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Introductory

SPECIES: Artemisia rigida | Stiff Sagebrush
ABBREVIATION : ARTRIG SYNONYMS : Artemisia trifida var. rigida SCS PLANT CODE : NO-ENTRY COMMON NAMES : stiff sagebrush scabland sagebrush TAXONOMY : The fully documented scientific name of stiff sagebrush is Artemisia rigida (Nutt.) Gray. LIFE FORM : Shrub FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : NO-ENTRY OTHER STATUS : NO-ENTRY COMPILED BY AND DATE : J. Hickerson 1986 LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : NO-ENTRY AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : Hickerson, Jody. 1986. Artemisia rigida. In: Remainder of Citation

DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE

SPECIES: Artemisia rigida | Stiff Sagebrush
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : Stiff sagebrush occurs on dry rocky soils in central and eastern Washington, central and eastern Oregon, and adjacent parts of Idaho [7]. It is present throughout the Columbia and Snake River Basins and the northern end of the Great Basin [12]. Many authors include western Montana in the distribution; Ward [13] and Beetle [1] do not. Ward [13] claims the report of stiff sagebrush in western Montana is the result of identification errors [11]. ECOSYSTEMS : FRES21 Ponderosa pine FRES25 Larch FRES29 Sagebrush FRES36 Mountain grasslands STATES : ID MT OR WA ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS : JODA BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS : 5 Columbia Plateau KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS : K011 Western ponderosa forest K014 Grand fir - Douglas-fir forest K050 Fescue - wheatgrass K051 Wheatgrass - bluegrass K055 Sagebrush steppe SAF COVER TYPES : 237 Interior ponderosa pine 239 Pinyon - juniper SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES : NO-ENTRY HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES : Stands of stiff sagebrush may occur next to stands of basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata), mountain big sagebrush (A. tridentata ssp. vaseyana), or threetip sagebrush (A. tripartita). The limitations are clearly edaphic [14]. Stiff sagebrush has been listed as an indicator or dominant species in the following publications: Steppe vegetation of Washington [5] Plant communities of the Blue Mountains in eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington [7] Sagebrush-grass habitat types of southern Idaho [9] Stiff sagebrush communities are often floristically diverse, yet often look impoverished because of sparse vegetation and low ground cover [5,6]. Common associated species include Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), tapertip onion (Allium acuminatum), bulbous woodlandstar (Lithophragma bulbifera), biscuitroot (Lomatium spp.), spring draba (Draba verna), autumn willowweed (Epilobium paniculatum), dwarf monkeyflower (Mimulus nanus), Pacific fescue (Festuca pacifica), bighead clover (Trifolium macrocephalus), and several mosses (Tortula spp., Bryum spp.,Ceratodon spp.) [6]. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is a major increaser on disturbed stiff sagebrush sites.

VALUE AND USE

SPECIES: Artemisia rigida | Stiff Sagebrush
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : NO-ENTRY IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : NO-ENTRY PALATABILITY : Stiff sagebrush is highly palatable to wildlife and livestock; the flowering heads are particularly palatable [10]. This shrub is heavily browsed by big game animals in winter even though the protein content is relatively low [9]. Livestock consume stiff sagebrush when grass forage is not abundant, and it is preferred by elk [5]. Stiff sagebrush is grazed primarily in late fall and early winter, although sage grouse prefer it in the summer [11]. NUTRITIONAL VALUE : NO-ENTRY COVER VALUE : NO-ENTRY VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : NO-ENTRY OTHER USES AND VALUES : NO-ENTRY MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : In the winter and spring when soil moisture is high and there is little protection from surface runoff, trampling damage is severe [8]. Soils are also subjected to frost heaving or frost boles, making successful grass seeding highly improbable [6]. Because of the shallow rocky soils associated with stiff sagebrush, a control program would not be beneficial. The most commonly associated grass species, Sandberg bluegrass, would not be able to utilize the additional soil moisture that would result from sagebrush removal, and reseeding with wheatgrass (Agropyron spp.) would not be economical due to the nature of the soils [9]. Stiff sagebrush should not be sprayed because it is palatable to game and livestock and it reduces wind speed over the shallow soil surface [7]. Reduction in cover would increase thermal stress for small animals [6]. Although an increase in forage yield may not justify treatment costs, severely disturbed sites do need attention. A program designed to provide an open stand of sagebrush with a scattered understory of native herabaceous species has been suggested [9].

BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

SPECIES: Artemisia rigida | Stiff Sagebrush
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : Stiff sagebrush is a low, spreading, winter deciduous shrub 12 to 16 inches (4 dm) tall, with a woody base. The trunk is irregular, branches are densely clustered, short, rigid, and brittle [12]. The deciduous leaves are silvery canescent, spatulate, mostly 0.4 to 1.6 inches (1-4 cm) long, and divided into three to five narrowly linear lobes. The inflorescence is a leafy spike with heads sessile or in small clusters in the axils of conspicuous leaves or bracts. The head is campanulate with many canescent bracts. The heads consists of 5 to 15 perfect disc flowers [1,11]. The species is not known to sprout from the root or layer [2,11]. RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : Phanerophyte REGENERATION PROCESSES : Stiff sagebrush is not known to sprout from the root or layer [2,11]. Regeneration depends on a large production of achenes [1]. SITE CHARACTERISTICS : Stiff sagebrush is restricted to shallow stony soils, 4 to 7 inches (10-18 cm) deep [6], over balsaltic bedrock [5]. Soil textures vary from loams to fine clay loams. Usually they are saturated with water in winter and spring and are regularly subjected to frost heaving [6]. The distribution of stiff sagebrush and low sagebrush overlaps [8]. One of the factors affecting this distribution may be winter light intensity and quality. Stiff sagebrush is deciduous and can tolerate low light intensities during winter months to a greater extent than low sagebrush. Another factor affecting the distribution of the two species may involve bedrock fracturing. Stiff sagebrush can become established in rock fractures where moisture is available later in the summer season [9]. It appears that low sagebrush requires a greater soil depth [8]. The elevational distribution of stiff sagebrush is as follows: se OR 3,500 to 6,000 feet (1,070-1,830 m) ce OR 3,000 to 5,000 feet ( 900-1,500 m) ce WA 3,000 to 5,000 feet ( 900-1,500 m) ID 3,000 to 5,000 feet ( 900-1,500 m) SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : Obligate Climax Species Stiff sagebrush is a climax sagebrush; in forest zones is an indicator of an edaphic climax due to shallow soils [7]. SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : New growth of stiff sagebrush begins in June; young seed heads develop in late July to August. Flowering occurs during September and October, and seeds ripen in November [1].

