Introductory
SPECIES: Artemisia pygmaea | Pygmy Sagebrush 



ABBREVIATION : 
ARTPYG

SYNONYMS : 
NO-ENTRY


SCS PLANT CODE : 
NO-ENTRY


COMMON NAMES : 
   pygmy sagebrush
   pigmy sagebrush


TAXONOMY : 
The fully documented scientific name of pygmy sagebrush is Artemisia
pygmaea A.Gray [9].  Pygmy sagebrush was formerly placed in the
monotypic section Pygmaeae by Rydberg (1916) [1].  Many later
researchers, including Beetle [1] and Ward [22], grouped Artemisia
pygmaea into the section Tridentatae.  According to McArthur [12],
karyotype, stem anatomy, and chromatography all suggest an affinity with
the section Tridentatae.  This unique species is, however, considered by
many to be difficult to place taxonomically [12,18].  Possible origins
of pygmy sagebrush are also unclear.  Beetle [1] maintains that pygmy
sagebrush has more features in common with black sagebrush (Artemisia
nova) and may have diverged from this stalk long ago.  Other researchers
believe that a prototype of the Tridentatae line may have given rise to
pygmy sagebrush [2,22].  According to Beetle [1], pygmy sagebrush is one
of the most uniform types in Tridentatae and shows little evidence of
hybridizing with other species.  Both diploid and tetraploid forms occur
[13].


LIFE FORM : 
Shrub

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
D. Tirmenstein     June, 1987.


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
D. Tirmenstein     January, 1988.


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Tirmenstein, D. 1987. Artemisia pygmaea. In: Remainder of Citation

DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Artemisia pygmaea | Pygmy Sagebrush 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : 
Pygmy sagebrush occurs from northern Arizona throughout the Great Basin
of Nevada and Utah and the Uinta Basin of Utah and Colorado [18].  It is
uncommon, but locally abundant, throughout its range [22] and covers
approximately 21 square miles (5,000 ha) [13].


ECOSYSTEMS : 
   FRES29  Sagebrush
   FRES30  Desert shrub
   FRES35  Pinyon - juniper


STATES : 
     AZ  CO  NV  UT


ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS : 
     BRCA  GRCA


BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS : 
    6  Upper Basin and Range 
    7  Lower Basin and Range
   10  Wyoming Basin
   12  Colorado Plateau


KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS : 
   K023  Juniper - pinyon woodland
   K040  Saltbush - greasewood
   K057  Galleta - three awn shrubsteppe


SAF COVER TYPES : 
   239  Pinyon - juniper


SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES : 
NO-ENTRY


HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES : 
Pygmy sagebrush grows in desert grassland, pinyon-juniper, and salt
desert shrub communities of the Great Basin and Uinta Basin.  At some
mesic, less saline, salt desert sites, pygmy sagebrush, black sagebrush
(Artemisia nova) and/or budsage (Artemisia spinescens) dominate the
plant community [23].  Pygmy sagebrush has not been described as an
indicator of climax.

VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Artemisia pygmaea | Pygmy Sagebrush 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Pygmy sagebrush is small and relatively scarce and consequently provides
little forage for livestock or wildlife [13].


PALATABILITY : 
In some areas of Utah, mule deer use of pygmy sagebrush is described as
moderate [16].  However, Brunner [4] reported that pygmy sagebrush was
rarely browsed in the Great Basin of Nevada.  The overall value of pygmy
sagebrush as browse is probably low [10].  The palatability and degree
of use by livestock and wildlife species for pygmy sagebrush in Utah is
as follows [5]:

Cattle                Poor
Sheep                 Fair
Horses                Poor
Pronghorn             Fair
Elk                   Poor
Mule Deer             Poor
Small mammals         Fair
Small nongame birds   Poor
Upland game birds     Fair
Waterfowl             Poor                         


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Pygmy sagebrush is rated as poor in both energy and protein value [5].
Average utilization by mule deer and relative concentrations of three
major volatile compounds from a Utah study are as follows [16]:

      utilization        methacrolein       alpha-pinene        arthole
          54%               0.35%             28.42%             1.62%



COVER VALUE : 
Pygmy sagebrush provides little cover for larger species of wildife due
to its dwarf, cushionlike growth form.  The degree to which pygmy
sagebrush provides environmental protection during one or more seasons
for wildlife species in Utah is as follows [5]:  

Pronghorn            Poor
Elk                  Poor
Mule deer            Poor
Small mammals        Fair
Small nongame birds  Poor
Upland game birds    Poor
Waterfowl            Poor



VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Some researchers report that pygmy sagebrush has low value for erosion
control and for long- and short-term revegetation [5].  Others claim
that this species has good potential for soil stabilization and is at
least moderately adapted for growth on many types of disturbed sites
[14].

