The University of Arizona Department of Biological
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THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES Technical Reports on the Environmental Biology of Arid Regions No. 1 THE SANTA CATALINA MOUNTAINS ECOLOGY FIELD TRIP--DESERT TO MT. LEMMON FIR FOREST (9,150 ft.) by Charles H. Lowe March 10, 1967 THE SANTA CATALINA MOUNTAINS ECOLOGY FIELD TRIP--DESERT TO MT. LEMMON FIR FOREST (9,150 ft.) Charles H. Lowe, University of Arizona Mountain transect of the community ecology (synecology) of the Santa Catalina Mountains (to 2,789 meters) in southeastern Arizona, near Tucson. The vegetation of the Santa Catalina Mountains is discussed by Shreve (1915, and elsewhere), Marshall (1957), Lowe (1961, 196)4.), Martin (1963), Whittaker and Niering (196)-i., 1965), and Patton, Heed, and Lowe (1966). The scientific names and most of the common names (vernaculars) of the plant species will be found in one or more of the following taxonomic works: Benson (19)-i-0, 1950), Kearney and Peebles (1942, 1951, 1960), Benson and Darrow (19)44, 1954), Little (1950, 1953), Gould (1951), Munz and Keck (1959), Wiggins (196)-i-), Critchfield and Little (1966). This report gives a Road Log of plant community stations, and the major perennial plant species that are readily identified and sampled during any season at and in the vicinity of the stations. START: Mileage 0.0, at junction Speedway Blvd. and Wilmot Rd; this is a major paved intersection on the northeast outskirt of Tucson. Elevation, 2400 feet; formerly creosotebush scrub. Stop 1. Mileage 2.2 Lower Bajada, 2500 ft. Station 1. 8.5 miles NE Tucson (center = U. of Arizona). Desertscrub--a creosotebush scrub community creosotebush Larrea divaricata desert fluff-grass Tridens pulchellus six-weeks gramma Bouteloua barbata (annual) burroweed Aplopappus tenuisectus (roadside) Notes: 2. Stop 2. Mileage 6.6 Upper Bajada ecotone, 2700 ft. Station 2. This stop and the 15 others that follow are along the paved Mt. Lemmon Highway. Desertscrub--ecotone community creosotebush scrub X paloverde scrub creosotebush Larrea divaricata foothill paloverde Cercidium microphyllum desert zinnia Zinnia pumila (= ascerosa) yellow paperflower Psilostrophe cooperi (suffretescent) cane cholla Opuntia spinosior Christmas cactus Opuntia leptocaulis desert-holly Perezia nana (perennial herb) Rothrock gramma Bouteloua rothrocki spider grass Aristida ternipes desert fluff-grass Tridens pulchellus Notes: 3. Stop 3. Mileage 8.5 Upper Bajada, 2850 ft. Station 4. At foot of the mountain rockslope--Jct. Soldier Trail Rd. with Mt. Lemmon Highway. Desertscrub--a paloverde scrub community on the slope and a desertscrub riparian community in the arroyo Bajada species foothill paloverde Cercidium microphyllum sahuaro Cereus Giganteus (Carnegiea gigantea) brittlebush Encelia farinosa range-ratany Krameria parvifolia limb erbush Jatropha cardiophylla fairy-duster Calliandra eriophylla ocotillo Fouquieria splendens desert-trixis Trixis californica (suffretescent) teddybear cholla Opuntia bigelovi jumping cholla Opuntia fulgida staghorn cholla Opuntia versicolor barrel cactus Echinocactus wislizeni fishook cactus Mammilaria microcarpa Riparian species blue paloverde Cercidium floridum mesquite Prosopis juliflora mistletoe Phoradendron californicum dodder Cuscuta sp. 1 western soapberry Sapindus drummondi 2 netleaf hackberry Celtis reticulata desert hackberry Celtis pallida3 cat-claw Acacia greggi white-thorn Acacia constricta Mexican crucillo Condalia spathulata gray-thorn Condalia lycioides desert-thorn Lycium spp. Brickell-bush Brickellia coulteri desert-lippia Lippia wrighti desert-lavender Hyptis emoryi ragweed Franseria (= Ambrosia) ambroisiodes desert-broom Baccharis sarothroides burroweed Aplopappus tenuisectus turpentine-bush Aplopappus laricifolius little janusia Janusia gracilis 1 Sapindus saponaria drummondi 2 Celtis laevigata reticulata 3 Celtis tala pallida Notes: Stop 4. Mileage 12.2 Molino Canyon, 3900 ft. Station 7. Ecotones--Upper edge of the Desert Desertscrub and Grassland (desertscrub and desert-grassland species) rosewood Vaquelinia californica mesquite Prosopis juliflora blue paloverde Cercidium floridum wait-a-minute bush Mimosa biuncifera fairy-duster Calliandra eriophylla hollyleaf buckthorn Rhammus crocea elicifolia coral-bean Erythrina flab elliformis ocotillo Fouquieria splendens flat-top buckwheat-bush Eriogonum fasciculatum desert-crossosoma Crossosoma bigelovi desert-lippia Lippia (= Aloysia) wrighti Indian-mallow Abutilon (= Bogenha-r=)-7rispum needle-leaved milkweed Asclepias 1inaria sahuaro Cereus giganteus staghorn cholla Opuntia versicolor prickly pear Opuntia engelmanni amole Agave schotti golden-flowered agave Agave palmeri cryptantha sotol Dasylirion wheeleri beargrass Nolina microcarpa desert-thorn Lycium sp. desert hackberry Celtis