Hesperocyparis bakeri Forest & Woodland Alliance
Baker cypress stands
Baker cypress stands
USDA Ecological Section Map
Summary Information
- Primary Life FormTree
- Elevation1150-2100 m
- State RarityS2.2
- Global RarityG2
- DistributionUSA: CA, OR (USDA Plants)
- Endemic to CaliforniaNo
- Endemic to California Floristic Province and DesertsYes
- Date Added1995/11/01
Characteristic Species
Hesperocyparis bakeri is dominant in the tree canopy with Abies concolor, Abies magnifica, Calocedrus decurrens, Juniperus occidentalis, Pinus attenuata, Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus lambertiana, Pinus ponderosa and Pseudotsuga menziesii.
Vegetation Layers
Trees < 30 m; canopy is open to continuous. Shrub layer is sparse to abundant. Herbaceous layer is sparse.
Membership Rules
Habitats
Upper slopes and ridges. Soils developed from sterile basaltic and serpentine substrates.
Other Habitat, Alliance and Community Groupings
| MCV (1995) | Baker cypress unique stands |
| NVCS (2009) | Not treated |
| Calveg | Baker cypress |
| Holland | Northern interior cypress forest |
| Munz | Closed-cone pine forest |
| WHR | Closed-cone pine-cypress |
| CDFW CA Code | 81.601.00 |
National Vegetation Classification Hierarchy
| Formation Class | Mesomorphic Tree Vegetation (Forest and Woodland) |
| Formation Subclass | Temperate Forest |
| Formation | Warm Temperate Forest |
| Division | Madrean Forest and Woodland |
| Macro Group | California Forest and Woodland |
| Group | Californian evergreen coniferous forest and woodland |
Remarks
Hesperocyparis bakeri is a medium-sized conifer that grows to a height of 30 m. Trees begin producing serotinous cones at 15 years of age; production is abundant on mature trees. Cones remain closed and persist on trees until opened by the heat, desiccation, or age. Seeds shed gradually over several months after cones open. Seed germination and seedling establishment are best on bare mineral soil. Seedlings are sensitive to excessive moisture (Esser 1994b). The genus Cupressus is restricted to the Old World; cypresses in California belong to the genus Hesperocyparis (Bartel et al. 2003, Little 2006, Adams et al. 2009, Terry et al. 2012).
Eight occurrences of H. bakeri occur in northern California and one in southern Oregon (Murray 1988); ssp. matthewsii with darker foliage is no longer recognized (Bartel et al. 2003, Dodd 1992, Rafii and Dodd 1994). H. bakeriis a rare, CNPS list 4.2 plant. The species’ occurrences are in three disjunct areas. The most extensive includes the Modoc Plateau and eastern Cascades, where several stands of several thousand trees exist (Riegel et al. 2006). Trees in the Siskiyou Mountains are restricted to serpentine substrates, and those in the Cascades and northern Sierra Nevada are on volcanic substrates. The Sierra Nevada ones are the highest in elevation and furthest inland (Barbour 2007).
Eight occurrences of H. bakeri occur in northern California and one in southern Oregon (Murray 1988); ssp. matthewsii with darker foliage is no longer recognized (Bartel et al. 2003, Dodd 1992, Rafii and Dodd 1994). H. bakeriis a rare, CNPS list 4.2 plant. The species’ occurrences are in three disjunct areas. The most extensive includes the Modoc Plateau and eastern Cascades, where several stands of several thousand trees exist (Riegel et al. 2006). Trees in the Siskiyou Mountains are restricted to serpentine substrates, and those in the Cascades and northern Sierra Nevada are on volcanic substrates. The Sierra Nevada ones are the highest in elevation and furthest inland (Barbour 2007).
Life History Traits of the Principal Species
| Hesperocyparis bakeri | |
|---|---|
| Life forms | Tree; evergreen |
| Seed storage | Canopy |
| Seed longevity | Long |
| Mode of dispersal | Wind |
| Germination agents | Heat |
| Mode of sprouting | None |
| Survivability after fire/disturbance | Fire-sensitive; thin epidermis |
| Disturbance-stimulated flowering | No |
| Reproductive range | 5-200+ years |
| Recruitment | Episodic (disturbance dependent) |
| Regional variation | Low |
Fire Characteristics
Hesperocyparis bakeri is a fire-adapted species. Although most fires probably kill seedlings and mature trees, reproduction is usually restricted to burned areas where seedlings grow into dense thickets after a fire. Fires occurring in late summer and fall, followed by winter rains, ensure seed dissemination and germination on bare mineral substrates (Esser 1994b).
| Fire return interval | Medium |
| Seasonality | Summer-early fall |
| Size/extent | Small up to stand size |
| Complexity | Low |
| Intensity | High |
| Severity | Very high |
| Type | Active-independent crown fire |
| Regional knowledge | Eastern Cascade Ranges |
Regional Status
- Klamath Mountains (M261Ae, An-o). The Seiad Creek and Elk Creek stands are on serpentine substrates (Griffin and Critchfield 1972). They burned in the extensive fires of 1987. Firs and pines in the adjacent Oregon stand are shading out the cypress trees.
- Modoc Plateau (M261Gp). The largest occurrence of Hesperocyparis bakeri occurs at the western boundary of the Modoc Plateau; it includes the Timbered Crater rRNA (Keeler-Wolf 1984b, see Cheng 2004). The trees spread over 2830 ha of recent, broken lava flows. Portions have burned recently, and abundant reproduction exists.
- Sierra Nevada (M261Ea-b). The Mud Lake and Wheeler Peak stands are on Tertiary volcanic substrates at elevations from 1980 and 2100 m (Cheng 2004).
- Southern Cascades (M261Df, Dh, Dj, Dm). The Burney Springs, Fall River Mills, and Goosenest Mountain stands occur on recent volcanic substrates (Griffin and Critchfield 1972).
Management Considerations
Associations
- Hesperocyparis bakeri / Arctostaphylos patula [1]
References
- [1] Cheng, S. 2004
- Adams, R.P.;Bartel, J.A.;Price, R.A. 2009
- Barbour, M.G. 2007
- Griffin, J.R.;Critchfield, W.B. 1972
- Kruckeberg, A.R. 1984
- Murray, M.D. 1988
- Paysen, T.E.;Derby, J.A.;Black, H.;Bleich, V.C.;Mincks, J.W. 1980
- Riegel, G.M.;Miller, R.F.;Skinner, C.N.;Smith, S.E. 2006
- Terry, R.G.;Bartel, J.A.;Adams, R.P. 2012
- Vogl, R.J.;Armstrong, W.P.;White, K.L.;Cole, K.L. 1977
- Wolf, C.B.;Wagener, W.W. 1948