Wetlands
Landscapes and Ecosystems
- Intro
- Planning Resources
- Research Projects
- Articles & Stories
- Maps & Tools
- Reports & Publications
- Data
- Photos & Videos
- More
At-risk Wetland Plant Associations
Since 1975, the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC), formerly the Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center (ORNHIC), has tracked occurrences of rare plant associations. The following section lists rare plant associations for each of 16 generalized wetland types in Oregon. The lists are based on the 2004 Classification of Native Vegetation of Oregon.
ORBIC participates in an international system for ranking rare, threatened and endangered species and plant associations throughout the world. The ranking is a 1-5 scale, primarily based on the number of known occurrences, but it also includes threats, sensitivity, area occupied, and other biological factors. The Global Rank begins with a "G" and the State Rank begins with the letter "S." Details are available at NatureServe.
1= Critically imperiled because of extreme rarity or because it is somehow especially vulnerable to extinction or extirpation, typically with 5 or fewer occurrences.
2 = Imperiled because of rarity or because other factors demonstrably make it very vulnerable to extinction (extirpation), typically with 6-20 occurrences.
3 = Rare, uncommon or threatened, but not immediately imperiled, typically with 21-100 occurrences.
4 = Not rare and apparently secure, but with cause for long-term concern, usually with more than 100 occurrences.
5 = Demonstrably widespread, abundant, and secure.
Q = Taxonomic questions
T = Rank for subspecies or variety
Alkaline Wetlands
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata / Leymus cinereus | basin big sagebrush / basin wildrye | G2S1 |
Deschampsia cespitosa - Carex douglasii | tufted hairgrass - Douglas' sedge alkaline prairie | G2S2 |
Leymus cinereus | basin wildrye bottomlands | G1S1 |
Puccinellia lemmonii - Poa secunda | Lemmon alkaligrass - Sandberg bluegrass | G2S1 |
Aquatic Beds
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Isoetes nuttallii | Nuttall quillwort bed | G2G3,S2S3 |
Myriophyllum hippuroides | western water-milfoil bed | G3S2 |
Ranunculus lobbii | Lobb buttercup aquatic bed | G2S2 |
Scirpus subterminalis | water clubrush bed | G3S2 |
Fens
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Calamagrostis nutkaensis | Pacific reedgrass fen | G3S1 |
Carex aquatilis var. dives - Comarum palustre | Sitka sedge - purple marshlocks | G2S2 |
Carex cusickii | Cusick sedge fen | G3S2 |
Carex cusickii - (Comarum palustre) fen | Cusick sedge - (bog cinquefoil) fen | G2S2 |
Carex lenticularis | lenticular sedge fen | G3S2 |
Carex limosa | mud sedge | G2S2 |
Carex luzulina | woodrush sedge fen | G3S2 |
Carex obnupta / Sphagnum | slough sedge / sphagnum | G3S2 |
Eleocharis quinqueflora | few-flowered spikerush fen | G4S2 |
Eleocharis quinqueflora - Eriophorum criniger | few-flowered spikerush - fringed cottongrass ultramafic fen | G2S2 |
Kalmia microphylla / Carex nigricans | bog laurel / black alpine sedge shrub swamp | G3S2 |
Ledum glandulosum - Gaultheria shallon / Carex obnupta | western Labrador tea - salal / slough sedge fen | G2S2 |
Ledum glandulosum - Myrica gale | western Labrador tea - sweet gale heath | G1S1 |
Ledum glandulosum / Carex obnupta | western Labrador tea / slough sedge fen | G2S2 |
Ledum glandulosum / Darlingtonia californica | western Labrador tea / darlingtonia | G2S2 |
Ledum glandulosum / Sanguisorba officinalis | western Labrador tea / burnet | G1G2, S1S2 |
Myrica gale | sweet gale fen | G4S1 |
