Laserfiche WebLink
• Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) provides all the annual grass cover, 3.5 <br />percent. However, sixweeks fescue (Vulpia octoflora), a very small <br />grass, is occasional]y present. <br />Scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea) and a species of milkvetch <br />(Astragalus sp.) account for all of the 0.5 percent perennial forb <br />cover. Positive identification of the Astragalus sp. was not possible <br />because of a lack of fruits on any of the plants found in the area. <br />Other conspicuous perennial forbs sparsely represented in the vegetation <br />type include: roughseed hiddenflower (Cryptantha flavoculata), <br />Engelmann fleabane (Erigeron engelmannii), hairy goldenaster <br />(Heterotheca villosa), babywhite aster (Leucelene ericoides), and <br />others. See Table 7, Plant Species List. <br />Similarly, annual forbs are common in the vegetation type but provide <br />little cover. Characteristic species present include redstem filaree <br />(Erodium cicutarium), woolly plantain (Plantago patagonica), and Jim <br />• Hill mustard (Sisymbrium altissimum). <br />Soil cryptogamic cover composed of ground lichens was relatively high as <br />1.2 percent. Common lichen in open areas included Xanthoparmelia <br />chlorachroa and X. taractica. Tortula papillosissima, T. ruralis and <br />Grimmia lavigata, mosses, are often present in the shady habitat under <br />sagebrush plants. <br />3.2.2 Production <br />Total herbaceous production is very low at 230 lbs/acre in this shrubby <br />vegetation type (Table 2). Perennial grasses provide about 84 percent <br />or 193 lbs/acre of the total production. Annual grasses account for 13 <br />percent of the production, while perennial forbs provide 3 percent, and <br />annual and biennial forbs less than 1 percent. <br />3.2.3 Woody Plant Density <br />• Woody plant density is relatively high at 4,823 shrubs per acre. Black <br />sagebrush, with 2,339 individuals per acre, accounts for 48 percent of <br /> 8 <br />-_-_ _._: _ <br />_:_~ "' <br />: ~ <br />-i <br />i- <br />~ <br />w <br />: 1'nsir'~Y'iw ?'iiW~~r'k - <br /> w ._..._... <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />+. <br />ra.~ <br />...~,-- <br />