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CEGL007157 Pinus elliottii - (Pinus palustris) / Morella cerifera - Ilex coriacea Ruderal Wet Woodland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Slash Pine - (Longleaf Pine) / Wax-myrtle - Large Gallberry Ruderal Wet Woodland

Colloquial Name: West Gulf Coastal Plain Ruderal Slash Pine Wet Woodland

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This association does not represent natural vegetation. The core concept includes stands of Pinus elliottii var. elliottii outside the natural range of the species in the West Gulf Coastal Plain of Texas and Louisiana. This association may be best thought of as a degraded form of ~Pinus palustris / Rhynchospora elliottii - Lobelia flaccidifolia - Platanthera nivea - (Helenium drummondii) Woodland (CEGL007802)$$ which represents the natural longleaf pine-dominated flatwoods of the region. Examples can be highly variable in condition and composition, as partly indicated by the amount of Pinus palustris present. Stands may develop after heavy silvicultural management (consisting of planted or seed tree/shelterwood-regenerated stands) to unmanaged, naturalized stands resulting from fire suppression. All examples are believed to occur on former Pinus palustris sites, and some examples may still contain enough Pinus palustris to qualify this species as a codominant (comprising 25-75% of the canopy). The canopy closure varies with management, and at some stages may exceed 60%. Most managed and thinned examples will generally range below 60% cover, and several apparently unmanaged examples in the Big Thicket National Preserve retain open, woodland structure. In silviculturally managed examples, burning frequency generally increases in stands after 15 years of age when trees are more resistant to mortality. Shrubs range from very patchy in frequently burned sites to dense in examples that have not burned for more than five years. Shrubs include Morella caroliniensis, Morella cerifera, Ilex coriacea, Viburnum nudum var. nudum, Vaccinium elliottii, and Callicarpa americana. Little herbaceous cover occurs under denser canopies, while more open examples may include a fairly dense ground cover of Schizachyrium scoparium, Muhlenbergia expansa, Ctenium aromaticum, and Carex spp. Soils range from poorly drained to very poorly drained, fine sandy loams or silt loams. The variable hydrology includes forests with soils saturated in winter, early spring, and periodically throughout the growing season. This vegetation occurs in the West Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana and Texas, outside the natural range of Pinus elliottii var. elliottii.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

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

Floristics: This evergreen forest consists of planted or seed tree/shelterwood-regenerated Pinus elliottii var. elliottii and Pinus palustris comprising over 75% of the canopy. The total canopy cover ranges from 60-100%. Liquidambar styraciflua may be in the understory or subcanopy but comprises less than 25% of the canopy. Shrubs range from very patchy in frequently burned sites to dense in examples that have not burned for several (over 5) years and include Morella caroliniensis (= Myrica heterophylla), Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera), Ilex coriacea, Viburnum nudum var. nudum, Vaccinium elliottii, and Callicarpa americana. Little herbaceous cover occurs under denser canopies, while more open examples may include a fairly dense ground cover of Schizachyrium scoparium, Muhlenbergia expansa, Ctenium aromaticum, and Carex spp. The exotics Lonicera japonica, Ligustrum sinense, and Microstegium vimineum may invade this community.

Dynamics:  This forest is primarily disturbed through silvicultural management techniques such as burning and thinning. This forest is initially planted as a seedling/sapling phase and progresses relatively quickly (9-12 years) to a forest physiognomy. This forest is likely cut before it succeeds to another community.
Environmental Description:  Soils on which this type occurs range from poorly drained to very poorly drained, fine sandy loams or silt loams. The variable hydrology includes forests with soils saturated in winter, early spring, and periodically throughout the growing season. Examples can be highly variable, ranging from heavily silviculturally managed vegetation consisting of planted or seed tree/shelterwood-regenerated Pinus elliottii var. elliottii to unmanaged, "naturalized" stands resulting from fire suppression.
Geographic Range: This vegetation occurs in the West Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana and Texas, outside the natural range of Pinus elliottii var. elliottii.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  LA, TX


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNA

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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation F026 1.B.3
Division 1.B.3.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division D062 1.B.3.Nb
Macrogroup 1.B.3.Nb.90 Red Maple - Tuliptree - Sugarberry Ruderal Flooded & Swamp Forest Macrogroup M310 1.B.3.Nb.90
Group 1.B.3.Nb.90.a Red Maple - Loblolly Pine - Sweetgum Ruderal Flooded & Swamp Forest Group G553 1.B.3.Nb.90.a
Alliance A3345 Loblolly Pine - Sweetgum Ruderal Flooded & Swamp Forest Alliance A3345 1.B.3.Nb.90.a
Association CEGL007157 Slash Pine - (Longleaf Pine) / Wax-myrtle - Large Gallberry Ruderal Wet Woodland CEGL007157 1.B.3.Nb.90.a
Concept Lineage: Pinus elliottii var. elliottii - Pinus palustris / Myrica cerifera Woodland included here.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < IF3b. Plantation (Hardwood or Conifer) (Allard 1990)
< Longleaf Pine - Slash Pine: 83 (Eyre 1980)
< Slash Pine (22) (USFS 1988)
Concept Author(s): J.E. Mohan

Author of Description: J.E. Mohan and R.E. Evans

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-01-95
  • Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.
  • Burns, R. M., and B. H. Honkala, technical coordinators. 1990a. Silvics of North America: Volume 1. Conifers. Agriculture Handbook 654. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC. 675 pp.
  • Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
  • Hatchell, G. E. 1964. Small mammal species and populations in the loblolly-shortleaf pine forest type of Louisiana. Research Paper SO-10. USDA Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station, New Orleans, LA. 12 pp.
  • Martin, W. H., S. G. Boyce, and A. C. Echternacht, editors. 1993a. Biodiversity of the southeastern United States: Lowland terrestrial communities. John Wiley and Sons, New York. 502 pp.
  • Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
  • USFS [U.S. Forest Service]. 1988. Silvicultural examination and prescription field book. USDA Forest Service, Southern Region. Atlanta, GA. 35 pp.