In New York, this taxon grows primarily on cliffs, ledges, and rock outcrops. It is also known from talus slopes below exposed rocky sites. The cliffs and ledges where this taxon occurs can be in forested areas or more often in exposed, open areas. The rocks are primarily acidic but this taxon also grows where there appears to be some calcareous influence. The populations are primarily in cool, relatively high elevation sites but it is not a member of the true alpine flora (New York Natural Heritage Program 2007). Dry serpentine soils, granitic rocky barren uplands of mountains below alpine slopes (Semple and Cook 2006). Plants mostly of cliffs and ledges (Haines and Vining 1998).

Acidic talus slope woodland An open to closed canopy woodland that occurs on talus slopes (slopes of boulders and rocks, often at the base of cliffs) composed of non-calcareous rocks such as granite, quartzite, or schist.

Cliff community A community that occurs on vertical exposures of resistant, non-calcareous bedrock (such as quartzite, sandstone, or schist) or consolidated material; these cliffs often include ledges and small areas of talus.

American Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) Short-stemmed Sedge (Carex deflexa) Northern Singlespike Sedge (Carex scirpoidea ssp. scirpoidea) Pink Corydalis (Corydalis sempervirens) Brittle Bladderfern (Cystopteris fragilis) (Dasiphora floribunda) Northern Bush-honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) Appalachian Fir-clubmoss (Huperzia appressa) Rock Polypody (Polypodium virginianum)

White Mountain Saxifrage (Saxifraga paniculata) Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) Three-toothed Cinquefoil (Sibbaldiopsis tridentata) Hairy Goldenrod (Solidago hispida) American Mountain-ash (Sorbus americana) Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) Narrow False Oats (Trisetum spicatum) Rusty Woodsia (Woodsia ilvensis)