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FRST 201: Forest Ecology

Coastal indicator plants

Soil moisture classes: VD (very dry), D (dry), MD (moderately dry), M (medium), W

(wet), VW (very wet)

Soil nutrient classes: P (poor), M (medium), R (rich)

Latin name Common name Soil moisture Soil nutrients

Arctostaphylos uva ursi

kinnickinnick VD-MD P

Cassiope mertensiana

white mountain heather MD-M P

Empetrum nigrum

crowberry D-W P

Gaultheria shallon

salal D-M P

Ledum groenlandicum

Labrador tea W-VW P

Mahonia nervosa

dull oregon-grape

D-M M

Phyllodoce empetriformis

pink mountain heather MD-M P

Acer circinatum

vine maple M-W R

Alnus sinuata

Sitka alder M-W R

Cladothamnus pyroliflorus

copperbush D-W P

Cornus sericea

=C. stolonifera

red-osier dogwood M-W M-R

Menziesia ferruginea false azalea MD-M P

Oplapanax horridus

devil’s club W R

Rhamnus purshianus

cascara W R

Rhododendron albiflorum

white flowered rhododendron MD-M P

Ribes lacustre

black gooseberry M-W R

Rosa gymnocarpa

bald hip rose VD-MD M

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Latin name Common name Soil moisture Soil nutrients

Rubus parviflorus

thimbleberry M R

Rubus pedatus

five-leaved bramble MD-W P

Rubus pubescens

trailing raspberry M-W R

Rubus spectabilis

salmonberry M-W R

Rubus ursinus

trailing blackberry MD-M M

Sambucus racemosa

red elderberry M-W R

Sorbus sitchensis

Sitka mountain ash MD-M P

Spirea douglasii

hardhack M-W P-M

Vaccinium alaskense

Alaskan blueberry M-W P

Vaccinium membranaceum

black huckleberry MD-M P

Vaccinium ovalifolium

oval-leaved blueberry M-W P

Vaccinium parviflorum

red huckleberry M P

Viburnum trilobum

American bush cranberry M-W R

Achlys triphylla

vanilla-leaf M-W R

Adenocaulon bicolor

pathfinder MD-M R

Clintonia uniflora

queen’s cup MD-M M

Coptis asplenifolia fern-leaved goldthread M-W P-M

Cornus canadensis

bunchberry MD-W P-M

Epilobium angustifolium fireweed D-W P-R

Fauria crista-galli

deer cabbage W-VW P

Galium triflorum

sweet-scented bedstraw M-W R

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Latin name Common name Soil moisture Soil nutrients

Luetkea pectinata

partridgefoot M-W M

Lysichitum americanum

skunk cabbage W-VW R

Maianthemum dilatatum

false lily-of-the-valley W-VW R

Petasites palmatus

palmate coltsfoot M-W R

Smilacina racemosa

false solomon’s seal MD-W M-R

Streptopus amplexifolius

clasping twisted stalk M-W R

Tiarella trifoliata

three-leaved foam-flower M-W R

Tolmiea menziesii

youth-on-age M-W R

Valeriana sitchensis

sitka valerian M-W R

Veratrum viride

Indian hellebore W R

Athyrium filix femina

lady fern W R

Blechnum spicant

deer fern M-W P

Dryopteris expansa spiny wood fern M-W M

Gymnocarpium dryopteris oak fern M-W R

Polypodium glycyrrhiza

licorice fern D-W R

Polystichum munitum

sword fern M-W R

Pteridium aquilinum

bracken D-W P

Carex sp. sedges W-VW M-R

Equisetum arvense

common horsetail M-W P-R

Eriphorum angustifolium narrow-leaved cotton grass W-VW P

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Latin name Common name Soil moisture Soil nutrients

Dicranum fuscesens dusky fork moss VD-MD P

Hylocomnium splendens

step moss MD-W P

Kindbergia oregana

Oregon beaked moss MD-M P-M

Leucolepis menziesii

Menzie’s tree moss M-W R

Plagomnium insigne

Coastal leafy moss W R

Plagiothecium undulatum wavy-leaved cotton moss; flat

moss

D-W P

Rhizomnium glabrescens

large leafy moss M-W M

Rhytidiadelphus loreus lanky moss M P-R

Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus electrified cat’s tail moss D-W M

Rhytidiopsis robusta

pipecleaner moss D-M P

Sphagnum spp.

peat mosses W-VW P