Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Indiangrass - Bushy Bluestem - Compass Plant Grassland

Colloquial Name: Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Blackland Prairie

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This mesic blackland prairie community occurs in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas along lower slopes and areas of relatively high soil moisture. Seepage is common along the lower slopes during periods of high rainfall. Water may pond briefly in localized depressions due to the tight soils. Vegetation is typically thick, 1.8 m (6 feet) tall or greater. This community becomes shrubby with fire suppression. Animals create bare areas for use as mineral licks. Fuel accumulation is rapid. Dominant species include Sorghastrum nutans, Andropogon glomeratus, and Silphium laciniatum. Other herbaceous species include Acacia angustissima (rare?), Centrosema virginianum, Chamaecrista fasciculata, Dalea purpurea, Desmanthus illinoensis, Eryngium yuccifolium, Eupatorium altissimum, Helianthus grosseserratus, Ruellia humilis, Schizachyrium scoparium, Scirpus pendulus, Silphium integrifolium, Oligoneuron rigidum, Tragia urticifolia, Tripsacum dactyloides, Vernonia baldwinii, and Vernonia missurica. The non-natives Lespedeza cuneata and Melilotus officinalis can be abundant in disturbed areas. Woody species, including Sideroxylon lanuginosum, Berchemia scandens, Cercis canadensis var. canadensis, Cornus florida, Diospyros virginiana, Fraxinus americana, Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana, Quercus muehlenbergii, Rhus glabra, Smilax bona-nox, and Smilax rotundifolia, occur locally during periods of fire suppression, colonizing and growing faster than in the drier blackland prairie communities. High-quality examples of this community type exist at the Terre Noire Natural Area and southern end of the International Paper Blackland Prairie. Additional high-quality examples are located on the Keadle, Brewer, and McElhannon tracts. The type location is in Clark County, Arkansas. Other examples can be found in Howard and Hempstead counties and should be found in Little River, Nevada, and Sevier counties, Arkansas.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Silphium laciniatum is abundant enough at Terre Noire Natural Area and International Paper Blackland Prairie to be listed first in the community name; this abundance possibly reflects historic grazing and may not be indicative of its abundance in less disturbed conditions. This is a very rare community. It seems likely that this community used to cover the flatter topographic positions on the landscape (where it should transition into a wet-mesic version not yet described), as well as the lower slope seepage areas. These flatter topographic areas of the landscape have been largely converted to fescue pasture. A shrubland version (fire-suppressed) of this community could be described.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available