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CEGL003597 Pinus palustris / Schizachyrium tenerum - Muhlenbergia expansa - Bigelowia nuttallii - Packera obovata Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Longleaf Pine / Slender Little Bluestem - Cutover Muhly - Nuttall''s Rayless-goldenrod - Roundleaf Ragwort Woodland
Colloquial Name: Louisiana Longleaf Pine Fleming Glade
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This sparse woodland is endemic to a small portion of the West Gulf Coastal Plain, currently known only from one parish in Louisiana. It is dominated by a scattered, somewhat stunted Pinus palustris canopy; Quercus marilandica forms a patchy stunted subcanopy. Pinus taeda may be abundant in fire-suppressed examples. Schizachyrium tenerum and Schizachyrium scoparium are dominants in the usually dense herbaceous layer. Herbs typical of both upland Pinus palustris woodlands and wetter Pinus palustris flatwoods occur, along with more calciphilic species (e.g., Neptunia lutea, Delphinium carolinianum, Silphium laciniatum, Packera obovata). This community contains a highly unusual combination of species, primarily due to the close interdigitation of distinct soil and hydrologic conditions, that in turn reflect the mixed geological character of the environment. This woodland is known from the Dough Hills Member of the Fleming Formation, and is thought to occur primarily on Anacoco and Kisatchie-Anacoco soils which are inclusions in areas mapped as Vaiden-Watsonia. The Kisatchie and Anacoco soils are very strongly acidic silt loams over clay; Anacoco soils are underlain by siltstone. This community ranges from dry with a patchy herbaceous layer and foliose lichens, to more commonly mesic or wet-mesic with Muhlenbergia expansa and Rhynchospora spp. as codominants along with the other graminoid species. On the predominantly acidic to very acidic silty clays Bigelowia nuttallii, Liatris acidota, Ionactis linariifolius, Euphorbia corollata, Stenaria nigricans var. nigricans, Spiranthes magnicamporum, and other acidophiles are found. The historical fire frequency is estimated to be 3-4 years and, along with edaphic conditions including rock layers near but not at the soil surface, fire is believed to play a role in maintaining the open physiognomy.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This sparse woodland is dominated by a scattered, somewhat stunted Pinus palustris canopy typically 8-15 m tall and approximately 10-25% cover; Pinus taeda and/or Pinus echinata may also occur in fire-suppressed examples. Quercus marilandica, sometimes co-occurring with Quercus stellata or Nyssa sylvatica, forms a patchy stunted subcanopy approximately 5 m tall and generally of 10-20% cover. Scattered shrubs, typically less than 10% cover, include Ilex vomitoria and Chionanthus virginicus. Schizachyrium tenerum and Schizachyrium scoparium are dominant graminoids in this usually dense to continuous stratum. Herbaceous acidophiles typical of both upland Pinus palustris woodlands and wetter Pinus palustris flatwoods occur, along with inclusional calciphiles due to the small scale interdigitation of soils in this community. On dry-xeric patches the herbaceous layer is patchy, and fruticose lichens (Cladonia spp.) occur; on mesic and wet-mesic areas Muhlenbergia expansa and Rhynchospora spp. are codominants along with the other graminoid species. On the predominantly acidic to very acidic silty clays Bigelowia nuttallii, Liatris acidota, Ionactis linariifolius, Euphorbia corollata, Stenaria nigricans var. nigricans (= Hedyotis nigricans var. nigricans), Spiranthes magnicamporum, and other acidophiles are found. On calcareous clay inclusions scattered calciphilic species such as Neptunia lutea and Delphinium carolinianum may occur. Other vegetative species that may occur in this community and are rare in the state of Louisiana include Sporobolus vaginiflorus var. ozarkanus (= Sporobolus ozarkanus), Amsonia ludoviciana, Pteroglossaspis ecristata, Platanthera integra, and Selaginella arenicola ssp. riddellii.
Dynamics: The historical fire frequency is estimated to be 3 to 4 years and, along with the demanding edaphic conditions, including rock layers near but not at the soil surface (at 244+ cm), fire is believed to play a role in maintaining the open physiognomy of this community. Pinus taeda and/or Pinus echinata may be abundant in fire-suppressed examples.
Environmental Description: This sparse woodland is known from the Dough Hills member of the Fleming Formation and is thought to arise primarily on Anacoco (Vertic Albaqualf) and Kisatchie (Typic Hapludalf) soils which are inclusional and mapped as Vaiden-Watsonia on soil maps. The Kisatchie and Anacoco soils are very strongly acidic silt loams over clay. Anacoco soils are gray loams over silty loams, and are underlain by siltstone at 244+ cm. Kisatchie soils are grayish brown silty clays and have siltstone within 102 cm. The small calcareous admixtures in this community are likely a result of the calcareous Vaiden and Watsonia soils occurring in patches. The hydrology of this community ranges from occasionally dry-xeric to more commonly mesic or wet-mesic.
Geographic Range: Endemic to a small portion of the West Gulf Coastal Plain, currently known only from one parish in Louisiana.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: LA, TX?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684980
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1
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.1 Longleaf Pine / Pineland Three-awn Woodland Macrogroup | M007 | 1.B.1.Na.1 |
| Group | 1.B.1.Na.1.d Longleaf Pine / Sand Post Oak / Three-awn species Woodland Group | G009 | 1.B.1.Na.1.d |
| Alliance | A3123 Longleaf Pine / Blackjack Oak / Little Bluestem West Gulf Coastal Plain Woodland Alliance | A3123 | 1.B.1.Na.1.d |
| Association | CEGL003597 Longleaf Pine / Slender Little Bluestem - Cutover Muhly - Nuttall''s Rayless-goldenrod - Roundleaf Ragwort Woodland | CEGL003597 | 1.B.1.Na.1.d |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < IB6k. West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest (Allard 1990)
< Longleaf Pine - Scrub Oak: 71 (Eyre 1980)
< Longleaf Pine: 70 (Eyre 1980)
< Longleaf Pine - Scrub Oak: 71 (Eyre 1980)
< Longleaf Pine: 70 (Eyre 1980)
- Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.
- Burns, R. M., and B. H. Honkala, technical coordinators. 1990b. Silvics of North America. Volume 2: Hardwoods. Agriculture Handbook 654. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC. 877 pp.
- Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
- Kerr, A., Jr., B. J. Griffis, J. W. Powell, J. P. Edwards, R. L Venson, J. K. Long, and W. W. Kilpatrick. 1980. Soil survey of Rapides Parish, Louisiana. USDA Soil Conservation Service and Forest Service, and Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station. 87 pp. plus maps.
- LNHP [Louisiana Natural Heritage Program]. 2009. Natural communities of Louisiana. Louisiana Natural Heritage Program, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 46 pp. [http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/page_wildlife/6776-Rare%20Natural%20Communities/LA_NAT_COM.pdf]
- Martin, D. L., and L. M. Smith. 1993. A survey and description of the natural plant communities of the Kisatchie National Forest, Evangeline and Catahoula districts. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 274 pp.
- Smith, Latimore M. Personal communication. Natural Heritage Program Ecologist. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Natural Heritage Program, Baton Rouge.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.