Name:
Selaginella rupestris - Schizachyrium scoparium - Hypericum gentianoides - Bulbostylis capillaris Rocky Grassland
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This association includes vegetation found on granitic exfoliation domes of the Piedmont and lower elevation portions of the Blue Ridge. It occurs on gently sloping to steep exposures of smooth, exfoliating granite or similar massive igneous or metamorphic rock, such as granitic gneiss. The substrate has few cracks or irregularities for soil accumulation, and most of the areal extent is bare rock. This association typically occurs at elevations below 915 m (3000 feet) but may be found at slightly higher elevations. This community occurs in large patches, ranging in size from a few acres to over 100 acres. Vegetation consists primarily of lichens on bare rock or of shallow mats generally dominated by <i>Selaginella rupestris</i> occurring with other distinctive species. Woody species from adjacent woodlands and shrublands may be scattered components, rooted in deeper soil pockets, older stable vegetation mats, and in marginal zones between the exposed rock and adjacent forests. <i>Selaginella rupestris</i> is almost always a major dominant of the vegetation mats. However, distribution of <i>Selaginella rupestris</i> can be spotty, so there are examples of this association that do not contain this species. Other characteristic herbaceous species are <i>Baptisia tinctoria, Cheilanthes lanosa, Coreopsis major, Corydalis sempervirens, Danthonia sericea, Lindernia monticola, Phlox nivalis, Schizachyrium scoparium, Scleria triglomerata</i>, and <i>Phemeranthus teretifolius</i>. Common woody species include <i>Carya pallida, Chionanthus virginicus, Fraxinus americana, Juniperus virginiana, Kalmia latifolia, Pinus echinata, Pinus rigida, Quercus montana, Rhododendron minus, Ulmus alata</i>, and <i>Vaccinium stamineum</i>.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:35879-{AF49AC58-2232-4F14-A14C-F0BD74BC2FC0}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
18
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