other studies- Mueggler and Stewart (1980) describe a Potentilla 

 fruticosa / Festuca idahoensis habitat type for southwestern 

 Montana; however, Danthonia intermedi a and Potentilla gracilis 

 are common in their type but were not present in our 

 POTFRU/FESIDA. Similar community types are also reported for 

 Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming (Mueggler and Stewart 19980, Bourgeron 

 and Engelking 1992) . 



Natural Heritage Program Rank- G4/S3 



29. Sarcobatus vermiculatus / Atriplex nuttallii c.t. 



(SARVER/ATRNUT, greasewood/Garner saltbush) 



(1 stand) 



Environment- SARVER/ATRNUT occurs on highly eroded moderate 

 slopes in badlands topography near the Wyoming border at ca . 

 4,600 feet Adjacent communities are dominated by Artemisia 

 pedatif ida . 



Vegetation- Sarcobatus vermiculatus and Atriplex nuttallii each 

 had ca. 10% cover, while Chrysothamnus nauseosus was present with 

 cover of 3%. The herbaceous layer is very sparse. Poa 

 sandberqii is the only common grass, and Lappula echinata and 

 Allium textile are the only common forbs. Lichens and bryophytes 

 are absent. 



Soils- SARVER/ATRNUT occurs on deep undifferentiated soil derived 

 from bentonite. Surface gravel and coarse fragments are absent. 

 The soil subgroup at our single soil characterization site was a 

 Ustic Torriorthent . Surface texture is heavy clay. pH was 7.2, 

 and conductivity was 270 uhmos/cm^ (1 stand) . 



Other Studies- Knight et al. (1987) describe a saltbush desert 

 shrubland that probably includes stands similar to ours. 

 Mueggler and Stewart (1980) describe a community dominated by 

 Sarcobatus vermiculatus with significant quantities of Atriplex 

 nuttallii for western Montana, but their type has much greater 

 cover of grasses. A similar community type is also reported for 

 Wyoming (Bourgeron and Engelking 1992) . Fautin (1946) described 

 communities dominated by Sarcobatus vermiculatus and Atriplex 

 conferti folia for west-central Utah. 



Natural Heritage Program Rank- G4/S3 



31 



