Name:
Aesculus flava - Betula alleghaniensis - Acer saccharum / Caulophyllum thalictroides - Actaea podocarpa Forest
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This association includes forests on high but sheltered slopes in the Southern and Central Appalachians, with canopies dominated by species typically known as northern hardwoods (<i>Aesculus flava, Fagus grandifolia, Betula alleghaniensis, Acer saccharum</i>), but with a rich herbaceous flora dominated by forbs and more typical of lower elevation "cove" forests. This forest occurs on deep, rocky soils on the upper slopes of coves, and on other protected landforms, at elevations of 1070-1525 m (3500-5000 feet), and can be associated with mafic substrates. Other canopy species can include <i>Fraxinus americana, Tilia americana var. heterophylla</i>, and <i>Quercus rubra</i>. In the Great Smoky Mountains and in the Nantahala Mountains (Standing Indian), <i>Halesia tetraptera var. monticola</i> can be an important canopy component. The shrub stratum is typically open, but small trees such as <i>Acer spicatum, Acer pensylvanicum</i>, and <i>Amelanchier laevis</i> are frequent. Herbaceous cover can be lush, quite diverse, and is typically dominated and characterized by large forbs such as <i>Caulophyllum thalictroides, Actaea podocarpa, Actaea racemosa, Collinsonia canadensis, Ageratina altissima var. roanensis, Laportea canadensis, Campanulastrum americanum</i>, and <i>Tiarella cordifolia</i>. Other species typical of northern hardwood forests such as <i>Dryopteris intermedia</i> and <i>Eurybia chlorolepis</i> are also common. The canopy of these forests always has a component of <i>Betula alleghaniensis</i> and/or <i>Fagus grandifolia</i>, occurring with <i>Acer saccharum</i>, over a lush and diverse herbaceous stratum.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:33741-{B3FFFD2D-B69D-445C-9233-5A9BE410A8FC}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
100
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