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CEGL002417 Quercus stellata - Quercus marilandica - Quercus falcata / Schizachyrium scoparium Sand Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Post Oak - Blackjack Oak - Southern Red Oak / Little Bluestem Sand Woodland

Colloquial Name: Post Oak - Blackjack Oak / Bluestem Sand Woodland

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This post oak - blackjack oak woodland community is found in the alluvial sand terraces of the Upper Mississippi River Delta and lower Wabash River regions of the United States. Stands on Crowley''s Ridge occur on dry rolling hills and plains, and on knolls and ridges on terraces. It is associated with well-drained to rapidly drained soils derived from alluvial or eolian deposits. This woodland is part of a forest - woodland - grassland mosaic in which fire and wind play an important role. Periodic fires prevent woody vegetation from excluding the grasses and associated shade intolerant plants, while winds deposit and move the sandy substrate. The vegetation is an oak or mixed hardwood woodland complex with variable tree cover ranging from 10-60%. It is open-grown and often limby with natural pruning by fire. The tree canopy is short to medium in height (7-20 m) and dominated by Quercus stellata, Quercus marilandica, and Quercus falcata. A woody understory is generally absent; when present it is sometimes variable, consisting of shrubs and small trees. The herbaceous layer is dominated by grasses (Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans) with forbs common. Lithospermum caroliniense is characteristic of this type in Missouri. Callirhoe triangulata is found in both Missouri and Indiana. Gymnopogon ambiguus, Anemone caroliniana, Penstemon tubaeflorus, Heterotheca villosa var. villosa, Commelina erecta var. angustifolia, Carya texana, Carya pallida, Androsace occidentalis, Sabatia campanulata, and Conyza canadensis var. pusilla are described as characteristic species in Indiana. Mosses are often present.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Concept of this type is taken in part from the Missouri state type Dry Sand Forest (Nelson 1985). It is possible that ~Quercus stellata - Quercus velutina - Quercus alba - (Quercus falcata) / Croton michauxii Sand Woodland (CEGL002396)$$ could be combined with this type. In Missouri this community type is associated with sand prairie on Sikeston Ridge. This type is not known from the Arkansas portion of Crowley''s Ridge (D. Zollner pers. comm.). Crowley''s Ridge is wind-deposited loess, and substrates are not typically sandy. There are, however, sand dunes found on the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain in northeastern Arkansas and southeastern Missouri, west of Crowley''s Ridge (D. Zollner pers. comm. 1999), so there may be an Arkansas sand woodland barren (T. Foti pers. comm. 1999). Louisiana has a similar community - judging only from the name.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: The vegetation is an oak or mixed hardwood woodland complex with variable tree cover ranging from 10-60%. It is open-grown and often limby with natural pruning by fire. The tree canopy is short to medium in height (7-20 m) and dominated by Quercus stellata, Quercus marilandica, and Quercus falcata. A woody understory is generally absent; when present it is sometimes variable, consisting of shrubs and small trees. The herbaceous layer is dominated by grasses (Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans) with forbs common. Lithospermum caroliniense is characteristic of this type in Missouri. Callirhoe triangulata is found in both Missouri and Indiana. Gymnopogon ambiguus, Anemone caroliniana, Penstemon tubaeflorus, Heterotheca villosa var. villosa, Commelina erecta var. angustifolia, Carya texana, Carya pallida, Androsace occidentalis, Sabatia campanulata, and Conyza canadensis var. pusilla are described as characteristic species in Indiana. Mosses are often present (Nelson 1985).

Dynamics:  This woodland is part of a forest - woodland - grassland mosaic in which fire and wind may play important roles. Periodic fires (perhaps every 5-10 years) prevent woody vegetation from excluding the grasses and associated shade-intolerant plants, while winds deposit and move the sandy substrate (Nelson 1985).
Environmental Description:  Stands on Crowley''s Ridge occur on dry rolling hills and plains, and on knolls and ridges on terraces. It is associated with well-drained to rapidly drained soils derived from alluvial or eolian deposits. The soils of this type are well-drained to rapidly drained and shallow to deep (40-100 cm). The pH ranges from 4.6-6.4. The parent material is sand from alluvial or eolian deposits (Nelson 1985).
Geographic Range: This post oak - blackjack oak woodland community is found in the alluvial sand terraces of the Upper Mississippi River Delta and lower Wabash River regions of the United States, ranging from Indiana and possibly Illinois to Missouri (Crowley''s Ridge) and possibly Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisiana.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AR?, IL?, IN?, KY?, LA?, MO


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 1 Forest & Woodland Class C01 1
Subclass 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass S15 1.B
Formation 1.B.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation F008 1.B.2
Division 1.B.2.Na Eastern North American Forest & Woodland Division D008 1.B.2.Na
Macrogroup 1.B.2.Na.1 White Oak - Southern Red Oak - Shortleaf Pine Forest & Woodland Macrogroup M016 1.B.2.Na.1
Group 1.B.2.Na.1.c White Oak - Southern Red Oak - Northern Red Oak Forest & Woodland Group G159 1.B.2.Na.1.c
Alliance A3291 Post Oak - Southern Red Oak - White Oak Interior Low Plateau Woodland Alliance A3291 1.B.2.Na.1.c
Association CEGL002417 Post Oak - Blackjack Oak - Southern Red Oak / Little Bluestem Sand Woodland CEGL002417 1.B.2.Na.1.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Quercus stellata - Quercus marilandica - Quercus falcata / Schizachyrium scoparium Sand Woodland (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Dry Sand Forest (Nelson 1985)
Concept Author(s): P.W. Nelson (1985)

Author of Description: J. Drake, D. Faber-Langendoen, D. Ambrose, A.S. Weakley

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 03-03-94
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
  • Foti, Tom. Personal communication. Ecologist [retired]. Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Little Rock.
  • Homoya, M. A., J. Aldrich, J. Bacone, L. Casebere, and T. Post. 1988. Indiana natural community classification. Indiana Natural Heritage Program, Indianapolis, IN. Unpublished manuscript.
  • Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Nelson, P. 2010. The terrestrial natural communities of Missouri. Revised edition. Missouri Natural Areas Committee, Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.
  • Nelson, P. W. 1985. The terrestrial natural communities of Missouri. Missouri Natural Areas Committee, Jefferson City. 197 pp. Revised edition, 1987.
  • White, J., and M. Madany. 1978. Classification of natural communities in Illinois. Pages 311-405 in: Natural Areas Inventory technical report: Volume I, survey methods and results. Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, Urbana, IL.
  • Zollner, Douglas. Personal communication. Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy, Arkansas Field Office, Little Rock.