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].

Related categories for Species: Artemisia rigida | Stiff Sagebrush