Name:
Quercus prinus - Quercus (rubra, velutina) / Vaccinium (angustifolium, pallidum) Forest
Reference:
Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
Description:
This dry to xeric oak-heath forest of central and southern New England ranges south to the northern Piedmont and central Appalachian Mountains. It occurs on upper slopes and ridgetops with thin, nutrient-poor, acidic soils. Windthrow, fire and ice damage are common natural disturbances. The canopy is closed to partially open and is dominated by <i>Quercus prinus</i>, which can be codominant with <i>Quercus rubra</i>. <i>Quercus alba, Quercus velutina</i>, and <i>Acer rubrum</i> are common associates, with other less frequent trees including <i>Betula lenta, Quercus coccinea, Amelanchier arborea, Pinus rigida</i>, and <i>Pinus strobus</i>. <i>Sassafras albidum, Cornus florida</i>, and <i>Nyssa sylvatica</i> can be minor associates at the southern and western portions of the range. The low-shrub layer is well-developed and comprised chiefly of ericaceous species, including <i>Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium stamineum, Gaylussacia baccata</i>, or <i>Kalmia angustifolia</i>. A tall-shrub layer is often lacking but when present may include <i>Castanea dentata, Kalmia latifolia, Viburnum acerifolium, Hamamelis virginiana, Quercus ilicifolia</i>, and <i>Viburnum prunifolium</i>. <i>Ilex montana, Rhododendron prinophyllum</i>, and <i>Menziesia pilosa</i> are minor shrub associates at the southern end of the range. The herbaceous layer is of sparse to moderate cover, depending on shrub cover, and may include <i>Carex pensylvanica, Deschampsia flexuosa, Danthonia spicata, Ageratina altissima var. altissima, Antennaria plantaginifolia, Aralia nudicaulis, Aureolaria laevigata, Gaultheria procumbens, Chimaphila maculata, Carex rosea, Carex swanii, Carex pensylvanica, Corydalis sempervirens, Comandra umbellata, Cypripedium acaule, Dryopteris marginalis, Epigaea repens, Goodyera pubescens, Hieracium venosum, Lycopodium clavatum, Medeola virginiana, Melampyrum lineare, Monotropa uniflora, Potentilla canadensis, Pteridium aquilinum</i>, and <i>Uvularia sessilifolia</i>.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.31054.CEGL006282
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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