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CEGL002244 Schizachyrium scoparium - Sedum nuttallianum - Selaginella rupestris - Portulaca pilosa / Lichens Wooded Grassland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Little Bluestem - Yellow Stonecrop - Rock Spikemoss - Kiss-Me-Quick / Lichens Wooded Grassland

Colloquial Name: Ozark Chert Glade

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This chert glade community is found in the Ozarks region of the United States, particularly in Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Stands occur on level to moderately steep slopes with any aspect or on the valley walls of tributaries of larger streams and rivers. The soil is absent to shallow (0-40 cm) and very rapidly drained. The nearly impervious parent material is massive brecciated chert. Stratified bedrock, scattered chert fragments, fine-flaking shale, or boulders are present, and small depressions fill with water in the spring. The community is also affected by extreme drought and infrequent fires. It is dominated by mid grasses, although forbs, mosses, and lichens are very common. Coreopsis lanceolata, Schizachyrium scoparium, Selaginella rupestris, and Sporobolus neglectus are the most common herbaceous plants. Marshallia caespitosa, Portulaca pilosa, Portulaca oleracea, and Dracopis amplexicaulis are also characteristic. In Arkansas additional common species include Sedum pulchellum, Phemeranthus calycinus, Croton michauxii var. ellipticus, Plantago aristata, Agrostis elliottiana, Danthonia spicata, Hordeum pusillum, Oenothera linifolia, Astragalus distortus, and Ruellia humilis. Stunted Quercus marilandica are the most likely trees to occur on the thin soils of this type. The vernal pools support certain ephemeral species not adapted to the droughty conditions that prevail in the community.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Concept of the type is taken from Missouri state type Chert Glade (Nelson 1985). In Arkansas, this association, or one similar, occurs over hard, fine-flaking shale outcrops near the North Fork of the Ouachita River, on gentle, mostly south- and southwest-facing slopes [see Campbell et al. (1996)].

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

Floristics: This community is dominated by mid grasses, although forbs, mosses, and lichens are very common. Coreopsis lanceolata, Schizachyrium scoparium, Selaginella rupestris, and Sporobolus neglectus are the most common herbaceous plants. Marshallia caespitosa, Portulaca pilosa, Portulaca oleracea (= Portulaca retusa), and Dracopis amplexicaulis are also characteristic. In Arkansas additional common species include Sedum pulchellum, Phemeranthus calycinus (= Talinum calycinum), Croton michauxii var. ellipticus (= Croton willdenowii), Plantago aristata, Agrostis elliottiana, Danthonia spicata, Hordeum pusillum, Oenothera linifolia, Astragalus distortus, and Ruellia humilis (Nelson 1985). Stunted Quercus marilandica are the most likely trees to occur on the thin soils of this type. Nelson and Ladd (1983) reported that the vernal pools support certain (unnamed) ephemeral species not adapted to the droughty conditions that prevail in the community.

Dynamics:  This community is affected by extreme drought, ephemeral vernal pools, and infrequent fires.
Environmental Description:  This community occurs on level to moderately steep slopes with any aspect or on the valley walls of tributaries of larger streams and rivers. The soil is absent to shallow (0-40 cm) and very rapidly drained. The nearly impervious parent material is massive brecciated chert of the Elsey Formation. Stratified bedrock, scattered chert fragments, fine-flaking shale, or boulders are present. Small depressions fill with water in the spring (Nelson 1985).
Geographic Range: This chert glade community is found in the United States in the Ozarks region of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AR, MO


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1G2

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass S18 2.B
Formation 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation F012 2.B.2
Division 2.B.2.Nc Eastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D024 2.B.2.Nc
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nc.2 Little Bluestem - Silky Oatgrass Acidic Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup M509 2.B.2.Nc.2
Group 2.B.2.Nc.2.b Little Bluestem - Silky Oatgrass Acidic Glade & Barrens Group G178 2.B.2.Nc.2.b
Alliance A1920 Post Oak - Blackjack Oak / Little Bluestem Interior Acidic Bedrock Scrub Alliance A1920 2.B.2.Nc.2.b
Association CEGL002244 Little Bluestem - Yellow Stonecrop - Rock Spikemoss - Kiss-Me-Quick / Lichens Wooded Grassland CEGL002244 2.B.2.Nc.2.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Schizachyrium scoparium - Sedum nuttallianum - Selaginella rupestris - Portulaca pilosa / Lichens Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Chert Glade (Nelson 1985)
= Chert Glade (Nelson and Ladd 1983)
Concept Author(s): P.W. Nelson (1985)

Author of Description: P. Nelson, J. Drake, D. Faber-Langendoen, and D. Ambrose

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 03-03-94
  • Campbell, J. J. N., S. Walker, and D. Zollner. 1996. Technical assessment to: An ecological assessment of forest lands in Arkansas and Oklahoma proposed for inclusion into the Ouachita National Forest and Cossatot National Wildlife Refuge. Unpublished report by The Nature Conservancy. 114 pp.
  • 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.).
  • 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.
  • Nelson, P., and D. Ladd. 1983. Preliminary report on the identification, distribution and classification of Missouri glades. Pages 59-76 in: C. L. Kucera, editor. Proceedings of the Seventh North American Prairie Conference. Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield.