Feb. 16, 1914 
Indicator Significance of Vegetation 
401 
PERENNIAL SPECIES 
Elymus condensatus Presl 
Poa sp. (P. sandbergii Vasey?). 
Sitanion minus Smith 
Atriplex confertifolia (Torr.) Wats. 
A triplex nuttallii Wats. 
Kochia vestita (Wats.) A. Nels. 
Sarcobatus vermiculatus (Hook.) Torr. 
Suaeda moquinii (Torr.) A. Nels. 
Suaeda intermedia Wats. 
Lap pula occidentals (Wats.) Greene 
Gutierrezia sarotkrae (Pursh) B. and R. 
Tetradymia nuttallii T. and G. 
ANNUAL AND BIENNIAL SPECIES 
Bromus tectorum I,. Sophia pinnata (Walt.) Howell 
Erysimum asperrimum (Greene) Rydb. Machaeranthera canescens (Nutt.) Gray 
The local distribution of most of these plants varies greatly within the 
area occupied by the association, probably because of the great diversity 
in the depth to permanent moisture and at which the subsoil becomes 
strongly saline. 
Appearance 
This type of vegetation is less monotonous in its appearance than the 
sagebrush, Kochia, and shadscale associations, owing to the strong 
contrast in color and usually in size between the two dominant species. 
(PI. XLVII, fig. 2.) Greasewood has a bright-green color, changing to 
yellowish later in the season, and appears dark when photographed 
against the sun. Shadscale, on the other hand, has a dull brownish gray 
hue. The former plant often reaches a height of 4 or 5 feet, while the 
latter seldom exceeds 2 feet. 
At the highest elevations occupied by this association there is sufficient 
moisture for the growth of greasewood only along drainage channels, 
and the general surface of the land is covered with pure shadscale. 
Somewhat farther toward Great Salt Lake plants of greasewood are 
scattered among the shadscale, although much less numerous than the 
latter. Finally near the borders of the grass flats and on the ridges and 
hillocks which intersect the salt flats the two species grow side by side 
on more or less equal terms, and their colors blend when the vegetation 
is viewed from a short distance. 
Physical Conditions Indicated 
The soil moisture and salinity conditions, which characterize typical 
portions of the land occupied by this association, are indicated by the 
data in Table XII. Comparison with Table X will bring out the differences 
between this environment and that of the pure shadscale association. 
