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CEGL004025 Schizachyrium scoparium - Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans - Bifora americana Mollisol Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Little Bluestem - Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - Prairie Bishop Mollisol Grassland
Colloquial Name: Mollisol Blackland Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This tallgrass prairie community occurs on Mollisols in the Texas Blackland Prairie region and the Fort Worth Prairie region. It has a greater abundance of Andropogon gerardii than the other Texas Blackland Prairie types. Within the Blackland Prairie region, this type occurs primarily on the north-to-south-oriented Whiterock Cuesta, a limestone outcrop of late Cretaceous age, while it is situated on limestone of early Cretaceous age in the Fort Worth Prairie region. Schizachyrium scoparium, Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans, and Bifora americana are dominant and/or characteristic species. In both regions midgrasses, including Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua hirsuta, and Nassella leucotricha, are important. In the Fort Worth Prairie Bouteloua hirsuta var. pectinata can be dominant along with Aristida spp. on rocky outcrops with a variety of xeric forbs, including species such as Hedeoma reverchonii var. reverchonii, Dyschoriste linearis, Onosmodium bejariense var. occidentale, Dalea purpurea, Dalea aurea, Dalea enneandra, and Yucca pallida. On similar sites in the Blackland Prairie region, Yucca arkansana replaces Yucca pallida. The rock outcrop phase of this community may merit later recognition as a distinct phase when more data become available.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Relatively large patches of this type remain in the Fort Worth Prairie region in various condition, mostly in private ownership, while the type has been nearly extirpated in the Blackland Prairie region due to urbanization. The only protected example is known from Cedar Hill State Park, with larger degraded examples on the Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Schizachyrium scoparium, Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans, and Bifora americana are dominant and/or characteristic species. Midgrasses, including Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua hirsuta, and Nassella leucotricha, are important. In the Fort Worth Prairie Bouteloua hirsuta var. pectinata (= Bouteloua pectinata) can be dominant along with Aristida spp. on rocky outcrops with a variety of xeric forbs, including species such as Hedeoma reverchonii var. reverchonii, Dyschoriste linearis, Onosmodium bejariense var. occidentale (= Onosmodium occidentale), Dalea purpurea, Dalea aurea, Dalea enneandra, and Yucca pallida. On similar sites in the Blackland Prairie region, Yucca arkansana replaces Yucca pallida (J. Eidson pers. comm.).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This tallgrass prairie community occurs on Mollisols in the Texas Blackland Prairie region and the Fort Worth Prairie region (Diamond and Smeins 1990). Within the Blackland Prairie region, this type occurs primarily on the north-to-south-oriented Whiterock Cuesta, a limestone outcrop of late Cretaceous age, while it is situated on limestone of early Cretaceous age in the Fort Worth Prairie region.
Geographic Range: This tallgrass prairie community occurs in the Texas Blackland Prairie region and the Fort Worth Prairie region.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684567
Confidence Level: Low
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.Nb Central North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D023 | 2.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nb.1 Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - Dense Blazingstar Tallgrass Prairie Macrogroup | M054 | 2.B.2.Nb.1 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nb.1.a Little Bluestem - Prairie Bishop - Brownseed Crowngrass Tallgrass Prairie Group | G335 | 2.B.2.Nb.1.a |
| Alliance | A4063 Little Bluestem - Indiangrass - Big Bluestem Grassland Alliance | A4063 | 2.B.2.Nb.1.a |
| Association | CEGL004025 Little Bluestem - Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - Prairie Bishop Mollisol Grassland | CEGL004025 | 2.B.2.Nb.1.a |
Concept Lineage: included
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Schizachyrium-Sorghastrum-Andropogon community type (Diamond and Smeins 1985)
< Schizachyrium-Sorghastrum-Andropogon community type (Diamond and Smeins 1988)
? Little Bluestem-Big Bluestem-Indiangrass Association (Diamond and Smeins 1990)
< Schizachyrium-Sorghastrum-Andropogon community type (Diamond and Smeins 1988)
? Little Bluestem-Big Bluestem-Indiangrass Association (Diamond and Smeins 1990)
- Diamond, D. D. 1993. Classification of the plant communities of Texas (series level). Unpublished document. Texas Natural Heritage Program, Austin. 25 pp.
- Diamond, D. D., and F. E. Smeins. 1985. Composition, classification and species response patterns of remnant tallgrass prairies in Texas. The American Midland Naturalist 113:249-308.
- Diamond, D. D., and F. E. Smeins. 1988. Gradient analysis of remnant true and upper coastal prairie grasslands of North America. Canadian Journal of Botany 66:2152-2161.
- Diamond, D. D., and F. E. Smeins. 1990. The prairie--The native plant communities of the blackland prairie. Unpublished draft report. Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife, Austin, TX.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.