Introductory
SPECIES: Salix brachycarpa | Barren-Ground Willow 



ABBREVIATION : 
SALBRA

SYNONYMS : 
NO-ENTRY


SCS PLANT CODE : 
   SABR
   SABRN


COMMON NAMES : 
   barren-ground willow


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name for barren-ground willow is
Salix brachycarpa Nutt [19].  There are two recognized varieties based
on slight morphological and ecological differences [15,19,22]:

var. brachycarpa Nutt. (typical variety)
var. niphoclada (Rydb.) Argus (artic variety)



LIFE FORM : 
Shrub

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
No special status

OTHER STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
Milo Coladonato, June 1993


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
NO-ENTRY


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Coladonato, Milo. 1993 Salix brachycarpa. In: Remainder of Citation

DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Salix brachycarpa | Barren-Ground Willow 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : 
Barren-ground willow grows throughout Alaska except for the Aleutian
Islands and along the southeastern coast.  In northern Canada it grows
from the Yukon Territory to adjacent British Columbia and east to the
Hudson Bay.  In the contiguous United States barren-ground willow grows
from the Canadian border southward in the cordilleras to Utah and
Colorado [3,7,15,19].


ECOSYSTEMS : 
   FRES11  Spruce - fir
   FRES23  Fir - spruce
   FRES44  Alpine


STATES : 
     AK  CO  ID  MT  OR  UT  WA  WY  AB  BC
     MB  NY  SK  YT


ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS : 
     DENA  FLFO  GLAC  LACL  YUCH


BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS : 
    8  Northern Rocky Mountains
    9  Middle Rocky Mountains
   10  Wyoming Basin
   11  Southern Rocky Mountains


KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS : 
   K015  Western spruce - fir forest
   K052  Alpine meadows and barren


SAF COVER TYPES : 
    12  Black spruce
   107  White spruce
   201  White spruce
   204  Black spruce
   206  Engelmann spruce - subalpine fir
   251  White spruce - aspen
   253  Black spruce - white spruce


SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES : 
NO-ENTRY


HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES : 
Barren-ground willow codominates in several willow and mixed shrub
floodplain communities in Alaska and northern Canada [2].  In
northwestern Colorado, it is a codominant along rivers and streams along
with diamondleaf willow (Salix planifolia), marsh marigold (Caltha
leptosepala), and water sedge (Carex aquatilis) [3].  Other riparian
community associates include Alaska willow (S. alaxensis), littletree
willow (S. arbusculoides), grayleaf willow (S. glauca), and alders
(Alnus spp.) [4,18].

VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Salix brachycarpa | Barren-Ground Willow 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Barren-ground willow is an important forage for moose in the floodplains
of interior Alaska and has been planted for moose habitat restoration on
the North Slope of Alaska [8,26].

Willows (Salix spp.) are generally a preferred food and building
material for beaver [2].  Willow shoots, catkins, and buds are eaten by
numerous small mammals and birds [5,12].


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Willow stems are commonly planted for restoration of wildlife habitat,
streambank protection, and the reclamation of sites disturbed by mining
and construction [20].  Barren-ground willow is apparently well suited
for these purposes.  Barren-ground willow is also planted for windbreaks
[27].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
All willows produce salacin which is closely related chemically to
aspirin.  Native American used various preparations from willows to
treat toothache, bee stings, stomachache, and diarrhea [14,17].  Native
Americans also used flexible willow stems for making baskets, bows,
arrows, and fish and muskrat traps [14].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Salix brachycarpa | Barren-Ground Willow 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Barren-ground willow is a much-branched, low-growing, and often
prostrate shrub typically between 1 and 3 feet (0.3-0.9 m) tall.  Male
and female flowers occur on separate plants in 0.7- to 2-inch-long
(1.5-5 cm) catkins that persist throughout the summer and often through
the following winter.  The fruit is a two-valved capsule [3,6,19,28].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Phanerophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Like all willows, barren-ground willow's primary mode of reproduction is
sexual.  It produces an abundance of lightweight seed and begins seed
production at an early age (between 2 and 10 years) [12].

Willow seed has an extremely short period of viability.  Under natural
conditions, most seeds remain viable for only a few days.  Seeds usually
germinate within 12 to 24 hours of landing on a suitable seedbed.  At
maturity, the capsular fruits split open to release the minute downy
seeds that are dispersed by either wind or water [12,19].

Vegetative reproduction:  Willows are prolific sprouters.  Barren-ground
willow sprouts from the root crown if aboveground stems are broken or
destroyed by cutting or fire [12].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Barren-ground willow occurs on a wide variety of sites including open
woodlands, bogs, muskegs, meadows, streambanks, alpine slopes, swamp
margins, and moraines.  It also occurs on serpentine barrens, salt
marshes, alkaline meadows, and salt flats [11,28].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Obligate Initial Community Species

Barren-ground willow is an early seral species.  It is one of the first
species to become established on exposed silt and gravel bars and the
inside of river meanders [1,18].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Barren-ground willow flowers in June and July, and the seed is dispersed
in July and August [28].

FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Salix brachycarpa | Barren-Ground Willow 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Information on barren-ground willow's ability to sprout after fire is
lacking.  Like most willows it probably sprouts prolifically after fire.
Barren-ground willow's wind-dispersed seed are probably important in
colonizing recently burned sites [12].


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Small shrub, adventitious-bud root crown
   Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)

FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Salix brachycarpa | Barren-Ground Willow 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Low- to moderate-severity fires generally top-kill willows.  Severe fire
can kill willows by completely removing soil organic layers and charring
the roots [29].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Like most willows barren-ground willow will probably sprout vigorously
after fire [3,12].  Information regarding postfire establishment for
barren-ground willow is lacking.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

References for species: Salix brachycarpa

1. Adams, C. Phyllis; Viereck, Leslie A. 1992. Multivariate analysis of woody plant succession on the Tanana River in interior Alaska. In: Clary, Warren P.; McArthur, E. Durant; Bedunah, Don; Wambolt, Carl L., compilers. Proceedings--symposium on ecology and management of riparian shrub communities; 1991 May 29-31; Sun Valley, ID. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-289. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station: 4-10. [19087]

2. Allen, Arthur W. 1983. Habitat suitability index models: beaver. FWS/OBS-82/10.30 (Revised). Washingtion, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. 20 p. [11716]

3. Argus, George W. 1973. The genus Salix in Alaska and the Yukon. Publications in Botany, No. 2. Ottowa, ON: National Museums of Canada, National Museum of Natural Sciences. 279 p. [6167]

4. Baker, William L. 1989. Classification of the riparian vegetation of the montane and subalpine zones in western Colorado. The Great Basin Naturalist. 49(2): 214-228. [7985]

5. Braun, Clait E.; Stevens, David R.; Giesen, Kenneth M.; Melcher, Cynthia P. 1991. Elk, white-tailed ptarmigan and willow relationships: a management dilemma in Rocky Mountain National Park. In: McCabe, Richard E, ed. Transactions, 56th North American wildlife and natural resources conference; 1991 March 17-22; Edmonton, AB. [Place of publication unknown]. [Publisher unknown]. 74-85. [20788]

6. Brayshaw, T. Christopher. 1976. Catkin bearing plants of British Columbia. Occas. Pap. No. 18. Victoria, BC: The British Columbia Provincial Museum. 176 p. [6170]

7. Brunsfeld, Steven J.; Johnson, Frederic D. 1985. Field guide to the willows of east-central Idaho. Bulletin Number 39. Moscow, ID: University of Idaho; College of Forestry, Wildlife and Range Sciences; Forest, Wildlife and Range Experiment Station. 82 p. [6175]

8. Densmore, R. V.; Neiland, B. J.; Zasada, J. C.; Masters, M. A. 1987. Planting willow for moose habitat restoration on the North Slope of Alaska, U.S.A. Arctic and Alpine Research. 19(4): 537-543. [6080]

9. Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p. [905]

10. 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]

11. Goodrich, Sherel. 1992. Summary flora of riparian shrub communities of the Intermountain region with emphasis on willows. In: Clary, Warren P.; McArthur, E. Durant; Bedunah, Don; Wambolt, Carl L., compilers. Proceedings--symposium on ecology and management of riparian shrub communities; 1991 May 29-31; Sun Valley, ID. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-289. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station: 62-67. [19097]

12. Haeussler, S.; Coates, D.; Mather, J. 1990. Autecology of common plants in British Columbia: A literature review. Economic and Regional Development Agreement FRDA Rep. 158. Victoria, BC: Forestry Canada, Pacific Forestry Centre; British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Research Branch. 272 p. [18033]

13. Hitchcock, C. Leo; Cronquist, Arthur. 1964. Vascular plants of the Pacific Northwest. Part 2: Salicaceae to Saxifragaceae. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. 597 p. [1166]

14. Holloway, Patricia S.; Alexander, Ginny. 1990. Ethnobotany of the Fort Yukon region, Alaska. Economic Botany. 44(2): 214-225. [13625]

15. Hulten, Eric. 1968. Flora of Alaska and neighboring territories. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. 1008 p. [13403]

16. Kuchler, A. W. 1964. United States [Potential natural vegetation of the conterminous United States]. Special Publication No. 36. New York: American Geographical Society. 1:3,168,000; colored. [3455]

17. Mozingo, Hugh N. 1987. Shrubs of the Great Basin: A natural history. Reno, NV: University of Nevada Press. 342 p. [1702]

18. Neiland, Bonita J.; Viereck, Leslie A. 1977. Forest types and ecosystems. In: North American forest lands at latitudes north of 60 degrees: Proceedings of a symposium; 1977 September 19-22; Fairbanks, AK. [Place of publication unknown]. [University of Alaska, Fairbanks]: 109-136. [19933]

19. Hewsholme, Christopher. 1992. Willows: The genus Salix. Portland, OR: Timber Press, Inc. 224 p. [20106]

20. Platts, William S.; Armour, Carl; Booth, Gordon D.; [and others]. 1987. Methods for evaluating riparian habitats with applications to management. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-221. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station. 177 p. [6171]

21. Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p. [2843]

22. Soper, James H.; Heimburger, Margaret L. 1982. Shrubs of Ontario. Life Sciences Misc. Publ. Toronto, ON: Royal Ontario Museum. 495 p. [12907]

23. 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. 10 p. [20090]

24. 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]

25. Welsh, Stanley L.; Atwood, N. Duane; Goodrich, Sherel; Higgins, Larry C., eds. 1987. A Utah flora. The Great Basin Naturalist Memoir No. 9. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University. 894 p. [2944]

26. Wolff, Jerry O. 1976. Utilization of hardwood browse by moose on the Tanana flood plain of interior Alaska. Res. Note PNW-267. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 7 p. [16870]

27. Wright, Stoney. 1989. Advances in plant material and revegetation technology in Alaska. In: Walker, D. G.; Powter, C. B.; Pole, M. W., compilers. Reclamation, a global perspective: Proceedings of the conference; 1989 August 27-31; Calgary, AB. Rep. No. RRTAC 89-2. Vol. 1. Edmonton, AB: Alberta Land Conservation and Reclamation Council: 107-116. [14361]

28. Viereck, Leslie A.; Little, Elbert L., Jr. 1972. Alaska trees and shrubs. Agric. Handb. 410. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 265 p. [6884]

29. Zasada, J. 1986. Natural regeneration of trees and tall shrubs on forest sites in interior Alaska. In: Van Cleve, K.; Chapin, F. S., III; Flanagan, P. W.; [and others], eds. Forest ecosystems in the Alaska taiga: A synthesis of structure and function. New York: Springer-Verlag: 44-73. [2291]

Related categories for Species: Salix brachycarpa | Barren-Ground Willow