Page 60 - Interp Book
P. 60
Canyon: Gyp Grassland
Area: 166,496 acres (67,379 ha)
Description of Mapped Type: This type is mapped in broken landscapes associated with
weathering of sedimentary rocks where patches or layers of gyp are common in the landscape.
Small (10 sq m to 200 sq m), open, sparsely vegetated patches or layers of gyp on slopes are
common. Short and mid-grasses such as sideoats grama, blue grama, hairy grama, little
bluestem, cane bluestem, sand dropseed, and annual bromes are also common. Forbs
common in the modern landscape include broom snakeweed, common broomweed, stiff
greenthread, Navajo tea, Indian breadroot, stemmy four-nerve daisy, sundrops species, and
western ragweed. Important shrubs may include skunkbush sumac, lotebush, mesquite (within
range), and Mohr shin oak. Succulents such as soapweed yucca, pricklypear, and Christmas
cactus may be present. Pinchot’s juniper, or less commonly, eastern redcedar may be present.
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