Dense growth of sedges and other perennial herbs, usually from 0.5-1m high, but with some taller herbs to 2m. Main growth period from late spring through summer (summer only at higher elevations); flowering mostly in summer; dormant in winter (from fall through spring at higher elevations). Montane meadows are subdivided into Wet (45110) and Dry (45120) subtypes. Wet Montane Meadows have soils that remain saturated throughout the year.
SITE FACTORS:
On fine-textured, more or less permanently moist or wet soils. May be associated with Bogs (51100), Fens (51200) or Freshwater Swamps (52600) in more extremely waterlogged soils. Adjacent forest or scrub are on coarser, better drained soils. Often a successional stage in the filling of lakebeds with soil, and characterized by young trees encroaching from the margins. On seasonally drier, but still fine-textured soils may intergrade with Coastal Prairie (41000) in the North Coast Ranges, Valley and Foothill Grasslands (42000) in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and Great Basin Grassland (43000) or Sagebrush Scrub (35200) in northeastern California. Both Wet and Dry types may occur in a given meadow.
DISTRIBUTION:
Scattered within the North Coast Coniferous Forests (82000), Lower Montane Forests (84000), and Upper Montane Forests (85000) of the North Coast Ranges, Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Transverse and Peninsular Ranges. Elevation from 1,000-7,000 feet (300-2130m) in the north to 5,000-9,000 feet (1520-2740m) in the south.
UPDATE: 10/86
Source: Holland, 1986
Digital Text: NatureBase