Name:
Pinus pungens - Pinus rigida - (Quercus prinus) / Kalmia latifolia - Vaccinium pallidum Woodland
Reference:
Southeastern Ecology Working Gro...
Description:
This association includes mostly evergreen woodlands dominated by Pinus pungens and/or Pinus rigida, occurring over a dense ericaceous shrub stratum, on sharp ridges, mostly above 2000 feet elevation in the Southern Blue Ridge. This type is also found in limited areas of the inner Piedmont. This woodland occurs across a wide elevational range (1600-4000 feet), on exposed ridges and upper slopes with southerly and westerly exposures, over thin, excessively drained, nutrient-poor soils, and can be associated with rock outcroppings. Canopy coverage can often approach that of a forest, especially in areas where fire has been excluded and deciduous species have significant coverage. Deciduous species that can be important, particularly in the subcanopy, include Quercus prinus, Quercus coccinea, Quercus stellata, Nyssa sylvatica, Acer rubrum, and Oxydendrum arboreum. Pinus virginiana and Pinus strobus can have high coverage and even codominate on some sites. The shrub stratum is dominated by ericaceous species, typically Kalmia latifolia and Leucothoe recurva in the tall-shrub stratum and Vaccinium pallidum as a low shrub. Other shrub species vary with location, but include Vaccinium stamineum, Vaccinium simulatum, Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium hirsutum, Vaccinium corymbosum, Rhododendron maximum, Rhododendron minus, Gaylussacia ursina, Gaylussacia baccata, Buckleya distichophylla, Pyrularia pubera, and Fothergilla major. Species commonly found in the sparse herb stratum include Chimaphila maculata, Galax urceolata, Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum, Xerophyllum asphodeloides, Chamaelirium luteum, Comptonia peregrina, Leiophyllum buxifolium, Gaultheria procumbens, Iris verna, Dichanthelium spp., and Epigaea repens, although herbaceous species composition will vary within the range of this community. Smilax glauca is a common vine. Without periodic fire, this community will gradually succeed into forests dominated by Quercus prinus and Quercus coccinea, except on the most extreme sites, where this vegetation is self-perpetuating. It is thought that woodlands dominated by Pinus pungens are associated with more xeric conditions than woodlands dominated by Pinus pungens in combination with other tree species.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.20226.PINUSPUNGENSPIN
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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