This community contains both Sonoran Mixed Woody Scrub (33210) and Sonoran Mixed Woody and Succulent Scrub (33220). It is dominated by shrubs, 0.5-3m tall, similar in aspect to Sonoran Creosote Bush Scrub (33100), and Desert Dry Wash Woodland (62200), with no clear dominant. The 33220 type with succulents is the only Colorado Desert community with substantial dominance of cacti and other stem succulents. Many stands have Agave deserti, Encelia farinosa, Fouquieria splendens, Peucephyllum schottii, and Yucca schidigera in varying proportions.
SITE FACTORS:
Rocky, well-drained slopes and alluvial fans, usually at the base of mountains. Similar to Sonoran Creosote Bush Scrub (33100), but terrain usually more varied and moisture supply often greater.
DISTRIBUTION:
Southern and eastern Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert, usually between 1,000 and 4,000 feet (300 and 1210m). General distribution similar to Sonoran Creosote Bush Scrub (33100), but more localized.
Source: Adapted from Holland, 1986
Digital Text: NatureBase