Plant Species of the Upper Gunnison Basin

Appendix B. Management of Plant Species Contents Federal Interagency Committee for Wetland Delineation I Trees........................................................................................... 788 (1989). II Shrubs ........................................................................................ 791 III Graminoids (Grasses and Grasslike Plants).............................. 806 Descriptive Terminology Code IV Forbs........................................................................................... 819 “Never found in wetlands” not listed or UPL V Ferns and Fern-allies.................................................................. 831 “Generally an upland, nonwetland species” FACU VI Weeds, Introduced Plants, and Poison Plants........................... 831 “Equally likely to be found in wetlands FAC 1. Invasive Plants and Poison Plants.................................... 832 and nonwetlands” 2. Introduced Plants............................................................... 838 “Usually found in wetlands” FACW Table of species and their sites.................................................. 838 “Always found in wetlands” OBL Index to plant species................................................................. 852 2. When production is given below, the units are pounds Notes per acre per year (lb/ac/yr), air-dry weight. Unless otherwise 1. The following words have been used to describe stated, production is given for the above-ground portion of wetland classes found in Reed (1988). “Wetland” as used in live plants. the context means “jurisdictional wetland” as defined by the I. Trees T-1. Abies bifolia (ABBI2) subalpine fir, corkbark fir. and deer; and Low for cattle, sheep, horses, and antelope Characteristic Subalpine tree, often codominant with (Dennis and Antonio 1980). The only tree juniper in the UGB Engelmann spruce. Cold, moderately dry to moderately – but they are short trees, often branched from near the moist, shaded, mossy, well-drained. Subalpine fire is poorly base, so some people would call them shrubs. Cool (“warm” resistant to fire, with its thin bark and a low crown (Crane in UGB), dry, stony, wind-exposed, rainshadow climates. 1982), but it may germinate well after fire, on ashbeds Very commonly used in conservation plantings (Moench (Woodard and Cummins 1987). In the UGB, altitudes for 1995). Rated as Excellent for cold hardiness, drought subalpine fir (ABBI2) average 10,152 ft and range 8,670– resistance, tolerance to alkaline soils, windbreak suitability, 11,720 ft (n = 85). Aspects vary widely, averaging and wildlife suitability (Colorado State Forest Service 1994- 333°(NNW). 1996). The berries are edible either raw or cooked, but better Growth in subalpine fir in the Rocky Mountains is cooked (Harrington and Matsumura 1967). “We have tried moderate to low, declining with age, and is unresponsive to them raw and found they were strong flavored, but not site variables such as elevation, aspect, and insolation actually inedible” (Harrington and Matsumura 1967). Seed (Kaufmann and Ryan 1986). General characteristics, strategies to get around dormancy limitations are described habitats, and seed handling methods are described in in Johnson (1995) and Moench (1995). General description, Franklin (1974, as A. lasiocarpa var. arizonica) and phenology, and seed handling methods described in Johnsen Alexander and others (1990a, as A. lasiocarpa). Highly and Alexander (1974) and in Noble (1990). Never a wetland susceptible to root rot (Fomes annosus or Armillaria species (Reed 1988). mellea), which often prevents subalpine fir from being intensely managed. Generally an upland, non-wetland T-3. Picea engelmannii (PIEN) Engelmann spruce. species (Reed 1988). Characteristic Subalpine tree, often dominant with subalpine The only true fir in the Basin, but there have been fir on slopes, but also occurring in riparian areas at lower unconfirmed reports of Abies concolor, white fir (longer, elevations, where it is elevationally above blue spruce and bluish needles, Montane distribution on warmer sites). In mixing with it in the zone of overlap. Hence Engelmann this document, Abies bifolia includes corkbark fir, more spruce is limited to cold sites. Cold, moderately dry to moist, common in the southern part of the Basin – there are many shaded, mossy. In the UGB, altitudes for Engelmann spruce stands where they are very difficult to tell apart, which is why (PIEN) average 10,288 ft and range 8,650–12,125 ft (n = I have lumped the two subspecies here. Corkbark fir, 156). Aspects vary widely, averaging 325°(NW). formerly known as Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica, is now Apparently, Engelmann spruce is adapted to a wide believed to not merit taxonomic status as a subspecies or a range of moisture