Releve Virginia Division of Natural Heritage, see http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/documents/nh_plotform_instructions.pdf
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Stem Observation Area
100
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Field Height
5
m
Shrub Cover
15
%
Field Cover
50
%
Nonvascular Cover
30
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
The site supports a nearly pristine, high elevation greenstone barren. Vegetation is a patchwork of wind-blasted scrub, herbaceous mats and unvegetated (except for lichens) bedrock. The herbaceous flora of the plot is very dense where sufficient organic/soil mats have developed; dominants are Deschampsia flexuosa var. flexuosa, Solidago simplex ssp. randii var. randii and Sedum telephioides. Similar nearby habitats have nearly denuded of herbaceous growth by years of hiker traffic.
Plot directions: Shenandoah NP. On north-facing cliff along crest of Hawksbill Mtn., ca. 40 meters west of Byrd's Nest No. 2 shelter.