FIRE ECOLOGY

SPECIES: Artemisia rigida | Stiff Sagebrush
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : Preliminary tests suggest that stiff sagebrush does not sprout after clipping to a height of 1 to 1.5 inches (3-4 cm) [12]. Establishment following fire depends on off-site seed. POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : Secondary colonizer - off-site seed

FIRE EFFECTS

SPECIES: Artemisia rigida | Stiff Sagebrush
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : Since stiff sagebrush does not sprout, it is likely that it would be killed by most fires. DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : The sparse herbaceous understory of stiff sagebrush stands make them practically immune to fire [12]; consequently they can be used for fire control lines [3]. PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : NO-ENTRY DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : NO-ENTRY FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : NO-ENTRY

REFERENCES

SPECIES: Artemisia rigida | Stiff Sagebrush
REFERENCES : 1. Beetle, A. A. 1960. A study of sagebrush: The section Tridentatae of Artemisia. Bulletin 368. Laramie, WY: University of Wyoming, Agricultural Experiment Station. 83 p. [416] 2. Blaisdell, James P.; Murray, Robert B.; McArthur, E. Durant. 1982. Managing Intermountain rangelands--sagebrush-grass ranges. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-134. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 41 p. [467] 3. Clifton, Nancy A. 1981. Response to prescribed fire in a Wyoming big sagebrush/bluebunch wheatgrass habitat type. Moscow, ID: University of Idaho. 39 p. Thesis. [650] 4. Cronquist, Arthur. 1955. Vascular plants of the Pacific Northwest: Part 5: Compositae. Seattle: University of Washington Press. 343 p. [716] 5. Daubenmire, R. 1970. Steppe vegetation of Washington. Technical Bulletin 62. Pullman, WA: Washington State University, College of Agriculture, Washington Agricultural Experiment Station. 131 p. [733] 6. Dealy, J. Edward; Leckenby, Donavin A.; Concannon, Diane M. 1981. Wildlife habitats on managed rangelands--the Great Basin of southeastern Oregon: plant communities and their importance to wildlife. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-120. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest and Range Experiment Station. 66 p. [786] 7. Hall, Frederick C. 1973. Plant communities of the Blue Mountains in eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. R6-Area Guide 3-1. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region. 82 p. [1059] 8. Hironaka, Minoru. 1979. Basic synecological relationships of the Columbia River sagebrush type. In: The sagebrush ecosystem: a symposium: Proceedings; 1978 April; Logan, UT. Logan, UT: Utah State University, College of Natural Resources: 27-32. [1155] 9. Hironaka, M.; Fosberg, M. A.; Winward, A. H. 1983. Sagebrush-grass habitat types of southern Idaho. Bulletin Number 35. Moscow, ID: University of Idaho, Forest, Wildlife and Range Experiment Station. 44 p. [1152] 10. Hopkins, William E.; Kovalchik, Bernard L. 1983. Plant associations of the Crooked River National Grassland. R6 Ecol 133-1983. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region. 98 p. [1193] 11. McArthur, E. Durant; Blauer, A. Clyde; Plummer, A. Perry; Stevens, Richard. 1979. Characteristics and hybridization of important Intermountain shrubs. III. Sunflower family. Res. Pap. INT-220. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 82 p. [1571] 12. Tisdale, E. W.; Hironaka, M. 1981. The sagebrush-grass region: a review of the ecological literature. Bull. 33. Moscow, ID: University of Idaho, Forest, Wildlife and Range Experiment Station. 31 p. [2344] 13. Ward, George H. 1953. Artemisia, section Seriphidium, in North America: a cytotaxonomic study. Contributions from the Dudley Herberium. Stanford, CA: Stanford University, Natural History Museum; 4(6): 155-205. [2454] 14. Winward, Alma H. 1980. Taxonomy and ecology of sagebrush in Oregon. Station Bulletin 642. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University, Agricultural Experiment Station. 15 p. [2585] 15. 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: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p. [434] 16. Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p. [905] 17. Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others]. 1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998] 18. Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York: American Geographical Society. 77 p. [1384] 19. Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p. [2843] 20. Stickney, Peter F. 1989. Seral origin of species originating in northern Rocky Mountain forests. Unpublished draft on file at: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT; RWU 4403 files. 7 p. [20090] 21. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. 1982. National list of scientific plant names. Vol. 1. List of plant names. SCS-TP-159. Washington, DC. 416 p. [11573]

Index

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Information Courtesy: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. Fire Effects Information System

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