conditions, since it is rated as drought- variety (Hunt and Rudloff 1979). Subalpine fir in the Rocky tolerant (Colorado State Forest Service 1994-1996) and it Mountains was formerly considered to be part of Abies sometimes occupies riparian habitats (when they are cold lasiocarpa, now recognized to be restricted to west of the enough; augmentation of water (snowpack) has little effect Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwest (Hunt and Rudloff on growth (Gary 1974). Moist sites have less genetic 1979, Parker and Maze 1984, Hunt 1993). variability than dry sites (Stutz and Mitton 1988). There is more Engelmann spruce at higher elevations within its T-2. Juniperus scopulorum (JUSC2) Rocky Mountain range. A valuable timber tree, but rarely occurs alone juniper, cedro rojo (Herman 1958). In the UGB, altitudes for (Alexander 1986). Rocky Mountain juniper (JUSC2) average 8,277 ft and range Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) is a fairly 7,530–9,760 ft (n = 159). Aspects vary widely, averaging common insect in Engelmann spruce (Schmidt and Hinds 274°(W). 1974, Schmidt and Frye 1977). Insects reduce cone and seed Two growing seasons are needed for cone (berry) production (Cameron and Jenkins 1988). After spruce beetle production, because the seeds must go through > one year of epidemics, such as happened on the Grand Mesa and White “after-ripening” after maturity to become germinable River Plateau around 1875 and again in the 1940’s, species (Herman 1958, Johnson 1995). Growth is slow, and mature composition was dramatically altered in favor of subalpine trees are small, but long-lived, rarely over 3,000 yr (Herman fir. When the forest reaches a basal area of 150-200 ft²/ac, 1958). Smaller trees are easily killed by fire because of thin the risk of spruce beetle outbreak increases (Schmidt and bark, compact crown, and small size. Older trees may survive Hinds 1974). surface fires but be killed by fires that get into the crown. The trees are poorly fire-resistant (Crane 1982), and the Seeds (“berries”) primarily dispersed by birds (Crane 1982). shallow root system is susceptible to fire that burns through The berries of tree junipers are used in popular medicine the duff (Hansen and others 1989). Germinates well after (Moore 1979). Rated as Moderate forage preference for elk fire, on ashbeds (Woodard and Cummins 1987), but the seed 788 bank of Engelmann spruce in the soil is very short-lived, < 2 yr (Johnson and Fryer 1996). Growth in Engelmann spruce T-6. Pinus contorta (PICO) lodgepole pine. Straddling in the Rocky Mountains is moderate, declining with age, and the line between Montane and Subalpine. Upper Montane, is somewhat dependent on site variables such as elevation, where often (always?) seral to Douglas-fir, with aspen aspect, and insolation (Kaufmann and Ryan 1986). Rated as sometimes also seral to both these. Also in lower Subalpine, Excellent for cold hardiness: rated as Good for drought where often seral to Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir, resistance, windbreak suitability, and wildlife suitability; sometimes also with aspen seral to all three. Moderately cool rated as Fair for tolerance to alkaline soils (Colorado State to cold, dry to excessively dry, shaded, well-drained to Forest Service 1994-1996). Seed production varies widely excessively well-drained. In the UGB, altitudes for lodgepole from year to year (8-1,200 x 10³ sound seed/ac); pine (PICO) average 9,883 ft and range 8,160–11,540 ft (n = recommendations for seeding required for adequate tree 314). Aspects vary widely, averaging 230°(SW). stocking are given in Alexander (1986). General description, Well adapted to sites with cold-air drainage, near valley phenology, and seed handling methods are described in bottoms, especially on glacial deposits (Steele and others Safford (1974), Wasser and Shoemaker (1982), and 1981). Lodgepole pine reaches the southernmost extension of Alexander and Shepperd (1990b). Generally an upland, non- its range at about the middle of the UGB, so lodgepole pine is wetland species (Reed 1988). uncommon in the south half of the UGB, and is missing Distinguished from blue spruce by its reddish platy bark, entirely from the native flora of New Mexico (Moir 1993). short cones, finely pubescent twigs, and upper branches at The geographical distribution overlaps closely with that of right angles to the trunk (Jones and Bernard 1977). Several Vaccinium scoparium, which is also rare in New Mexico. Its workers have found no hybridization between Engelmann distribution is almost completely complementary with the and blue spruces, although some overlap occurs between the distribution of ponderosa pine, both geographically and two (Mitton and Andalora 1981, Schaefer and Hanover 1986, elevationally (Komárková and

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