and lose water mostly through evaporation.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Halophytes, such as Cotula coronopifolia, Cressa truxillensis, Crypsis schoenoides, Distichlis spicata, Frankenia salina, and Myosurus minimus, present along with other diagnostic species, such as Downingia insignis, Eryngium aristulatum, Lasthenia fremontii, Plantago elongata, and Psilocarphus brevissimus, found in saline or alkaline vernal pools that have a salt crust or salty soil (Barbour et al. 2007b).

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Barbour et al. (2003, 2007b) recognized the Downingia-Lasthenia class of California vernal pool vegetation on all geomorphic surfaces, landscapes, and soil types in the Central Valley and adjacent foothills. Within that class, they recognized the Frankenia salina - Lasthenia fremontii alliance for the vegetation of shallow, alkaline, or saline vernal pools and playas. This alliance has been renamed as Lasthenia fremontii - Distichlis spicata in concert with Barbour et al. (2008). Most pools are typically large, flooded for long periods, and have shallow groundwater tables. Unlike other vernal pools with similar species composition, they also have perennial halophytes. They are inundated until the late spring with growth taking place later in the season (Barbour et al. 2007b).

This alliance may be better placed in ~North American Desert Alkaline-Saline Marsh & Playa Group (G538)$$.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: No Data Available

Dynamics:  Fire in alkaline pool systems is not well understood historically. Although the likelihood of frequent fire is high in most cismontane grasslands of California, the lower fuel volumes and the wetter condition of the plants in vernal pools with respect to surrounding grasslands may minimize fire spread in vernal pools (Wills 2006). Late summer to fall season fire is likely to have largely neutral to positive effects on the native, seed-banking annuals and geophytes.
Environmental Description:  No Data Available
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in California in the Great Central Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills. It also occurs on the Channel Islands.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

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.3 Winged Water-starwort - Elegant Calicoflower - California Eryngo Western North American Vernal Pool Macrogroup M074 2.C.4.Nb.3
Group 2.C.4.Nb.3.a Californian Vernal Pool Group G530 2.C.4.Nb.3.a
Alliance A4181 Fremont''s Goldfields - Saltgrass Vernal Pool Alliance A4181 2.C.4.Nb.3.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Lasthenia fremontii - Distichlis spicata (Fremont''s goldfields - Saltgrass alkaline vernal pools) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [44.119.00]
= Lasthenia fremontii - Distichlis spicata Herbaceous Alliance (Rodriguez et al. 2017)
>< Native Grassland (#42100) (Holland 1986b)
>< Northern Claypan Vernal Pool (#44120) (Holland 1986b)
< Northern Claypan Vernal Pool Habitat (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
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: 02-23-15
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  • Barbour, M. G., A. Solomeshch, C. Witham, R. Holland, R. Macdonald, S. Cilliers, J. A. Molina, J. Buck, and J. Hillman. 2003. Vernal pool vegetation of California: Variation within pools. Madroño 50:129-146.
  • Barbour, M. G., J. Buck, and A. Solomeshch. 2008. Vernal pool plant communities workshop, April 22-23, 2008. California Native Plant Society Plant Sciences Program and University of California, Sacramento and Davis, CA.
  • CNPS [California Native Plant Society]. 2015-2017. A manual of California vegetation [online]. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://vegetation.cnps.org/].
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  • Holland, R. F. 1976. The vegetation of vernal pools: A survey. Pages 11–15 in: S. Jain, editor. Vernal pools, their ecology and conservation. Publication Number 9. Institute of Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA.
  • 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. R. Elam, K. Lewis, and S. A. Flint. 1998b. California vernal pool assessment. Preliminary report. California Department of Fish and Game, 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.
  • Sawyer, J. O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A manual of California vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 471 pp.
  • Taylor, D. W., G. L. Clifton, R. F. Holland, and C. W. Witham. 1992. Vernal pools along the PGT-PG&E pipeline expansion project, California. Unpublished report for Pacific Gas Transmission Company, San Francisco. Contract No. 9-A177-90 J-569-205. BioSystems Analysis, Inc., Tiburon, CA.
  • Wills, R. 2006. Central Valley bioregion. Pages 295-320 in: N. G. Sugihara, J. W. van Wagtendonk, K. E. Shaffer, J. Fites-Kaufman, and A. E. Thode, editors. Fire in California''s ecosystems. University of California Press, Berkeley.