Name:
Metopium toxiferum - Eugenia foetida - Krugiodendron ferreum - Swietenia mahagoni / Capparis flexuosa Forest
Reference:
Southeastern Ecology Working Gro...
Description:
This community is a dense, tropical, broad-leaved, evergreen forest with an open understory, occurring on areas of elevated rock. Canopies are typically 9-12 m and composed of trees 10-20 cm in diameter with scattered individuals that are up to 100 cm in diameter. Common canopy species include Metopium toxiferum, Krugiodendron ferreum, Swietenia mahagoni, Guapira discolor, Bursera simaruba, Coccoloba diversifolia, Lysiloma latisiliquum, Sideroxylon salicifolium (= Bumelia salicifolia, = Dipholis salicifolia), Sideroxylon foetidissimum (= Mastichodendron foetidissimum), and Ficus aurea. Well-developed subcanopies contain smaller individuals of canopy species and Eugenia axillaris, Eugenia foetida, Gymnanthes lucida, Thrinax radiata, Thrinax morrisii, Amyris elemifera, Drypetes diversifolia, Canella winteriana, Bourreria succulenta (= Bourreria ovata), Sapindus saponaria, Guajacum sanctum, etc. Species that occur as shrubs include Psychotria nervosa, Ardisia escallonoides, Guettarda elliptica, Guettarda scabra, Colubrina elliptica, Capparis flexuosa, and Eugenia rhombea. Only a few shade-tolerant herbs are found beneath the dense forest cover (Dichanthelium dichotomum, Oplismenus hirtellus ssp. setarius (= Oplismenus setarius), Lasiacis divaricata). Scattered orchids (Eulophia alta, Beloglottis costaricensis (= Spiranthes costaricensis), Cyclopogon cranichoides (= Spiranthes cranichoides), Stenorrhynchos lanceolatum (= Spiranthes lanceolata), Eltroplectris calcarata) and clumps of ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata, Nephrolepis biserrata, Thelypteris kunthii) may grow in areas with sufficient moisture. Other ferns (Adiantum tenerum, Tectaria heracleifolia, Tectaria fimbriata, Thelypteris reptans, Thelypteris sclerophylla) grow on the walls of solution holes. Herbaceous epiphytes are abundant and conspicuous (Campyloneurum phyllitidis, Pleopeltis polypodioides ssp. polypodioides, Phlebodium aureum, Vittaria lineata, Tillandsia spp.).
Accession Code:
VB.CC.27364.METOPIUMTOXIFER
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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