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<br />these areas are narrowleaf cottonwood fovpu.Cu~ ortgu~ti~v.lia which range
<br />to as much as 15 m in height, with a few standing dead reaching almost
<br />double that height. One large ponderosa pine /cinu~ pvndenv~a of about
<br />28 m height was observed near the drainage in the Pinyon/Juniper Woodland
<br />mapping unit. Also, one individual of box elder Rcen rtegundv was observed.
<br />Shrubs present in addition to those previously mentioned in the
<br />description of Pinyon/Juniper Woodland include Colorado barberry QenGenie
<br />~end.Le2i and skunkbush ?hug aavma.tica ssp. .t~c.iLvGa#a. Mesic grasses
<br />present include redtop Agicv~#ia g,igan,tea, nodding brome Qrzvmvpai~ pv2teni,
<br />smooth brome Qrtvmvp~<~ irtvJtm<~ ssp. irteiunie, and Canada,wi ldrye E.Lymu~
<br />canaden~i~. Mesic forbs present include western yarrow Achi.l,Leo mi.l,Le~v.Cium
<br />ssp. Cortu.Lvao, ragleaf Bahia (3ahia d[~o~ec.ta, Canada thistle Cia~ium
<br />arzverz~e, showy fleabane ~2igenvrt ~pecivau~, Richardson geranium seitort<um
<br />z,icharzd.~vrzii, aspen peavine Lothy~ua Ceucontha, water speedwel I Vezvn,ico
<br />omoga.LCia-ogua#i co, and American vetch Vic,ia amenicona. Annual or biennial
<br />forbs present include burdock Aact~~um mirzu~, Canada horseweed, marshelder
<br />sumpweed Iva xar+.thi~v.Lia, white sweetclover A1e.Ci.Lv#ua aLGa, yellow sweet-
<br />clover Me,Lilo#ua o~~lcina.li~, Tweedy plantain aLo2togo tu~eedyi, shore
<br />buttercup ?2arturzcu.Lua cymbo#o.¢ia, flannel mullein Ve~cGaacum thap~ua, and
<br />common cocklebur Xanthium ~ Ltuma2ium. Also present locally are the
<br />lichen peGtigeaa can,irto and various mosses.
<br />• 1.2 MOUNTAIN SHRUBLAND
<br />Mountain Shrubland in the Carbon Junction Mine permit area also is
<br />comprised of at least three phases: (11 extremely dense valley bottom
<br />stands, (21 sideslope stands Transitional to Finyon/Juniper Woodland,
<br />and 13) stands of the latter type which have been burned and/or cleared
<br />and which have returned to a pretlominantly mountain shrub cover.
<br />In the extremely dense valley bottom stands, the canopy is dominated
<br />almost completely by Gambel's oak, which approaches 9 m in height. 81ack
<br />chokecherry is the other occasional component of the overstory. Western
<br />virginsbower Clematia -Ligu~#ici~vCia is in the overstory by virtue of its
<br />climbing habit. The understory is virtually without plant cover due to
<br />the dense shading, inTense root competition, and heavy litter cover.
<br />Canopy cover (comprised of virtually all shrub cover) in these stands is
<br />estimated to be between 90 and 100 percent.
<br />In the sideslope Mountain Shrubland, the shrub cover is less contin-
<br />uous, allowing a small amount of understory development. Total plant
<br />cover is estimated to be between 85 and. 90 percent. Shrubs present
<br />mostly as understory or sometimes as minor canopy components include
<br />cliff fendlerbush, New Mexico privet lvze.~tieao nevmexicorza, squawapple,
<br />black chokecherry, and mountain snowberry. Oregon grape, a subshrub,
<br />occurs occasionally in the understory. Grasses and grass-likes present
<br />include thickspike wneatgrass Agrtvpynvn do~y.~#ochy~un, elk sedge Cortex
<br />• g.eyeai, Arizona fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass.
<br />-3-
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