Nephrophyllidium crista-galli | deer cabbage flush | G4S1 |
Populus tremuloides / Carex obnupta | quaking aspen / slough sedge | G1S1 |
Salix barclayi | Barclay's willow | G4S1 |
Salix drummondiana | Drummond willow | G3S1 |
Salix geyeriana - Salix hookeriana | Geyer willow - Piper willow | G3S2 |
Salix hookeriana - (Malus fusca) / Carex obnupta - Lysichiton americanus | coast willow - (crabapple) / slough sedge - skunk cabbage shrub swamp | G3S2 |
Spiraea douglasii - Vaccinium uliginosum / Carex obnupta - Deschampsia caespitosa | Douglas spiraea - bog blueberry / slough sedge / sphagnum | G2S2 |
Spiraea douglasii / Sphagnum | Douglas spiraea / sphagnum fen | G3S1 |
Tsuga heterophylla / Ledum glandulosum / Carex obnupta - Lysichiton americanus | western hemlock / western Labrador tea / slough sedge - skunk cabbage swamp | G1S1 |
Vaccinium uliginosum / Carex obnupta | bog blueberry / slough sedge shrub swamp | G2S2 |
Vaccinium uliginosum / Deschampsia cespitosa - Carex obnupta | bog blueberry / tufted hairgrass - slough sedge shrub swamp | G2S2 |
Forested Wetlands
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Acer macrophyllum / Rubus spectabilis | bigleaf maple / salmonberry | G4S2 |
Alnus rubra / Athyrium filix-femina | red alder / lady fern | G1S1 |
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana / Lonicera hispidula / Festuca | Port Orford cedar / hairy honeysuckle / fescue | G3S2 |
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis / Oplopanax horridus | Alaska cedar / devil's club | G3S2 |
Fraxinus latifolia - Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa / Rubus spectabilis | Oregon ash - black cottonwood / salmonberry | G3S2 |
Fraxinus latifolia / Juncus patens | Oregon ash / spreading rush | G2S2 |
Picea sitchensis / Carex obnupta - Lysichitum americanum | Sitka spruce / slough sedge - skunk cabbage | G3S1 |
Pinus contorta spp. contorta / Carex obnupta | shorepine / slough sedge | G2S1 |
Populus tremuloides / Carex aquatilis var. aquatilis | quaking aspen / aquatic sedge | G2S2 |
Populus tremuloides / Carex pellita | quaking aspen / woolly sedge | G2S2 |
Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra / Uritica dioica ssp. gracilis | Pacific willow / stinging nettle | G2S2 |
Salix lutea / Carex utriculata | rigid willow / beaked sedge | G4S2 |
Thuja plicata - Tsuga heterophylla / Lysichiton americanus | western red cedar - western hemlock / skunk cabbage | G3S1 |
Thuja plicata / Lysichiton americanus | western red cedar / skunk cabbage | G4S1 |
Thuja plicata / Oplopanax horridus | western red cedar / devils club | G3S1 |
Tsuga heterophylla / Vaccinium alaskaense - Oplopanax horridus | western hemlock / Alaska huckleberry - devil's club | G3S2 |
Freshwater Marshes
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Glyceria grandis | American mannagrass marsh | G2S2 |
Ludwigia palustris - Polygonum hydropiperoides | water purslane - waterpepper marsh | G2S2 |
Sagittaria latifolia | wapato marsh | G3S2 |
Torreyochloa pallida var. pauciflora | weak alkaligrass | G3S2 |
Freshwater Tidal
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Caltha palustris - Lysichiton americanus | yellow marshmarigold - skunk cabbage | G3S2 |
Picea sitchensis / Cornus sericea / Lysichiton americanus Forest | Sitka spruce / red-osier dogwood / skunk cabbage | G2S1 |
Typha angustifolia - Typha latifolia | narrow leaved cattail - broad-leaved cattail marsh | G3S2 |
Playas
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Allenrolfea occidentalis | iodine bush playa | G3S2 |
Alnus incana - Spiraea douglasii | mountain alder - Douglas spiraea | G3S2 |
