MAPPING UNIT ATTRIBUTE CODE: 42009

MAPPING UNIT NAME: Limber pine type.

DOMINANT SPECIES: Limber pine (Pinus flexilis)

DESCRIPTION: Areas dominated by limber pine. This type includes closed
canopy forest dominated by limber pine to more open limber pine woodland
where limber pine consists of more than 25% of the total vegetative cover.
Often co-occurs with juniper woodland and with shrubs or grasses in the
understory.

DISTRIBUTION: Throughout the state of Colorado.

ELEVATION RANGE: 1524-3354m (5000-11000')

DIAGNOSTIC SPECIES: Pinus flexilis

NOTES: This type is found on xeric sites from montane forests to treeline
when it is the only white pine species present. If P. aristata or P. albicaulis
is present, it is restricted to the low elevation portion of it's potential
habitat and to situations of rocky substrate (Peet, 1978). In Front Range
areas where P. aristata is absent, P. flexilis appears to show competitive
release and can be found dominating exposed ridges near treeline (Peet,
1988).

P. flexilis also appears to substitute for P. contorta or P. ponderosa when
either species is absent. For example, on Pike's Peak P. flexilis has
expanded it's niche to fill successional role of P. contorta and to have
preempted P. tremuloides from many potential sites. This species can also
be an important post fire seral species, replacing P. contorta in this role on
drier sites in the southern Rockies (Peet, 1988). P. flexilis forests typically
have poorly developed understory vegetation.

Habitat and community types for Pinus flexilis on warm dry sites include
Arctostaphylos uva ursi, Juniperus communis, Calamagrostis purpurascens,
and Saxifraga bronchialis. Common tree associates are P. menziesii, P.
engelmannii, and P. contorta (Alexander, 1987).