Name:
Quercus rubra / (Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron catawbiense, Rhododendron maximum) / Galax urceolata Forest
Reference:
Southeastern Ecology Working Gro...
Description:
This community occurs on most of the major mountain ranges of the Southern Appalachians at elevations of 1070-1646 m (3500-5400 feet) on ridges and mid to upper slopes, commonly with southern and southeastern exposures. Outliers occur in the southern part of the Central Appalachians, on the highest ridges of the Ridge and Valley and Blue Ridge in southwest Virginia. This montane community includes forest vegetation with <i>Quercus rubra</i> making up at least 75% of the tree canopy and with greater than 20% shrub cover, which may be continuous to patchy. More than 50% of the total shrub cover is evergreen, although deciduous shrubs may be present. Typical shrub dominants include <i>Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron catawbiense</i>, and <i>Rhododendron maximum</i>. The herbaceous stratum is not diverse and is typically very sparse with scattered forbs and woody seedlings, including <i>Galax urceolata, Solidago curtisii (= Solidago caesia var. curtisii), Epigaea repens, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Conopholis americana, Thelypteris noveboracensis, Clintonia umbellulata, Eurybia divaricata (= Aster divaricatus)</i>, and <i>Dioscorea villosa</i>. On exposed sites this community commonly contains acidic rock outcrop communities and montane shrublands as inclusions, and may grade into forests dominated by <i>Tsuga caroliniana, Pinus rigida, Pinus pungens</i>, and <i>Quercus prinus</i>. At higher elevations, this forest often occurs adjacent to, or grades into, forests dominated by <i>Picea rubens, Abies fraseri</i>, or northern hardwood species (<i>Aesculus flava, Betula alleghaniensis, Fagus grandifolia, </i>).
Accession Code:
VB.CC.34799.CEGL007299
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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- status: accepted
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This Community's Level:
association
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 This Community's Children:
[none]
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Names:
UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686528
NatureServe
Explorer
Common: Southern Appalachian High-Elevation Red Oak Forest (Evergreen Shrub Type)
Translated: Northern Red Oak / (Mountain Laurel, Catawba Rosebay, Great Laurel) / Beetleweed Forest
Scientific: Quercus rubra / (Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron catawbiense, Rhododendron maximum) / Galax urceolata Forest
Code: CEGL007299
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