Artemisia cana / Eleocharis palustris | silver sagebrush / common spikerush playa | GUS2 |
Artemisia cana / Poa fendleriana | silver sagebrush / Fendler bluegrass playa | G4S2 |
Artemisia papposa | Owyhee sagebrush playa | G?S2 |
Leymus triticoides - Poa secunda ssp. juncifolia | creeping wildrye - alkali bluegrass playa | G3S2 |
Sarcobatus vermiculatus / Leymus cinereus | black greasewood / basin wildrye playa | G3S2 |
Riparian Wetlands
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Acer circinatum - Alnus incana | vine maple - mountain alder | G2G3S2 |
Alnus incana - Betula occidentalis | mountain alder - western birch | G2G3S1 |
Alnus incana - Symphoricarpos albus | mountain alder - common snowberry | G3S2 |
Alnus rhombifolia - Salix lucida ssp. caudata | white alder - Pacific willow | G4S2 |
Alnus rhombifolia / Betula occidentalis | white alder / western birch | G1S1 |
Alnus rhombifolia / Carex nudata | white alder / torrent sedge | G1S1 |
Alnus rhombifolia / Cornus sericea ssp. sericea | white alder / red-osier dogwood | GUS2 |
Alnus rhombifolia / Crataegus douglasii | white alder / black hawthorn | GUS1 |
Alnus rhombifolia / Philadelphus lewisii | white alder / mockorange | G1S1 |
Alnus rhombifolia / Prunus virginiana | white alder / chokecherry | G2S1 |
Alnus rhombifolia / Rosa woodsii | white alder / Wood's rose | G1S1 |
Alnus rubra / Physocarpus capitatus | red alder / Pacific ninebark | G1S1 |
Betula occidentalis - Cornus sericea | western birch - creek dogwood | G2G3S2 |
Betula occidentalis - Crataegus douglasii | western birch - black hawthorn | G1S1 |
Betula occidentalis - Philadelphus lewisii | western birch - mockorange | G2S2 |
Crataegus douglasii - Rosa woodsii | black hawthorn - Wood's rose | G2S1 |
Crataegus douglasii - Symphoricarpos albus - (Populus tremuloides) | black hawthorn - common snowberry - (aspen) | G1S1 |
Philadelphus lewisii | mockorange | G2S2 |
Argentina egedii - Aster subspicatus | Pacific silverweed - Douglas aster salt marsh | G3S2 |
Pinus ponderosa / Crataegus douglasii | ponderosa pine / black hawthorn | G1S1 |
Populus angustifolia / Alnus incana | mountain cottonwood / mountain alder | G3S1 |
Populus angustifolia / Cornus sericea | mountain cottonwood / creek dogwood | G4S1 |
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa - Alnus rhombifolia | black cottonwood - white alder | G1S1 |
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa - Alnus rubra / Rubus spectabilis | black cottonwood - red alder / salmonberry | G2G3S2 |
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa / Alnus incana | black cottonwood / mountain alder | G3S2 |
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa / Betula occidentalis - Salix spp | black cottonwood / western birch - willow | G3S2 |
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa / Cornus sericea / Impatiens capensis | black cottonwood / creek dogwood / touch-me-not | G1S1 |
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa / Crataegus douglasii | black cottonwood / black hawthorn | G1S1 |
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa / Philadelphus lewisii | black cottonwood / mockorange | G3S2 |
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa / Salix exigua | black cottonwood / coyote willow | G2S2 |
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa / Salix lucida ssp. caudata | black cottonwood / Pacific willow riparian | G2S2 |
Populus tremuloides / Alnus incana - Betula nana - Ribes spp. | quaking aspen / mountain alder - birch - currant | G1S1 |
Populus tremuloides / Salix scouleriana | quaking aspen / Scouler willow | G4S2 |
