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A forest of Monterey pines. A Closed-cone conifer forest or woodland is a plant community occurring in coastal California and several offshore islands. The forests typically have a single-aged single-species conifer overstory with dense ladder fuels.
Closed-cone conifer forests are found in small, scattered patches throughout the ecoregion, typically adjacent to maritime chaparral. Common pines are lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta ), bishop pine ( Pinus muricata ), Monterey pine ( Pinus radiata ), and knobcone pine ( Pinus attenuata ).
The trees of Closed-cone pine forest burned in every 25–50 years, and a few species including the knobcone pine (Pinus attenuata) are adapted to open the cones and release seeds for new growth following the heat of forest fires. However, as fire regulation and suppression becomes more effective these communities cannot renew themselves.
The bishop pines of the Phillip Burton Wilderness are considered an intermediate between the northern variety (Pinus muricata v. borealis) and the southern (Pinus muricata v. muricata). The Monterey cypress (Callitropsis macrocarpa), a closed-cone conifer, is also present.
A mosaic of different manzanita species and closed-cone pine forest appears at higher elevations. Bigcone Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga macrocarpa, is a notable resident of some of these communities. The Mediterranean California Lower Montane Black Oak-Conifer Forest plant community occurs here.
The flora of this ecoregion also includes tree species such as gray or foothill pine (Pinus sabiniana), scrub oak (Quercus dumosa), California buckeye (Aesculus californica), the rare Gowen cypress (Cupressus goveniana), the rare Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa), and a wealth of endemic plant species, including the extremely rare San ...
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Closed-cone pine forest (same in Munz) Coastal sage scrub (soft chaparral) (same in Munz) Freshwater marsh (same in Munz) Maritime coast range ponderosa pine forests; Montane chaparral (not in Munz) North coastal forest (includes north coastal coniferous forest, redwood forest, Douglas-fir forest and mixed evergreen forest (from Munz) )