Print Report

A2536 Ephedra californica - Ephedra trifurca Desert Wash Scrub Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance is characterized by an open shrub layer with Ephedra californica or Ephedra trifurca dominant or codominant with Adenophyllum cooperi, Ambrosia dumosa, Cleome isomeris, Hymenoclea salsola, Larrea tridentata, Lycium andersonii, Cylindropuntia ramosissima, and Senecio flaccidus. Stands are scattered throughout the Mojave, Sonoran, and Colorado desert sections of California, and into the inner central Coast Ranges.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: California Joint-fir - Longleaf Joint-fir Desert Wash Scrub Alliance

Colloquial Name: Joint-fir Desert Wash Scrub

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance is characterized by an open shrub layer with Ephedra californica or Ephedra trifurca dominant or codominant with Adenophyllum cooperi, Ambrosia dumosa, Cleome isomeris, Hymenoclea salsola, Larrea tridentata, Lycium andersonii, Cylindropuntia ramosissima, and Senecio flaccidus. Cismontane stands may include Atriplex spinifera, Eastwoodia elegans, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Eriophyllum confertiflorum, or Gutierrezia californica. The emergent tree layer, when present, is typically sparse, and the herbaceous layer is sparse to open. Schismus spp. are dominant herbs, and Adenophyllum cooperi, Bromus rubens, and Erodium cicutarium are characteristic herbs. Cryptogamic crust is typically present. Stands are scattered throughout the Mojave, Sonoran, and Colorado desert sections of California, and into the inner central Coast Ranges, including the Carrizo Plain National Monument. In the Mojave Desert, the alliance is found at elevations ranging from approximately 750 to 1450 m primarily in dry washes at all aspects. The soils are sandy alluvium derived primarily from granitoid substrates and sometimes rhyolite. Some stands are associated with sandsheets, dunes, and other sandy and austere substrates. On these non-alluvial substrates, the stands often associate with perennial grasses such as Pleuraphis rigida, Poa secunda, Achnatherum hymenoides, and Achnatherum speciosum, as well as various annual herbs. The isolated stands of Ephedra californica found in the inner Coast Ranges are found on ancient, stabilized, diatomaceous dunes and old silty alluvium.

Diagnostic Characteristics: This alliance is characterized by an open shrub layer with Ephedra californica or Ephedra trifurca dominant or codominant. The overall shrub cover ranges from 10 to 25% (Evens et al. 2014). Ephedra californica with 2% absolute cover in the shrub cover (Evens 2000); Ephedra californica with 2% absolute shrub cover, and dominant or may codominate with Gutierrezia californica (Evens et al. 2005); or Ephedra californica dominates, but Hymenoclea salsola may be up to two times Ephedra californica cover before placing stands in the Hymenoclea salsola alliance (Thomas et al. 2004).

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: The alliance forms an open shrub layer and the overall shrub cover ranges from 10 to 25%. The tree layer is typically sparse, and the herb layer is sparse to open. Nonvascular plants are typically sparse.

Floristics: Ephedra californica or Ephedra trifurca is dominant or codominant in stands with Adenophyllum cooperi, Ambrosia dumosa, Cleome isomeris, Hymenoclea salsola, Larrea tridentata, Lycium andersonii, Cylindropuntia ramosissima (= Opuntia ramosissima), and Senecio flaccidus. Cismontane stands may include Atriplex spinifera, Eastwoodia elegans, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Eriophyllum confertiflorum, or Gutierrezia californica. The emergent tree layer, when present, is typically sparse. Schismus spp. are dominant herbs, and Adenophyllum cooperi, Bromus rubens, and Erodium cicutarium are characteristic herbs of stands. Cryptogamic crust is typically present in this alliance. Stands on non-alluvial substrates often associate with perennial grasses such as Pleuraphis rigida, Poa secunda, Achnatherum hymenoides, and Achnatherum speciosum, as well as various annual herbs.

Dynamics:  The alliance is indicative of low-gradient wash sites within the mid and lower elevations of the Mojave Desert; these washes range from 10 to 100 m in width and have variable slope and aspect. Large, continuous stands are found along some washes in the eastern Mojave Desert, but many are small stands less than 100 square meters. Stands on sandsheets tend to stabilize and form mounds. Ephedra californica is a clonal species and may spread by underground rhizomes, making it well-adapted to shifting sand and alluvial substrates (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2005).
Environmental Description:  The alliance occurs in mid- to high-elevation washes in desert and semi-desert areas. Ephedra californica stands occur in areas with shifting sandy alluvium in washes or with eolian sand deposits and residual dunes in the southern Mojave Desert and other similar semi-desert settings in California. A related taxon, Ephedra trifurca, occurs in similar settings in the Colorado Desert and southern Mojave Desert. The soils are sandy alluvium derived primarily from granitoid substrates and sometimes rhyolite. Some stands are associated with sandsheets, dunes, and other sandy and austere substrates.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found scattered throughout the Mojave, Sonoran, and Colorado desert sections and the inner central Coast Ranges of California and

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 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class C03 3
Subclass 3.A Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Woodland, Scrub & Grassland Subclass S06 3.A
Formation 3.A.2 Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation F015 3.A.2
Division 3.A.2.Na North American Warm Desert Scrub & Grassland Division D039 3.A.2.Na
Macrogroup 3.A.2.Na.7 North American Warm-Desert Xeric-Riparian Scrub Macrogroup M092 3.A.2.Na.7
Group 3.A.2.Na.7.a Desert-willow - Apache Plume - Desert Almond Desert Wash & Colluvial Slope Group G541 3.A.2.Na.7.a
Alliance A2536 California Joint-fir - Longleaf Joint-fir Desert Wash Scrub Alliance A2536 3.A.2.Na.7.a
Association CEGL002958 California Joint-fir - Burrobrush Desert Wash Shrubland CEGL002958 3.A.2.Na.7.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Ephedra californica (California joint fir scrub) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [33.270.00]
= Ephedra californica Shrubland Alliance (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2005)
= Ephedra californica Shrubland Alliance (Evens et al. 2014)
= Ephedra californica Shrubland Alliance (CNPS 2017) [33.270.00]
< Bladderpod-California ephedra-narrowleaf goldenbush series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Mojave Creosote Bush Scrub (#34100) (Holland 1986b)
>< Mojave Desert Wash Scrub (#63700) (Holland 1986b)
> Monvero Residual Dunes (#23200) (Holland 1986b)
>< Sonoran Creosote Bush Scrub (#33100) (Holland 1986b)
>< Upper Sonoran Subshrub Scrub (#39000) (Holland 1986b)
Concept Author(s): J.O. Sawyer et al. (2009)

Author of Description: M.J. Russo after Evens et al. (2014) & Keeler-Wolf et al. (2005)

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 03-18-15
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