Print Report
CEGL008422 (Quercus stellata) / Schizachyrium scoparium - Piptochaetium avenaceum - Aristida purpurascens - Delphinium carolinianum Nepheline Syenite Wooded Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: (Post Oak) / Little Bluestem - Blackseed Speargrass - Arrowfeather Three-awn - Carolina Larkspur Nepheline Syenite Wooded Grassland
Colloquial Name: Nepheline Syenite Glade Wooded Grassland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association encompasses perennial grass glades with scattered trees, found zonally around the massive outcrops of nepheline syenite that form flat or slightly sloping outcrops and throughout the more broken nepheline syenite rock outcrops in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas. Vegetative cover in undisturbed glades is over 80%. The herbaceous vegetation is moderately short (to 60 cm [2 feet]) and is dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium with Aristida purpurascens, Piptochaetium avenaceum, and Tridens flavus. The herbaceous layer is diverse. Woody species consist of scattered Quercus stellata and (in some locations) Pinus echinata forming a sparse, short canopy (to 4.6 m [15 feet]) with considerable die-back during droughts. Occasional woody species may include Carya texana, Cercis canadensis, Crataegus marshallii, Diospyros virginiana, Frangula caroliniana, Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana, Quercus velutina, Rhus aromatica, Rhus copallinum, Sideroxylon lanuginosum, and Ulmus alata, depending on fire regime. This community grades into ~Sporobolus clandestinus - Clinopodium arkansanum - Camassia scilloides - Phemeranthus calycinus / Lichens Nepheline Syenite Grassland (CEGL008421)$$ on more extreme rock outcrops and Quercus stellata - Carya texana - (Pinus echinata) / Schizachyrium scoparium - Helianthus hirsutus - Tradescantia ohiensis xeric nepheline syenite knob woodland (this to be described by D. Zollner) on less extreme sites. The highest quality community examples are at the Bauxite Natural Areas and Granite Mountain in Saline and Pulaski counties, Arkansas. The type locality is in Saline County, Arkansas.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: There is also a related type dominated by forbs and annual grasses. See ~Sporobolus clandestinus - Clinopodium arkansanum - Camassia scilloides - Phemeranthus calycinus / Lichens Nepheline Syenite Grassland (CEGL008421)$$. The highest quality community examples are at the Bauxite Natural Areas and Granite Mountain in Saline and Pulaski counties, Arkansas. The type locality is in Saline County, Arkansas.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The herbaceous vegetation is moderately short (to 60 cm [2 feet]) and is dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium with Aristida purpurascens, Piptochaetium avenaceum, and Tridens flavus. The herbaceous layer is diverse and may include Agalinis skinneriana, Allium cernuum, Andropogon gerardii, Andropogon ternarius, Aristida oligantha, Asclepias hirtella, Asclepias tuberosa, Asclepias verticillata, Asclepias viridiflora, Symphyotrichum patens (= Aster patens), Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea, Carex basiantha, Carex retroflexa, Chamaecrista fasciculata, Chrysopsis pilosa, Coreopsis lanceolata, Delphinium carolinianum, Desmodium ciliare, Dichanthelium linearifolium, Digitaria cognata, Echinacea pallida, Euphorbia corollata, Euthamia leptocephala, Galactia regularis, Glandularia canadensis, Grindelia lanceolata, Stenaria nigricans (= Hedyotis nigricans), Helianthus hirsutus, Houstonia longifolia (= var. longifolia), Hypericum gentianoides, Hypericum hypericoides, Hypericum punctatum, Hypoxis hirsuta, Krigia virginica, Lechea tenuifolia, Lespedeza repens, Lespedeza violacea, Lespedeza virginica, Liatris squarrosa var. hirsuta, Liatris squarrulosa, Manfreda virginica, Monarda fistulosa, Opuntia humifusa, Panicum virgatum, Phlox pilosa ssp. ozarkana, Rhynchosia latifolia, Ruellia humilis, Scleria ciliata, Packera tomentosa (= Senecio tomentosus), Silphium laciniatum, Solidago petiolaris, Stylosanthes biflora, Trichostema dichotomum, Viola pedata, and Yucca arkansana. Woody species consist of scattered Quercus stellata and (in some locations) Pinus echinata forming a sparse, short canopy (to 4.6 m [15 feet]) with considerable die-back during droughts. Occasional woody species may include Carya texana, Cercis canadensis, Crataegus marshallii, Diospyros virginiana, Frangula caroliniana, Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana, Quercus velutina, Rhus aromatica, Rhus copallinum, Sideroxylon lanuginosum, and Ulmus alata, depending on fire regime.
Dynamics: The absence of fire has modified the flora at some examples, with the buildup of leaf litter and organic matter eliminating the glade herbaceous flora even from shallow soils and rocky areas. Historically, fire would have prevented the establishment of fire-intolerant tree species, reduced or eliminated the organic surface layer, fostered an open canopy with fewer (and larger) trees, and maintained the grass-dominated glade communities. This community responds well to fire management and removal of Juniperus.
Environmental Description: This association encompasses perennial grass glades with scattered trees, found zonally around the massive outcrops of nepheline syenite that form flat or slightly sloping outcrops and throughout the more broken nepheline syenite rock outcrops in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas. The formation of deeper, basic to neutral soil allows for deeper rooted perennials and some trees to become established. Much of the woody vegetation is edaphically controlled with abundant die-back during drought.
Geographic Range: This association is restricted to the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas. There are also nepheline syenite outcrops in the adjacent Ouachitas, but these are not known to have extant glade communities.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AR
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684296
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1
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.Nh Southeastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D102 | 2.B.2.Nh |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nh.3 Poverty Dropseed - Little Bluestem - Calamint species Southern Barrens & Glade Macrogroup | M308 | 2.B.2.Nh.3 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nh.3.a Little Bluestem - Limestone Calamint - Nuttall''s Rayless-goldenrod Southeastern Coastal Plain Barrens & Glade Group | G584 | 2.B.2.Nh.3.a |
| Alliance | A4094 Rough Dropseed - Limestone Calamint - Carolina Larkspur Nepheline Syenite Bedrock Grassland Alliance | A4094 | 2.B.2.Nh.3.a |
| Association | CEGL008422 (Post Oak) / Little Bluestem - Blackseed Speargrass - Arrowfeather Three-awn - Carolina Larkspur Nepheline Syenite Wooded Grassland | CEGL008422 | 2.B.2.Nh.3.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Nepheline Syenite Glade/Outcrop (Pell and Rettig 1983)
- Foti, T. 1994a. Natural communities of Arkansas (terrestrial and palustrine). Unpublished document. Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Little Rock. 2 pp.
- Pell, W. F., and J. H. Rettig, compiler. 1983. Arkansas natural community abstracts. Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Little Rock. 37 pp.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. 1996a. Ecological assessment: Alcoa Bauxite Natural Areas in Arkansas: A report on the status of Natural Areas with stewardship recommendations. The Nature Conservancy, Arkansas Field Office, Little Rock. 57 pp.