California Vegetation Types (Plant Communities)
   

Ornduff described a simplified classification of California vegetation into 23 types in his Introduction to California Plant Life (1974), based largely on the classification developed by Munz in A California Flora (1959). This version with updated nomenclature was published in Introduction to California Plant Life, Revised Edition (Ornduff, revised by Faber and Keeler-Wolf; University of California Press, 2003). Please consult the original publication for details.

    
CISMONTANE REGION
(Areas Found West of the Sierra Nevada Crest)
  Coastal Strand:
  (same in Munz)
      Abronia spp. widespread
      Ambrosia chamissonis widespread
      Atriplex spp. widespread
      Camissonia (Oenothera) cheiranthifolia widespread
      Lupinus arboreus and others widespread
  Coastal Prairie:
  (same in Munz)
      Various genera of grasses
      Heterotheca villosa var. shevockii N. California only
      Iris douglasiana widespread
      Pteridium aquilinum widespread
      Sanicula arctopoides N. California only
  Coastal Salt Marsh:
  (same in Munz)
      Distichlis spicata widespread
      Frankenia salina widespread
      Salicornia spp. widespread
      Suaeda californica widespread
  Northern Coastal Scrub:
  (same in Munz)
      Anaphalis margaritacea widespread
      Artemisia suksdorfii N. California only
      Baccharis pilularis var. consanguinea widespread
      Erigeron glaucus widespread
      Eriogonum latifolium widespread
      Eriophyllum staechadifolium N. California only
      Gaultheria shallon widespread
      Heracleum lanatum mostly N. California
      Rubus versinus mostly N. California
  Closed-Cone Pine Forest:
  (same in Munz)
      Cupressus spp. scattered
      Pinus contorta N. California coast
      Pinus muricata widely scattered on coast
      Pinus radiata scattered, central coast
    Associated Species:
      Arctostaphylos spp. widespread
      Baccharis pilularis var. consanguinea mostly N. California
      Myrica californica mostly N. California
      Pteridium aquilinum widespread
      Quercus agrifolia widespread
      Rhamnus californica widespread
      Toxicodendron diversiloba widespread
      Vaccinium ovatum mostly N. California
  North Coastal Forest:
  (includes: North Coastal Coniferous Forest, Redwood Forest, Douglas-fir Forest, and Mixed Evergreen Forest — all in Munz)
      Abies grandis N. California only
      Acer macrophyllum widespread
      Chamaecyparis lawsoniana N. California only
      Chrysolepis (Castanopsis) chrysophylla N. California only
      Lithocarpus densiflorus mostly N. California
      Picea sitchensis N. California only
      Pseudotsuga menziesii N. California only
      Sequoia sempervirens N. California only
      Thuja plicata N. California only
      Tsuga heterophylla N. California only
    Understory species:
      Acer circinatum N. California only
      Gaultheria shallon N. California only
      Oxalis oregana N. California only
      Polystichum munitum N. California only
      Rhododendron macrophyllum N. California only
      Rubus parviflorus mostly N. California
      Vaccinium ovatum and others mostly N. California
    Drier margins of the North Coastal Forest (Mixed Evergreen Forest):
      Acer macrophyllum widespread
      Arbutus menziesii mostly N. California
      Lithocarpus densiflora mostly N. California
      Quercus chrysolepis mostly N. California
      Quercus garryana N. California only
      Quercus kelloggii widespread
      Quercus wislizenii widespread
      Toxicodendron diversiloba widespread
      Umbellularia californica widespread
Coastal Sage Scrub (Soft Chaparral):
(same in Munz)
      Artemisia californica widespread
      Baccharis pilularis var. consanguinea widespread
      Eriogonum fasciculatum widespread
      Rhus integrifolia S. California only
      Toxicodendron diversiloba widespread
      Salvia leucophylla mostly S. California
      Salvia mellifera widespread
  Chaparral (Hard Chaparral):
  (same in Munz)
      Adenostoma fasciculatum widespread
      Arctostaphylos spp. widespread
      Ceanothus spp. widespread
      Cercocarpus betuloides widespread
      Heteromeles arbutifolia widespread
      Malosma laurina S. California only
      Prunus ilicifolia widespread
      Quercus dumosa widespread
      Rhus laurina S. California only
      Rhus ovata S. California only
      Toxicodendron diversiloba widespread
      Yucca whipplei S. California only
  Valley and Foothill Woodland:
  (includes: Northern Oak Woodland, Southern Oak Woodland, and Foothill Woodland)
      Aesculus californica widespread
      Juglans californica S. California only
      Pinus sabiniana widespread
      Quercus agrifolia widespread
      Quercus douglasii N. California only
      Quercus engelmannii S. California only
      Quercus garryana N. California only
      Quercus lobata mostly N. California
      Quercus wislizenii widespread
      Understory consists of Valley Grassland species and occasional Chaparral species
  Valley Grassland:
  (same in Munz)
    Native:
      Aristida (many species) widespread