Prunus virginiana | chokecherry | G4S2 |
Ribes lacustre / Cinna latifolia - Glyceria striata | prickly currant / drooping woodreed - fowl mannagrass riparian | G2S2 |
Salix amygdaloides - Salix exigua | peachleaf willow - coyote willow | G3S2, G1Q |
Salix boothii - Salix eastwoodiae / Carex nigricans | Booth willow - mountain willow riparian / black alpine sedge | G3S2 |
Salix boothii - Salix lemmonii / Aconitum columbianum | Booth willow - Lemmon willow / Columbia monkshood | G3S2 |
Salix eriocephala - Ribes aureum | rigid willow - golden currant riparian | G3S2 |
Salix eriocephala - Salix exigua | coyote willow - rigid willow | G3S2 |
Salix exigua - Salix lucida ssp. caudata | coyote willow - Pacific willow | G2QS2 |
Salix exigua / Equisetum arvense | coyote willow / common horsetail | G3S2 |
Salix geyeriana - Salix eriocephala | Geyer willow - rigid willow | G3S1 |
Salix geyeriana - Salix lemmonii | Geyer willow - Lemmon willow | G3S2 |
Salix lucida ssp. caudata / Rosa woodsii | Pacific willow / Wood's rose | G3S2 |
Salix lutea / Rosa woodsii | rigid willow / golden currant - Wood's rose | G3S2 |
Salix scouleriana | Scouler willow | G2S2 |
Spartina pectinata | prairie cordgrass marsh | G3S1 |
Thuja plicata - (Alnus rubra) / Rubus spectabilis / Oxalis oregana | western red cedar - (red alder) / salmonberry / Oregon oxalis | G3S2 |
Thuja plicata / Athyrium filix-femina | western red cedar / lady fern | G3G4S2 |
Salt Marshes, Brackish Marshes
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Argentina egedii - Aster subspicatus | Pacific silverweed - Douglas aster salt marsh | G3S2 |
Argentina egedii - Carex obnupta | Pacific silverweed - slough sedge salt marsh | G4S2 |
Argentina egedii - Distichlis spicata | Pacific silverweed - salt grass | G3S2 |
Argentina egedii - Juncus balticus | Pacific silverweed - Baltic rush salt marsh | G4S2 |
Carex lyngbyei | Lyngby sedge freshwater marsh | G4S2 |
Carex lyngbyei - (Distichlis spicata - Triglochin maritimum) | Lyngby sedge - (saltgrass - arrow grass) salt marsh | G4S2 |
Carex lyngbyei - Argentina egedii | Lyngby sedge - Pacific silverweed salt marsh | G4S2 |
Deschampsia cespitosa - (Carex lyngbyei - Distichlis spicata) salt marsh | tufted hairgrass - (Lyngby sedge - saltgrass) salt marsh | G3S2 |
Deschampsia cespitosa - Argentina egedii salt marsh | tufted hairgrass - Pacific silverweed salt marsh | G4S2 |
Deschampsia cespitosa - Juncus balticus salt marsh | tufted hairgrass - Baltic rush salt marsh | G4S2 |
Distichlis spicata - (Salicornia virginica) | saltgrass - (glasswort) salt marsh | G4S2 |
Salicornia virginica | glasswort salt marsh | G4S2 |
Salicornia virginica - Distichlis spicata - Triglochin maritima - (Jaumea carnosa) | glasswort - saltgrass - arrow grass - (jaumea) salt marsh | G3S2 |
Scirpus americanus (estuarine association) | three-square bulrush salt marsh | G3S2 |
Scirpus maritimus (estuarine association) | seacoast bulrush salt marsh | G3S2 |
Triglochin maritimum - (Salicornia virginiana) | arrow grass - (glasswort) salt marsh | G4S2 |
Serpentine Fens
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Carex californica | California sedge ultramafic fen | G2S2 |
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana / Rhododendron occidentale / Carex | Port Orford cedar / western azalea / sedge ultramafic riparian | G2S2 |
Danthonia californica - Deschampsia cespitosa ultramafic fen | California oatgrass - tufted hairgrass ultramafic fen | G2S2 |
Danthonia californica - Deschampsia cespitosa ultramafic prairie | California oatgrass - tufted hairgrass ultramafic prairie | G2S2 |
