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CEGL002243 Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Coreopsis lanceolata - Croton michauxii var. ellipticus Wooded Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Little Bluestem - Indiangrass - Lanceleaf Tickseed - Willdenow''s Croton Wooded Grassland
Colloquial Name: Ozark Igneous Glade
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This igneous glade type is found in the Missouri Ozarks region of the United States. Stands occur on gentle to moderately steep slopes of hills and broad mountain domes, upland ridges, and along drainages. Aspect is variable, but is best developed on south- and west-facing slopes. Soils are very rapidly drained, with seasonal saturation in winter or spring, and very shallow (0-40 cm). The parent material is igneous (felsite, rhyolite, dellenite, granite), with highly irregular exposed bedrock, often interspersed with massive outcrops of boulders and scattered rock fragments. Disturbances include extreme drought, frost-heave from winter-saturated soils, and infrequent fires. The vegetation is dominated by medium-tall herbaceous vegetation, with scattered, stunted and gnarled trees and shrubs typically less than 10% cover. Mosses and lichen are abundant on the exposed rock. Trees and shrubs include Quercus stellata, Quercus marilandica and Rhus copallinum. Dominant grasses include Sorghastrum nutans, Schizachyrium scoparium and Sporobolus clandestinus. Dominant forbs include Ambrosia bidentata and Diodia teres. Other characteristic species include Aristida dichotoma, Coreopsis lanceolata, Croton michauxii var. ellipticus, Dichanthelium acuminatum, Hypericum gentianoides, Lespedeza capitata, Oenothera linifolia, Polygala sanguinea, Polygonum tenue, Phemeranthus calycinus, and Trichostema dichotomum. Lichens include Pleopsidium chlorophanum, Cladonia spp. Cladonia caroliniana, Cladonia strepsilis, Placidium lachneum, Punctelia hypoleucites, and Xanthoparmelia spp.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The concept of the type is taken from the Missouri state type Igneous Glade (Nelson 1985). Actual glade openings range from 0.5-4 ha (1-10 acres) in size, but are usually embedded in a complex matrix of igneous woodland, including ~Quercus marilandica / Vaccinium arboreum / Danthonia spicata Scrub Woodland (CEGL002425)$$ and ~Quercus stellata - Quercus marilandica - Quercus velutina - Carya texana / Schizachyrium scoparium Woodland (CEGL002149)$$. Certain herbs tend to be associated with these glades, including Hypericum gentianoides, Phemeranthus calycinus and Trichostema dichotomum. The largest known population of Asclepias meadii in Missouri occurs on an igneous glade.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation is dominated by medium-tall herbaceous vegetation, with scattered, stunted and gnarled trees and shrubs typically less than 10% cover. Mosses and lichen are abundant on the exposed rock. Trees and shrubs include Quercus stellata, Quercus marilandica and Rhus copallinum. Dominant grasses include Sorghastrum nutans, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Sporobolus clandestinus. Dominant forbs include Ambrosia bidentata and Diodia teres. Other characteristic species include Aristida dichotoma, Coreopsis lanceolata, Croton michauxii var. ellipticus (= Crotonopsis elliptica), Dichanthelium acuminatum, Hypericum gentianoides, Lespedeza capitata, Oenothera linifolia, Polygala sanguinea, Polygonum tenue, Phemeranthus calycinus (= Talinum calycinum), and Trichostema dichotomum. Lichens include Pleopsidium chlorophanum (= Acarospora chlorophana), Cladonia spp. (= Cladina spp.), Cladonia caroliniana, Cladonia strepsilis, Placidium lachneum (= Dermatocarpon lachneum), Punctelia hypoleucites (= Parmelia hypoleucites), and Xanthoparmelia spp. (Nelson 1985).
Dynamics: Disturbances include extreme drought, frost-heave from winter-saturated soils, and infrequent fires (Nelson 1985).
Environmental Description: Stands occur on gentle to moderately steep slopes of hills and broad mountain domes, upland ridges, and along drainages. Aspect is variable, but is best developed on south- and west-facing slopes. Soils are very rapidly drained, with seasonal saturation in winter or spring, and very shallow (0-40 cm). The parent material is igneous (felsite, rhyolite, dellenite, granite), with highly irregular exposed bedrock, often interspersed with massive outcrops of boulders and scattered rock fragments (Nelson 1985).
Geographic Range: This igneous glade type is found in the Missouri Ozarks region of the United States, where it is restricted primarily to the igneous core of the St. Francois Mountains.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: MO
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685233
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4?
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.Nc Eastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D024 | 2.B.2.Nc |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nc.2 Little Bluestem - Silky Oatgrass Acidic Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup | M509 | 2.B.2.Nc.2 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nc.2.b Little Bluestem - Silky Oatgrass Acidic Glade & Barrens Group | G178 | 2.B.2.Nc.2.b |
| Alliance | A1920 Post Oak - Blackjack Oak / Little Bluestem Interior Acidic Bedrock Scrub Alliance | A1920 | 2.B.2.Nc.2.b |
| Association | CEGL002243 Little Bluestem - Indiangrass - Lanceleaf Tickseed - Willdenow''s Croton Wooded Grassland | CEGL002243 | 2.B.2.Nc.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Coreopsis lanceolata - Croton willdenowii Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
< Igneous Glade (Nelson 1985)
< Igneous Glade (Nelson 1985)
- Chastain, R. A., M.A. Struckhoff, K. W. Grabner, E. D. Stroh, H. He, D. R. Larsen, T. A. Nigh, and J. Drake. 2006. Mapping vegetation communities in Ozark National Scenic Riverways: Final technical report to the National Park Service. Open-File Report 2006-1354. U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA. 90 pp. plus appendices.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- Nelson, P. 2010. The terrestrial natural communities of Missouri. Revised edition. Missouri Natural Areas Committee, Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.
- Nelson, P. W. 1985. The terrestrial natural communities of Missouri. Missouri Natural Areas Committee, Jefferson City. 197 pp. Revised edition, 1987.
- Nigh, T., C. Buck, J. Grabner, J. Kabrick, and D Meinert. 2000. An ecological classification system for the Current River Hills subsection. Missouri Ecological Classification System and Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership. 44 pp.