      Poa (many species) widespread
      Stipa (many species) widespread
    Introduced:
      Avena (many species) widespread
      Bromus (many species) widespread
      Festuca (many species) widespread
  Riparian Woodland:
  (not in Munz)
      Acer macrophyllum widespread
      Acer negundo subsp. californicum widespread
      Alnus rhombifolia widespread
      Platanus racemosa widespread
      Populus balsamifera subsp. trichocarpa widespread
      Populus fremontii widespread
      Salix (many species) widespread
      Umbellularia californica widespread
  Freshwater Marsh:
  (same in Munz)
      Carex spp. widespread
      Scirpus spp. widespread
      Typha spp. widespread
MONTANE REGION
(High Mountain Areas)
  Montane Forest:
  (mostly Yellow Pine Forest in Munz)
      Abies concolor widespread
      Calocedrus decurrens widespread
      Pinus coulteri S. California and S. Coast Ranges
      Pinus lambertiana widespread
      Pinus ponderosa widespread
      Pseudotsuga macrocarpa S. California
      Pseudotsuga menziesii Central California
      Quercus chrysolepis widespread
      Quercus kelloggii widespread
      Sequoiadendron giganteum Sierra Nevada
    Understory species:
      Chamaebatia foliolosa Sierra Nevada
      Pteridium aquilinum widespread
      Ribes spp. widespread
      All species from Montane Chaparral
    Upper margin of the Montane Forest:
      Abies magnifica Sierra Nevada
      Pinus contorta subsp. murrayana widespread
      Pinus jeffreyi widespread
  Montane Chaparral:
  (not in Munz)
      Arctostaphylos spp. widespread
      Ceanothus cordulatus widespread
      Chrysolepis (Castanopsis) sempervirens widespread
      Quercus chrysolepis mostly S. California
      Quercus vacciniifolia Central Sierra Nevada north
  Subalpine Forest:
  (includes: Red Fir Forest, Lodgepole Forest, Subalpine Forest, and Bristlecone Pine Forest)
      Abies magnifica Sierra Nevada
      Juniperus occidentalis mostly Sierra Nevada north
      Pinus albicaulis Sierra Nevada north
      Pinus balfouriana S. Sierra Nevada and Scott Mountains
      Pinus contorta subsp. murrayana widespread
      Pinus flexilis S. California and E. Sierra Nevada
      Pinus longaeva high desert ranges
      Pinus monticola Sierra Nevada north
      Populus tremuloides Sierra Nevada
      Tsuga mertensiana Central Sierra Nevada north
    Understory:
      Artemisia spp. widespread
      Ledum glandulosum Sierra Nevada north
      Penstemon spp. widespread
      Phyllodoce breweri mostly Sierra Nevada north
      Ribes spp. widespread
      Salix spp. widespread
      Vaccinium spp. Sierra Nevada north
    Many species from Montane Meadow
  Montane Meadow:
  (not in Munz)
      Veratrum californicum widespread
    Many species of mostly perennial grasses and sedges (especially Carex spp.); many species of annual and perennial broad-leaved herbs
  Alpine Fell-field: (same in Munz)
  (same in Munz)
    Many species of perennial herbs and dwarf woody plants
TRANSMONTANE REGION
(Areas Found East of the Sierra Nevada Crest and the Deserts)
Pinyon-Juniper Woodland:
(includes: Northern Juniper Woodland and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland — both in Munz)
      Cercocarpus ledifolius widespread
      Juniperus californica S. California only
      Juniperus occidentalis widespread
      Juniperus osteosperma Nevada border region
      Pinus monophylla widespread
      Purshia spp. widespread
      Quercus turbinella S. Mojave-Colorado Desert
      All species of Sagebrush Scrub
  Sagebrush Scrub:
  (same in Munz)
      Artemisia tridentata widespread
      Atriplex spp. widespread
      Chrysothamnus nauseosus widespread
      Coleogyne ramosissima widespread
      Purshia spp. widespread
      Tetradymia spp. Mojave Desert north
  Shadscale Scrub:
  (same in Munz)
      Artemisia spinescens Mojave Desert north
      Atriplex spp. widespread
      Coleogyne ramosissima widespread
      Ephedra spp. widespread
      Grayia spinosa Mojave Desert north
      Gutierrezia spp. Mojave Desert north
      Hymenoclea salsola widespread
      Krascheninnikova lanata Mojave Desert north
  Alkali Sink Scrub:
  (same in Munz)
      Allenrolfea occidentalis widespread
      Atriplex spp. widespread
      Salicornia spp. widespread
      Sarcobatus vermiculatus widespread
      Suadea spp. widespread
Joshua Tree Woodland:
(same in Munz)
      Atriplex spp. widespread
      Ephedra spp. widespread
      Eriogonum fasciculatum widespread
      Haplopappus spp. widespread
      Juniperus californica widespread
      Lycium spp. widespread
      Opuntia spp. widespread
      Salazaria mexicana widespread
      Tetradymia axillaris Mojave Desert north
      Yucca brevifolia Mojave Desert
      Yucca schidigera Mojave-Colorado Desert
      Most species of Shadscale Scrub
Creosote Bush Scrub:
(same in Munz)
      Ambrosia dumosa very widespread
      Encelia farinosa mostly Colorado Desert
      Fouquieria splendens Colorado Desert
      Hymenoclea salsola widespread in washes
      Larrea tridentata very widespread
      Opuntia spp. widespread on rocky slopes