Although pygmy sagebrush spreads well from naturally dispersed seed,
artificial plantings have been unsuccessful [13].  Seed preparation is
apparently difficult, and seed handling characteristics are poor [14].
Individual plants can be divided and successfully transplanted onto
disturbed sites [13,14].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Pygmy sagebrush provides a valuable ground cover on dry alkaline sites
where few other plants can survive [13].

BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Artemisia pygmaea | Pygmy Sagebrush 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Pygmy sagebrush is a dwarf, depressed, perennial cushionlike evergreen
shrub or half-shrub which grows up to 8 inches (2 dm) in height [1,13].
Both diploid and tetraploid forms occur [13].

This desert species exhibits numerous morphological adaptations which
enable it to survive on extremely xeric sites.  Leaves are green,
glabrous, and pinnately divided into 3 to 11 lobes [22].  The numerous
stomates are sunken, and water vessels are extremely narrow which
facilitates water conservation [17].  The bark of older branches is
brown and fibrous, whereas younger branches are straw-colored and
puberulent [22].  Heads made up of three- to five-toothed disk flowers
are arranged in a spikelike inflorescence [1,13].  Ray flowers are
lacking [13].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Chamaephyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Pygmy sagebrush regenerates readily from seed which matures in October
[13].  Seed is large for the genus Artemisia and averages 440,000 per lb
(970 per g) [13].  Pygmy sagebrush generally spreads well from naturally
dispersed seed, although artificial seeding has to date been largely
unsuccessful [13].

Pygmy sagebrush does not resprout after fire or other disturbance
[1,21].  It does, however, establish readily when individual plants are
divided and transplanted [13].

Information on seed dispersal mechanisms, germination, and establishment
is lacking.  Beetle [1] noted that seedlings of pygmy sagebrush are
"unknown."


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Widely disjunct populations of pygmy sagebrush grow on calcareous desert
soils of the Great Basin and Uinta Basin [1,12].  Pygmy sagebrush occurs
on shale barrens at lower elevations [18] and has also been reported on
white gypsum outcrops in the Great Basin of Nevada [4].

It grows in pinyon-juniper communities of Utah [8] and at more mesic
sites in the salt desert shrub zone with black sagebrush and budsage
[23].  In Nevada it is most often associated with the halophytic
threadleaf rubber rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. consimilis)
and in Utah has been reported to occur in large stands with black
sagebrush [13].  Pygmy sagebrush often grows in association with other
cushion-formers [22], many of which are rare or narrowly endemic [8].
It typically occurs extremely xeric sites [17].  Growth on sandy loam,
loam, and clay loam is described as "good" [14].  Pygmy sagebrush also
grows well on alkaline soils [14].  Optimum soil depth is 10 to 20 inches
(25-51 cm) [5].

Pygmy sagebrush grows from 4,000 to 6,000 feet (1,220-1,830 m)
throughout its range [10].  It ocurs from 5,300 to 6,000 feet
(1,617-1,830 m) in Utah [8].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Pygmy sagebrush flowers during August and September.  Seed matures
in October [13].

FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Artemisia pygmaea | Pygmy Sagebrush 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Pygmy sagebrush is killed by fire but readily reoccupies a site through
seed [1].  It does not resprout following fire or other disturbance
[1,21].


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)

FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Artemisia pygmaea | Pygmy Sagebrush 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Pygmy sagebrush is killed by most fires [1].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Pygmy sagebrush does not sprout after aboveground vegetation is killed
by fire [1,21].  It does however, reseed readily following fire [1].
Pygmy sagebrush is reported to spread well from naturally dispersed seed
[13].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

REFERENCES
SPECIES: Artemisia pygmaea | Pygmy Sagebrush 



REFERENCES : 

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       779. Laramie, WY: University of Wyoming, Agricultural Experiment
       Station. 68 p.  [421]

 .  Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals,
       reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
       associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
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       [434]

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       subgenus tridentatae (Beetle). In: McArthur, E. Durant; Welch, Bruce L.,
       compilers. Proceedings--symposium on the biology of Artemisia and
       Chrysothamnus; 1984 July 9-13; Provo, UT. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-200.
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Related categories for Species: Artemisia pygmaea | Pygmy Sagebrush