BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Artemisia pedatifida | Birdfoot Sagebrush 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Birdfoot sagebrush is a dwarf, somewhat mat-forming perennial subshrub
which grows from 2.0 to 5.9 inches (0.5-1.5 dm) in height [10,19].
Numerous erect stems arise from a branching woody base [3].  The root is
described as tough and woody [15].

Leaves are greenish gray and pubescent [16] and once or twice ternate
[10].  The cauline leaves are reduced and often entire [3].  The
inflorescence of birdfoot sagebrush is subracemiform or spiciform [10]
and few-headed [8].  Four to seven marginal pistillate ray flowers are
produced, as well as five to ten perfect but sterile staminate disc
flowers which lack achenes [3,9].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Chamaephyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Birdfoot sagebrush produces few-headed spiciform, subracemiform, or
racemiform inflorescences with four to seven pistillate, and five to ten
disk flowers [3,10].  Regeneration is presumably by seed.  Information on
germination and seedling establishment is lacking.


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Birdfoot sagebrush grows in small isolated stands on dry hills, mesas,
ridges, and high plains [9,10,12].  Annual precipitation at four
representative central Montana sites ranged from 5 to more than 25
inches (13-64 cm) [2].  This species commonly occurs on alkaline desert
soils [16], with good growth reported on saline soils and on loam, clay
loam, and clay [4].  Optimum soil depth is between 10 and 20 inches
(25-51 cm) [4].  General elevational ranges are as follows [4]:

                from:  5,500 to 5,000 ft. (1,678-1,678 m) in CO
                       6,200 to 8,000 ft. (1,891-2,440 m) in MT
                       6,000 to 6,800 ft. (1,830-2,074 m) in UT 
                       4,100 to 7,000 ft. (1,251-2,135 m) in WY




SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Birdfoot sagebrush is a climax indicator at a number of central Montana
range sites [2].  The successional status of birdfoot sagebrush is not
well documented.


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Time of flowering is as follows [3,4,7,15]:

        Location            Beginning of Flowering       End of Flowering
           CO                        June                     August
           ID                        June                     August
           MT                        June                     July
           UT                        May                      June
           WY                        June                     July
     Great Plains                    May                      July

Related categories for Species: Artemisia pedatifida | Birdfoot Sagebrush