Name:
Quercus montana / Rhododendron catawbiense - Kalmia latifolia Forest
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This community is documented from the northern Virginia Blue Ridge, scattered locations in the Ridge and Valley province of west-central and southwestern Virginia, and in the gorges of the New and Gauley rivers of southern West Virginia. In addition, there are a few local outliers on sheltered, north-facing bluffs along the James River in the western Piedmont. In the main part of this association's range, stands are associated with strongly convex, upper slopes and spur crests at elevations from 325 m to over 975 m (1050-3200 feet). North or northwest aspects are common, but the type has been documented from other aspects as well, generally with high solar exposure. The vegetation is a species-poor, open to closed-canopy forest of stunted (often <20 m tall, sometimes <10 m tall), gnarled trees over a dense, evergreen tall-shrub layer. <i>Quercus montana</i> is the usual canopy dominant, with occasional associates of <i>Betula lenta, Tsuga canadensis, Quercus velutina, Quercus coccinea, Quercus alba, Nyssa sylvatica, Acer rubrum, Pinus virginiana</i>, and/or <i>Pinus strobus</i>. The shrub layer is dominated by <i>Rhododendron catawbiense, Kalmia latifolia</i>, and/or <i>Rhododendron maximum</i> (the latter primarily in West Virginia occurrences). Additional shrubs which are present at low cover include <i>Hamamelis virginiana, Ilex montana</i>, and <i>Amelanchier arborea</i>. Deciduous ericads such as <i>Gaylussacia baccata</i> and <i>Vaccinium pallidum</i> may be present but rarely contribute more than 10% cover. Herbs and subshrubs are exceedingly sparse in the densely shaded, forest-floor environment; most likely to be encountered are the evergreen species <i>Gaultheria procumbens, Epigaea repens, Galax urceolata, Goodyera pubescens, Mitchella repens</i>, and <i>Chimaphila maculata</i>, sometimes present at low cover.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:36584-{ECD2AE4F-7F34-4F76-83F3-7777CB1FD539}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
25
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