Print Report
CEGL007959 Quercus alba - Quercus hemisphaerica / Prunus caroliniana - Persea borbonia - Viburnum acerifolium Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: White Oak - Darlington Oak / Carolina Laurel Cherry - Redbay - Mapleleaf Viburnum Forest
Colloquial Name: Texas Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain Hardwood Slope Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This forest occurs on mesic slopes along the southwestern periphery of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. Quercus hemisphaerica and Quercus alba are strongly dominant in the overstory of most known examples. The midstory is dominated by Viburnum acerifolium and Persea borbonia, with Mitchella repens and Smilax pumila in the understory. The small geographic region where this type has been documented is near the southwestern range terminus of many typically southeastern species, and lies just outside the range of several important species in related mesic forests which occur just eastward of this type, such as Fagus grandifolia, Acer rubrum, Acer floridanum, as well as many rich forest herbs.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Examples are known from Sam Houston National Forest (compartment 91, 94, and 98) (R. Evans pers. obs.). Quercus hemisphaerica was originally identified as Quercus laurifolia which is not surprising given that Quercus hemisphaerica had not been previously documented from the Pineywoods Vegetational Area (Hatch et al. 1990), and the frequent taxonomic confusion between the evergreen Quercus hemisphaerica of dry, sandy habitats with Quercus laurifolia, a (tardily) deciduous tree of floodplain forests (Weakley 1997). J. Teague, M. Pyne, and R. Evans have collected herbarium specimens which confirm the identity of Quercus hemisphaerica at these sites.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Pinus echinata and Pinus taeda are sometimes present. Other important overstory tree species include Quercus falcata, Quercus stellata, Ilex opaca, Prunus serotina, Cornus florida, Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer rubrum, and Fraxinus americana. Persea borbonia and Viburnum acerifolium are strong shrub dominants with Ilex vomitoria, Vaccinium virgatum, Chionanthus virginicus, Prunus caroliniana, Callicarpa americana, and Viburnum dentatum also frequently encountered, along with Ostrya virginiana and Symplocos tinctoria. About 60-70 species have been documented in the understory. The most dominant ground cover species are Smilax pumila, Dichanthelium boscii, Dichanthelium commutatum, Smilax tamnoides (= Smilax hispida), Viburnum acerifolium, Vitis rotundifolia, Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, and Mitchella repens.
Dynamics: This type occurs in locally mesic settings where the role of fire is believed to have been of minor importance, and many of the key species are intolerant of repeated, frequent fires.
Environmental Description: This forest occurs on broad, gradual, mesic slopes grading into riparian areas along the southwestern periphery of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. Plot locations on Sam Houston National Forest were reportedly mapped as Pinetucky, Boykin, and Doucette soil series. Actual soil analysis from these locations documents pH ranging from 5.4-6.3 at 5 sample sites, 2 sites were considerably lower (4.8 and 5.0), and one site was extremely high (8.1). All sites were more than 68% sand in the upper surface and relatively low in nutrients, with the exception of the high pH outlier site which was dominated by fine-textured particles in the upper surface sample and tested very high in calcium (plot SHNF H9103B).
Geographic Range: This community is known only from eastern Texas.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684546
Confidence Level: Moderate
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.1 Warm Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F018 | 1.B.1 |
| Division | 1.B.1.Na Southeastern North American Forest & Woodland Division | D006 | 1.B.1.Na |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.1.Na.3 American Beech - Southern Magnolia - White Oak Forest Macrogroup | M008 | 1.B.1.Na.3 |
| Group | 1.B.1.Na.3.a American Beech - Southern Magnolia - Oak species Forest Group | G007 | 1.B.1.Na.3.a |
| Alliance | A3115 White Oak - Water Oak - Dwarf Palmetto Forest Alliance | A3115 | 1.B.1.Na.3.a |
| Association | CEGL007959 White Oak - Darlington Oak / Carolina Laurel Cherry - Redbay - Mapleleaf Viburnum Forest | CEGL007959 | 1.B.1.Na.3.a |
Concept Lineage: Former OC type Quercus laurifolia / Persea borbonia - Viburnum acerifolium Sandy - Loamy Mesic Midslope Forest was merged into this type.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Western Mesic Lower Slope Forest (Turner et al. 1999)
- Hatch, S. L., K. N. Gandhi, and L. E. Brown. 1990. Checklist of the vascular plants of Texas. Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas A&M University System, College Station. 158 pp.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Turner, R. L., J. E. Van Kley, L. S. Smith, and R. E. Evans. 1999. Ecological classification system for the national forests and adjacent areas of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The Nature Conservancy, Nacogdoches, TX. 95 pp. plus appendices.
- Turner, R. L., J. E. Van Kley, L. S. Smith, and R. E. Evans. No date. Unpublished data from the national forests and adjacent areas of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The Nature Conservancy, Nacogdoches, TX.
- Weakley, A. S. 1997. Flora of the Carolinas and Virginia. Unpublished May draft. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC.