Basin region. In California and Oregon it characteristically forms 

 dense and extensive brush fields on old burns in the pure ponderosa 

 pine and mixed conifer types. 



Greenleaf manzanita chiefly inhabits dry slopes and old burns, 

 in full sunlight. It is the commonest manzanita in the Great Basin 

 region and one of the commonest Pacific manzanitas. Jepson 1 refers 

 to it as the dominant and usually the only species of its genus 

 in its area in the Sierra Nevada, where it occurs between 2,500 feet 

 elevation in the north and 9,000 feet in the south. Its zonal distri- 

 bution is from the pifion- juniper to the aspen belts but it is most 

 characteristic of the ponderosa-pine belt. In western Colorado, 

 where it tends to be rather local and undersized, it occurs mainly 

 between about 7,500 and 9,000 feet. In Utah it is found chieflly 

 between about 6,000 and 9,000 feet. In northern Arizona it occurs 

 about 8,000 feet. It inhabits both limestone and granitic soils, as 

 well as those of sandy, gravelly, rocky, and clayey texture. Its 

 frequent associates are mountain-mahogany, garrya, oaks, and 

 Ceanotkus spp. The flowering period extends from late March 

 through June, with the berries ripening in late summer and early 

 fall. 



The foliage usually has very little or negligible forage value for 

 domestic livestock or deer, except as a utility winter ration or when 

 little or nothing else is available. Goats tend to browse the leaves 

 and peel and eat the bark, especially when there is a shortage of 

 other feed. Most livestock and deer will lightly browse the tender 

 shoots especially during the first two seasons after a fire. Bear 

 will eat the berries, particularly if the more pulpy fruits of better 

 species are unavailable. The shrub is of chief importance because 

 of its frequent abundance. The extensive brush fields of greenleaf 

 manzanita often prevent the free movement of livestock on the range 

 or the use of isolated feed areas, unless special trails are built and 

 maintained for that purpose. Hatton 2 has reported on an experi- 

 ment in greenleaf manzanita eradication by goats on the Lassen 

 National Forest, Calif. About 75 percent of the aerial growth of 

 the manzanitas was girdled and killed during the first season where 

 goats were concentrated, but the second year's efforts practically 

 failed. Goats concentrated on the species quit the range in poor 

 condition. 



Greenleaf manzanita, being a natural fire hazard, is especially 

 important in forest management plans. The ability of this species 

 to withstand repeated burnings, make rapid new growth and increase 

 its stand density by rootshoots is truly phenomenal. Such sprouting 

 takes place from a woody, often tuberlike swelling of the root crown 

 just beneath the soil. The shrub forms a good ground cover, and 

 through the addition of humus, tends to improve the site. Conifers, 

 especially white fir, will invade and shade out this species and, except 

 for fires, would doubtless tend materially to restrict its range. 



1 Jepson, W. L. A MANUAL OF THE FLOWERING PLANTS OF CALIFORNIA. 1,238 pp., illus. 

 Berkeley, Calif. [1925.] 



2 Hatton, J. H. ERADICATION OF CHAPARRAL BY GOAT GRAZING. LASSEN NATIONAL FOR- 

 EST. U. S. Dept. Agr., Rev. Forest Serv. Invest. 2 : 25-28, illus. 1913. 



