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Pithecellobium unguis-cati - Opuntia spp. - Agave spp. Scrub Macrogroup | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Pithecellobium unguis-cati - Opuntia spp. - Agave spp. Scrub Macrogroup
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This macrogroup encompass tropical and subtropical dry scrub distributed in the Florida Keys and most of the Caribbean islands. The physiognomy of the vegetation types included is varied: from an open, primarily herbaceous community with scattered shrubs and columnar and tree-shaped cacti, to a mixed evergreen, drought-deciduous scrub (stunted trees, shrubs and low palms) with succulents, which can be dense and varying in height from 0.4 to 4 m. Stands of serpentine scrubs that alternate with small grassy clearings also occur, as well as sand savannas. Common plant growth forms include evergreen sclerophyllous and microphyllous shrubs, small or arborescent cacti, plants in rosettes (such as agaves and terrestrial bromeliads), semi-deciduous shrubs, and emergent palms. The ecology is characterized by a dry season of 2-6 months and occurs on limiting substrate conditions related to the presence of ultramafic soils, exposed limestone, dogtooth limestone, or rocky areas of Key Largo limestone with little soil or leaf litter. Most commonly these environmental characteristics are present in coastal areas; however, inland communities can occur growing on ferrallitic soils, which are derived from serpentine in isolated locations in the lowlands. Habitat diversity in this edaphoxerophylous system is spatially very heterogeneous and patchy. Given that this type develops under limiting environmental factors, variation in the dry season period, topography, and substrate determines the specific characteristics of the vegetation communities in this macrogroup since all of these factors have great importance as determinants of variation in water availability and physiological adaptations. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40920-{88071DDD-A247-47BC-8CCC-501A84943695}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 13-Apr-2015 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.884847 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: M671
  Scientific: Pithecellobium unguis-cati - Opuntia spp. - Agave spp. Scrub Macrogroup