Name:
Quercus muehlenbergii - Quercus sinuata / Rhus aromatica / Liatris aspera - Allium canadense var. mobilense - Schizachyrium scoparium Woodland
Reference:
Southeastern Ecology Working Gro...
Description:
This dry calcareous woodland community occurs on ridgetops and knobs within a blackland prairie matrix in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas. Overstory trees are short (to 20 feet), gnarly, and widely spaced. In a fire-maintained condition, the overstory is open and the understory consists of prairie vegetation typical of the surrounding matrix. The herbaceous layer is predominately forb and grass in composition and moderately dense. Bare soil may be present and is covered with Nostoc commune. The dominant tree species in the sparse overstory is overwhelmingly Quercus muehlenbergii to the northeast and Quercus sinuata to the southwest. Other overstory trees may include Carya myristiciformis, Cercis canadensis, Fraxinus americana, Quercus shumardii, Ulmus crassifolia, and Ulmus alata. Juniperus virginiana and Juniperus ashei (to the west) become prominent with fire suppression. Rhus aromatica is often a dominant woody shrub. Other shrubs may be present, including Cornus drummondii, Diospyros virginiana, Frangula caroliniana, Ilex decidua, Juniperus virginiana, Rosa carolina, Sideroxylon lanuginosum, Symphoricarpos orbiculatus, and Viburnum rufidulum. Woody vines include Berchemia scandens, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Smilax rotundifolia, and Toxicodendron radicans but are not particularly important to the structure of the community. The herbaceous layer is dominated by forbs and grasses (sedges). Dominant herbaceous species include Allium canadense var. mobilense, Bouteloua curtipendula, Carex cherokeensis (in fire-suppressed state), Echinacea purpurea, Helianthus hirsutus, Liatris aspera, and Schizachyrium scoparium. Other herbaceous species may include Agrimonia parviflora, Asclepias tuberosa, Symphyotrichum cordifolium (= Aster cordifolius), Symphyotrichum patens (= Aster patens), Astragalus canadensis, Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, Dalea purpurea var. purpurea, Delphinium carolinianum, Desmodium perplexum and/or Desmodium glabellum (= Desmodium dillenii taxon split), Echinacea pallida, Euphorbia bicolor, Euphorbia corollata, Galium pilosum, Glandularia canadensis, Lespedeza spp., Liatris aspera, Lonicera sempervirens, Onosmodium molle, Opuntia humifusa, Panicum sp., Penstemon cobaea, Penstemon digitalis, Phlox pilosa, Physalis sp., Rudbeckia hirta, Ruellia humilis, Salvia azurea, Scleria oligantha, Seymeria cassioides, Silphium laciniatum, Smilax lasioneura (= Smilax herbacea var. lasioneura), Sorghastrum nutans, Spigelia marilandica, Stenosiphon linifolius, Glandularia bipinnatifida (= Verbena bipinnatifida), Verbesina helianthoides, and Vernonia baldwinii.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.26618.QUERCUSMUEHLENB
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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