Darlingtonia californica ultramafic fen | Darlingtonia ultramafic fen | G4?S2 |
Rhododendron occidentale / Camassia quamash | western azalea / camas shrub | G2S2 |
Snowbed Depressions
No rare plant associations currently listed by ORBIC
Spray Zones
No rare plant associations currently listed by ORBIC
Springs
No rare plant associations currently listed by ORBIC
Vernal Pools
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Alopecurus saccatus - Plagiobothrys bracteatus vernal pool | foxtail - popcorn flower vernal pool | GUS2 |
Deschampsia danthonoides - Danthonia unispicata vernal pool | annual hairgrass - onespike oatgrass vernal pool | G3S2 |
Deschampsia danthonoides - Plagiobothrys leptocladus vernal pool | annual hairgrass - branched popcorn flower vernal pool | G2S2 |
Deschampsia danthonoides vernal pool | annual hairgrass vernal pool | G2S2 |
Downingia elegans vernal pool | common downingia vernal pool | G2S1 |
Downingia yina - Navarretia leucocephala ssp. minima vernal pool | Cascade downingia - least navarretia vernal pool | G2S2 |
Downingia yina - Plagiobothrys bracteatus vernal pool | Cascade downingia - bracted popcorn flower vernal pool | G2S2 |
Eragrostis hypnoides - Gnaphalium palustre vernal pool | creeping lovegrass - lowland cudweed vernal pool | G2S1 |
Eryngium petiolatum - Grindelia nana vernal pool | coyote-thistle - low gumweed vernal pool | G2S1 |
Eryngium petiolatum - Lasthenia glaberrima vernal pool | coyote-thistle - smooth lasthenia vernal pool | G2S1 |
Gratiola ebracteata - Plagiobothrys bracteatus vernal pool | bractless hedge-hyssop - bracted popcorn flower vernal pool | G2S2 |
Isoetes nuttallii - Plagiobothrys bracteatus vernal pool | Nuttall quillwort - bracted popcorn flower vernal pool | G2S2 |
Lasthenia californica vernal pool | goldfields vernal pool | G3S2 |
Myosurus minimus - Plagiobothrys bracteatus vernal pool | mousetail - bracted popcorn flower vernal pool | G2S2 |
Navarretia intertexta - Polygonum kelloggii vernal pool | needle-leaf navarretia - Kellogg knotweed vernal pool | G2S2 |
Navarretia leucocephala - Plagiobothrys bracteatus vernal pool | navarretia - bracted popcorn flower vernal pool | G2S2 |
Plagiobothrys bracteatus - Veronica peregrina vernal pool | bracted popcorn-flower - purslane speedwell vernal pool | G2S2 |
Plagiobothrys figuratus vernal pool | fragrant popcorn-flower vernal pool | G2S1 |
Plagiobothrys leptocladus - Veronica peregrina vernal pool | slender-branched popcorn-flower - purslane speedwell vernal pool | G2S2 |
Psilocarpus brevissimus vernal pool | dwarf woolly-heads vernal pool | G2S2 |
Triteleia hyacinthina - Deschampsia danthanoides vernal pool | hyacinth brodiaea - annual hairgrass vernal pool | G2S2 |
Wet Meadows
No rare plant associations currently listed by ORBIC
Wet Prairies
Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
---|---|---|
Carex aperta | Columbia sedge marsh | G1S1 |
Carex densa - Deschampsia cespitosa | Dense sedge - tufted hairgrass prairie | G2S2 |
Carex densa - Juncus patens | dense sedge - spreading rush marsh | G2S2 |
Carex unilateralis - Hordeum brachyantherum | one-sided sedge - meadow barley prairie | G2S2 |
Deschampsia cespitosa - Danthonia californica valley prairie | tufted hairgrass - California oatgrass valley prairie | G2S2 |
Eleocharis palustris - Carex unilateralis | creeping spikerush - one-sided sedge marsh | G2S2 |
Rosa nutkana / Deschampsia cespitosa | Nootka rose / tufted hairgrass brush prairie | G2S2 |
Rosa nutkana / Oenanthe sarmentosa | Nootka rose / water parsley shrub swamp | G2S2 |
Vaccinium caespitosum | Dwarf blueberry brush prairie | GUS1 |