Print Report

CEGL005748 Encelia actonii Desert Shrubland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Acton''s Brittlebush Desert Shrubland

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This desert scrub association is found at low to upper elevations in California in the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin west to the southeastern Great Valley and inner southern California mountains and valleys. Vegetation is characterized by an open to moderately dense shrub canopy (7-48% cover) dominated by Encelia actonii. Other shrubs characteristically present are Hymenoclea salsola, Larrea tridentata, and Stephanomeria pauciflora. If present, the herbaceous layer is typically sparse (to 8% cover), composed of scattered Eriogonum inflatum, Sphaeralcea ambigua, and exotic annual grass Bromus rubens. Stands are found primarily in intermittently flooded arroyos, canyons bottoms, wash areas and adjacent alluvial fans, road cuts, and other substrates with recent disturbance. Elevation ranges from 243-1610 m. Sites occur on flat to steep slopes (to 37°) on variable aspects. Substrates are typically coarse-textured alluvial soils, usually sand or loam often with high cover of gravel or cobble on the surface. Soils are derived from a variety of substrates such as alluvium, rhyolite, and sandstone that are frequently calcareous.

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: Vegetation is characterized by an open to moderately dense shrub canopy (7-48% cover) dominated by Encelia actonii (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012, Evens et al. 2014). Other shrubs characteristically present are Hymenoclea salsola, Larrea tridentata, and Stephanomeria pauciflora (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012, Evens et al. 2014). If present, the herbaceous layer is typically sparse (to 8% cover), composed of scattered Eriogonum inflatum, Sphaeralcea ambigua, and exotic annual grass Bromus rubens (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012, Evens et al. 2014).

Dynamics:  No Data Available

Environmental Description:  This desert scrub association is found at low to upper elevations in California in the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin west to the southeastern Great Valley and inner southern California mountains and valleys. It is found primarily in intermittently flooded arroyos, canyons bottoms, wash areas and adjacent alluvial fans, road cuts, and other substrates with recent disturbance (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012, Evens et al. 2014). Elevations range from 243-1610 m (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012, Evens et al. 2014). Sites occur on flat to steep slopes (to 37°) on variable aspects. Substrates are typically coarse-textured alluvial soils, usually sand or loam often with high cover of gravel or cobble on the surface. Soils are derived from a variety of substrates such as alluvium, rhyolite, and sandstone that are frequently calcareous (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012, Evens et al. 2014).

Geographic Range: This desert scrub association is found at low to upper elevations in California in the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin west to the southeastern Great Valley and inner southern California mountains and valleys.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA




Confidence Level: Low

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: = Encelia actonii Association (Evens et al. 2014)
= Encelia virginensis ssp. actonii Association (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
< Encelia virginensis (var. actonii in part) Alliance (Keeler-Wolf and Thomas 2000)
= Encelia virginensis undifferentiated (n=4), Encelia actonii undifferentiated (Keeler-Wolf and Thomas 2000)

Concept Author(s): Evens et al. (2014)

Author of Description: K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 11-28-16

  • 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]
  • Buck-Diaz, J., and J. M. Evens. 2011a. Alluvial scrub vegetation of southern California, a focus on the Santa Ana River watershed in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, California. Unpublished report to Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District. California Native Society, Sacramento, CA.
  • Evens, J. M., K. Sikes, D. Hastings, and J. Ratchford. 2014. Vegetation alliance descriptions for Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Death Valley National Park and Mojave National Preserve. Unpublished report submitted to USDI National Park Service, Mojave Desert Network Inventory and Monitoring Program. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
  • Keeler-Wolf, T., and K. Thomas. 2000. Draft descriptions of vegetation alliances for the Mojave Ecosystem Mapping project. California Natural Diversity Database, California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.