Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This serpentine woodland/forest is dominated by Pinus virginiana with a subcanopy of Quercus marilandica. Other tree associates include Quercus stellata, Sassafras albidum, Prunus serotina, Nyssa sylvatica, Juniperus virginiana, and Robinia pseudoacacia. A dense shrub layer dominated by Smilax rotundifolia and/or Smilax glauca is characteristic in canopy openings. Other shrubs may include Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium stamineum, Gaylussacia baccata, Quercus ilicifolia, and Quercus prinoides. Herbs may include Aralia nudicaulis, Pteridium aquilinum, Microstegium vimineum, Dichanthelium dichotomum (= Panicum dichotomum), and Danthonia spicata. In some woodlands with less canopy cover and stonier soils, Schizachyrium scoparium and Sporobolus heterolepis dominate patches of the herbaceous layer along with scattered individuals of Symphyotrichum depauperatum (= Aster depauperatus), Scleria pauciflora, Cerastium arvense var. villosum, Solidago nemoralis, Packera anonyma (= Senecio anonymus), Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon (= Panicum sphaerocarpon), and Arabis lyrata.

Dynamics:  This plant community is adapted to the weathering of serpentine bedrock. It was once thought that the lack of canopy cover was maintained by the unique edaphic features of the chrome series soils, but in the last 20 years, many sites have been invaded by dense Pinus virginiana (Tyndall 1992a). In serpentine barrens in Pennsylvania, Virginia pine and black jack oak are the canopy dominants of this type. This phenomenon dramatically alters the light regime and promotes substantial soil development (up to 10 cm in 20 years). Under these conditions, an entirely different community develops as the influence of the bedrock is buffered by the soil/litter accumulation. This closed-canopy serpentine forest is dominated by red maple and various oaks and typically exhibits a dense understory of Smilax rotundifolia. Some of the characteristic herbaceous serpentine species apparently persist in the ground layer as scattered non-flowering individuals; other populations appear to die out but may persist in the seed bank. Selective cutting has been effective in restoring degraded sites to their previous composition and structure, but most researchers believe that without regular burning to prevent soil development the serpentine plant communities will not persist. There is substantial evidence that most of the existing areas were regularly burned by Native Americans (Marye 1920, 1955a, 1955b, 1955c) and perhaps maintained by grazing after European settlement.