Name:
Quercus (prinus, coccinea) / Kalmia latifolia / (Galax urceolata, Gaultheria procumbens) Forest
Reference:
Southeastern Ecology Working Gro...
Description:
This community includes subxeric ridgetop and exposed slope forests in the Southern Appalachians, ranging south and east into the upper Piedmont, north into the Central Appalachians, and north and west into the Ridge and Valley. This community occurs over shallow soils, primarily on south- to west-facing slopes and ridgetops where solar exposure is high. Soils are rocky, infertile, dry, acidic sandy loams typically derived from sandstone. The community includes forests with canopies strongly dominated by <i>Quercus prinus</i> and/or <i>Quercus coccinea</i>, with lesser amounts of <i>Quercus velutina, Quercus rubra, Quercus falcata, Oxydendrum arboreum, Nyssa sylvatica, Pinus virginiana</i>, and <i>Acer rubrum</i>, occurring over a typically dense shrub stratum dominated by ericaceous species. The shrub layer may vary between evergreen and deciduous dominance. Typical shrub species include <i>Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron maximum, Vaccinium stamineum, Vaccinium pallidum, Gaylussacia ursina, Gaylussacia baccata</i>, and (in the more southern portions of the range) <i>Leucothoe recurva</i>. In addition, <i>Castanea dentata</i> may occur abundantly as root sprouts. The herb layer is typically sparse and includes subshrubs such as <i>Epigaea repens</i> and <i>Gaultheria procumbens</i>. Other common species include <i>Chamaelirium luteum, Chimaphila maculata, Galax urceolata, Magnolia fraseri, Sassafras albidum, Symplocos tinctoria, Smilax rotundifolia</i>, and <i>Smilax glauca</i>. This community is distinguished by its overall floristic composition, with a high abundance of acid-loving ericaceous species, which are indicative of this community's extremely infertile, acidic soils.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.35355.CEGL006271
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:
Common: Chestnut Oak Forest (Subxeric Ridge Type)
Translated: (Chestnut Oak, Scarlet Oak) / Mountain Laurel / (Beetleweed, Eastern Teaberry) Forest
Scientific: Quercus (prinus, coccinea) / Kalmia latifolia / (Galax urceolata, Gaultheria procumbens) Forest
Code: CEGL006271
UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.686512
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