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Serenoa repens / Aristida spp. Florida Dry Prairie Shrubland Alliance | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Serenoa repens / Aristida spp. Florida Dry Prairie Shrubland Alliance
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This alliance is endemic to Florida and occurs in the southern portion of the state on flat, moderately to poorly drained sandy sites. These areas become saturated in the summer or inundated with several centimeters of water for short periods after heavy summer rains. This open shrubland alliance consists of nearly treeless, open grassy to shrubby expanses including <i>Aristida beyrichiana, Aristida spiciformis, Aristida purpurascens, Andropogon virginicus, Andropogon brachystachyus</i>, and <i>Eragrostis</i> spp. with sparse to dense cover of low, scrubby <i>Serenoa repens</i> and scattered patches of low shrubs including <i>Quercus pumila, Asimina</i> spp., <i>Ilex glabra, Lyonia ferruginea, Lyonia fruticosa, Lyonia lucida, Vaccinium myrsinites</i>, and <i>Morella cerifera</i>. An occasional tree may occur (less than 2 trees/1.0 ha), typically <i>Pinus elliottii var. densa</i> or <i>Sabal palmetto</i>.<br /><br />This alliance is endemic to southern Florida on flat, moderately to poorly drained sandy sites. These areas become saturated in the summer or inundated with several centimeters of water for short periods after summer rains. This alliance is threatened by lack of fire, urban development, use as unimproved pasture or conversion to improved pasture, agriculture, and citrus groves. Historical acreage of this alliance has greatly decreased, with few large tracts remaining and few occurrences of high ecological quality. This vegetation is closely related floristically to mesic pine flatwoods, except that it has virtually no tree layer. The open structure and species composition are maintained by frequent fire and the summer high water table. The natural fire frequency is thought to be every one to two years. There are numerous references in historical accounts of the Florida Dry Prairies. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:38245-{7AAC7CEC-CD1E-43DF-ABC5-0D8FAFC0A1F8}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 08-Jan-2014 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899148 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: A1519
  Translated: Saw Palmetto / Three-awn species Florida Dry Prairie Shrubland Alliance
  Common: Florida Dry Prairie Shrubland
  Scientific: Serenoa repens / Aristida spp. Florida Dry Prairie Shrubland Alliance
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(similar) Serenoa repens / Aristida beyrichiana Saturated Shrubland Alliance
(similar) A.1519