(Prunus virginiana) , aromatic sumac, gooseberry {Ribes 

 setosum) , and currants {Ribes spp.) also are well represented. 

 Overall shrub coverage is greater than in any other type, and 

 only the pine- juniper-grass type has a greater variety of 

 shrubs. Grasses and forbs are relatively sparse, except on 

 burned sites where juniper is reduced and other species, 

 especially grasses, achieve greater importance (Eichorn and 

 Watts 1984). 



The pine-juniper-fir (Pinus-Juniperus-Psuedotsuga) type 

 occurs on sites similar to the Douglas fir- juniper type. It 

 covers about 3% of the area, primarily in the eastern portion. 

 Ponderosa pine is dominant both in the overstory and in 

 regeneration and Douglas fir is relatively limited in 

 abundance. Characteristics of the shrub and herb layers 

 appear intermediate between the Douglas fir-juniper and 

 pine- juniper-grass types. 



The greasewood (Sarcobatus) type covers about 4% of the 

 area. It occurs mainly on higher and drier portions of 

 floodplains and footslopes along the Missouri River and on 

 benches along the lower portions of major drainages. 

 Vegetation is sparse and dominated by greasewood and western 

 wheatgrass . 



The shale-longleaf sage (Shale-Artemisia longifolia) type 

 is vegetationally similar to the greasewood type except for 

 its occurrence on steep shale slopes and the typical dominance 

 of longleaf sage. Eriogonum (E. multiceps) , a half- shrub, is 

 also more prominent, and greasewood is reduced in importance. 

 The type is of very minor extent, occurring on less than 3% of 

 the area. 



The grassland bottoms type is found in the upper portions 

 of major drainages as well as on bottoms of second and third 

 order drainages that collectively comprise about 4% of the 

 area. Grasses predominate, but snowberry and rose provide an 

 important shrub component. 



The silver sagebrush (Artemisia cana) type is very minor 

 and occurs primarily on bottoms near the mouth of major 

 drainages. Silver sagebrush and green rabbitbrush 

 (Chrysothamnus viscidif 1 orus) dominate, but grasses, primarily 

 western wheatgrass, are well represented. 



The river riparian type collectively describes riparian 

 forest and shrub vegetation that occurs along Missouri River 

 bottomlands. Plains cottonwood (Populus sargentii) , willows 

 (Salix spp.), snowberry, and rose are the dominant plant 

 species . 



56 