pallida ragweed Franseria (= Ambrosia) ambrosiodes desert-broom Baccharis sarathroides Brickell-bush Brickellia coulteri dry sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana turpentine-bush Aplopappus laricifolius deer-vetch Lotus rigidis (suffretescent) lip fern Cheilanthes lindheimeri cliff-brake Pellaea longimucronata Notes: 5. Stop 5. Mileage 13.1 Molino Canyon, 4100 ft. Station 9. Grassland--a desert-grassland community gramma grasses, et al. Bouteloua, Sporobolus, Aristida, Leptochloa, Heteropogon, Tricachne, etc. amole Agave schotti sotol Dasylirion wheeleri golden-flowered agave Agave palmeri wait -a-minute bush Mimosa biuncifera fairy-duster Calliandra eriophylla fern-acacia Acacia angustissima ocotillo Fouquieria splendens staghorn cholla Opuntia versicolor prickly pear Opuntia engelmanni barrel cactus Echinocactus wislizeni sahuaro Cereus giganteus rosewood Vauquelinia californica mesquite Prosopis juliflora desert-broom Baccharis sarothroides turpentine-bush Aplopappus laricifolius Notes: 6. Stop 6. Mileage 14.2 Molino Basin, 4350 ft. Station 10. Evergreen Woodland--an oak woodland community (north-facing slopes) and Woodland-Grassland ecotone--an oak-grass community (south-facing slopes) Emory oak Quercus emoryi Mexican blue oak Quercus oblongifolia alligator-bark juniper Juniperus deppeana rosewood Vaquelinia californica grasses Bouteloua, Sporobolus, Muhlenbergia, Heteropogon, etc. squawbush Rhus trilobata hollyleaf buckthorn Rhamnus crocea ilicifolia siiktassel Garrya wrighti point-leaf manzanita Arctostaphylos pungens beardtongue Penstemon pseudospectabilis feather dalea Dalea formosa wait-a-minute bush Mimosa biuncifera mountain yucca Yucca schotti amole Agave schotti sotol Dasylirion wheeleri beargrass Nolina microcarpa mesquite Pro sopis juliflora turpentine-bush Aplopappus laricifolius ocotillo Fouquieria splendens staghorn cholla Opuntia versicolor prickly pear Opuntia engelmanni barrel cactus Echinocactus wislizeni sahuaro Cereus giganteus (one specimen) Notes: 7. Stop 7. Mileage 16.0 Federal Youth Camp, 4900 ft. Station 11. Evergreen Woodland--an oak woodland community Arizona oak Quercus arizonica Emory oak Quercus emoryi Mexican blue oak Quercus dblongifolia alligator-bark juniper Juniperus deppeana Mexican pinyon Pinus cembroides silktassel Garrya wrighti point-leaf manzanita Arctostaphylos pungens mountain yucca Yucca schotti &mole Agave schotti beargrass Nolina microcarpa sotol Dasylirion wheeleri prickly pear Opuntia engelmanni Notes: 8. Stop 8. Mileage 18.7 Bear Canyon Cypress, 5550 ft. Station 13. (1) Deciduous Woodland--a cottonwood-willow community (2) Cypress Postclimax (north-facing slope) (3) Evergreen Woodland (south-facing slope) In the Deciduous Woodland (primarily broad-leaved, winter-deciduous) Riparian Woodland Fremont cottonwood Populus fremonti narrowleaf cottonwood Populus angustifolia arroyo willow Salix lasiolpis sycamore Platanus racemosa wrighti velvet ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica velutina walnut Juglans rupestris major Madrean alder Alnus oblongifolia Arizona cypress Cupressus arizonica On the north-facing slope (primarily needle-leaved, evergreen) Cypress Postclimax Arizona cypress Cupressus arizonica On the south-facing slope (broad-leaved and needle-leaved, evergreen) Mexican pine-oak Woodland Emory oak Quercus emoryi Arizona oak Quercus arizonica silverleaf oak Quercus hypoleucoides netleaf oak Quercus rugosa (= reticulata) alligator-bark juniper Juniperus deppeana Mexican pinyon Pinus cembroides Chihuahua pine Pinus leiophylla pink-bract manzanita Arctostaphylos pringlei hollyleaf buckthorn Rhamnus crocea ilicifolia mountain yucca Yucca schotti beargrass Nolina microcarpa sotol Dasylirion wheeleri Notes: 9. Stop 9. Mileage 20.1 Bear Canyon Picnic Area, 5900-6000 ft. Station 14. Evergreen Woodland--a Mexican pine-oak woodland community and Coniferous Forest--a ponderosa pine forest community On north-facing slopes (ponderosa pine forest) ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa silverleaf oak Quercus hypoleucoides buck-brush Ceanothus fendleri On the canyon floodplain (ecotone)--the picnic area ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa silverleaf oak Quercus hypoleucoides buck-brush Ceanothus fendleri western choke-cherry Prunus virens coffee-berry Rhamnus californica Arizona oak Quercus arizonica Emory oak Quercus emoryi alligator-bark juniper Juniperus deppeana Mexican pinyon Pinus cembroides Chihuahua pine Pinus leiophylla chihuahuana On south-facing slopes (Mexican pine-oak woodland) Arizona oak Quercus arizonica Emory oak Quercus emoryi alligator-bark juniper Juniperus deppeana Mexican pinyon Pinus cembroides Chihuahua pine Pinus leiophylla chihuahuana Notes: 10. Stop 10. Mileage 22.5 Windy Point, 6650 ft. Station 16. Evergreen Woodland--a Mexican pine-oak woodland community Mexican pinyon Pinus