Lodgepole Pine at Crater Lake: History and Management of the Forest Structure
Appendix B
Key to the Plant Communities in the Pinus contorta Forest of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon (from Zeigler, 1978)
(Pinus contorta must comprise at least 50% of the canopy, and is usually much more important. The key species must be within 15 m of the observer. The descriptions following the dash are simply aids to the field worker. The number in parentheses following the community name corresponds to the community number in the text and in Appendix C.)
A. Abies-Tsuga reproduction less than 10% of total reproduction
I. Calocedrus decurrens present in canopy and as reproduction – steep rocky slopes; Arctostaphylos spp. and Ceanothus spp. common
CALOCEDRUS DECURRENS/ARCTOSTAPHYLOS (1)
II. Calocedrus decurrens absent
1 – Purshia tridentata present in understory – east side; Carex pensylvanica, Stipa occidentalis, Lupinus lepidus and Haplopappus bloomeri present
PINUS CONTORTA/PURSHIA/CAREX (2)
11 – Purshia tridentata absenta Lupinus albicaulis present – understory of C. pensylvanica, Stipa, Sitanion hystrix; Ribes cereum and Haplopappus bloomeri may be present
PINUS CONTORTA/CAREX-LUPINUS (4)
aa Lupinus albicaulis absent – depauperate understory with Carex, Stipa and Lupinus lepidus present; Eriogonum marifolium and Spraguea umbellata may be present.
PINUS CONTORTA/CAREX-STIPA (3)
AA. Abies-Tsuga reproduction greater than 10% of total reproduction (conspicuous)
I. Lupinus albicaulis and/or L. latifolius present
1 Abies concolor reproduction more abundant than A. magnifica var. shastensis. – Bromus carinatus, Haplopappus bloomeri, Carex, Stipa and Sitanion hystrix may be present.
ABIES CONCOLOR/BROMUS CARINATUS-LUPINUS (5)
11 Abies concolor less abundant (usually absent or rare) than A. magnifica var. shastensis or A. lasiocarpa
a Lathyrus nevadensis and Collomia mazama present – Solidago, Trifolium, Ranunculus species, Senecio triangularis, Veratrum viridae as well as numerous other species may be present; forest-meadow mosaic.
ABIES LASIOCARPA/COLLOMIA-LATHYRUS (6)
aa Lathyrus and Collomia absent
i at least two of the following species present: Elymus glaucus, Aster ledophyllous, Haplopappus greenei, Penstemon rydbergii – Forest-meadow mosaic.
ABIES LASIOCARPA/HAPLOPAPPUS/ASTER-ELYMUS (7)
ii above combination of species absent. – A. magnifica var. shastensis and T. mertensiana reproduction abundant; Elymus glaucus may be present.
ABIES MAGNIFICA VAR. SHASTENSIS-TSUGA MERTENSIANA/CAREX-LUPINUS (8)
II. Lupinus albicaulis and L. latifolius absent
1 Purshia tridentata present – east side; steeper slopes; A. magnifica var. shastensis, Pinus ponderosa, P. monticola, Arctostaphylos spp. may be present.
MIXED CONIFER/ARCTOSTAPHYLOS-PURSHIA/STIPA (9)
11 Purshia tridentata absent
a Vaccinium scoparium present – cooler moister areas, T. mertensiana present, depauperate understory.
TSUGA MERTENSIANA/VACCINIUM (10)
aa Vaccinium scoparium absent – Arctostaphylos spp. present, P. monticola and A. magnifica var. shastensis present in quantity and may be quite large. Tsuga mertensiana rare.
MIXED CONIFER/ARCTOSTAPHYLOS (11)
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