Open canopy short woody plants is - according to the USDA terminology - "a general cover category consisting of short woody canopy cover of 5 to 25 percent and tall woody canopy cover of less than 5 percent. The distinction between short (< 4 meters) and tall (> 4 meters) woody plants is made for current conditions, not potential. Arid rangeland and desert can fall into this category although vegetation density and percentage of ground cover may be low."[1]
References