Print Report
CEGL003816 Rhododendron carolinianum Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Carolina Azalea Shrubland
Colloquial Name: Southern Appalachian Carolina Azalea Heath Bald
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This mainly evergreen shrubland occurs on steep ridges and rock outcroppings, typically at 1040-1280 m (3400-4200 feet) elevation, in the mountains of western North Carolina. It is known from areas of quartzite and meta-arkose geology in Linville Gorge Wilderness. This community has at least 25% shrub cover and may occur as a dense shrubland, 2-4 m tall, or as a shorter, more open shrubland with areas of exposed rock with fruticose and crustose lichens, scattered mats of prostrate vegetation, and isolated clumps of herbaceous species. At least 50% of the total shrub cover is made up of Rhododendron carolinianum. Associated shrub species vary among occurrences, but can include Kalmia latifolia, Lyonia ligustrina var. ligustrina, Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium pallidum, Fothergilla major, Acer rubrum, Ilex montana, and low-growing Gaylussacia baccata and Leiophyllum buxifolium. Some occurrences may have occasional stunted trees of Pinus pungens or Pinus rigida. More open occurrences have significant cover by mats of Selaginella tortipila and scattered herbaceous species such as Galax urceolata, Hypericum densiflorum, Carex umbellata, Danthonia sericea, Coreopsis major, Liatris pilosa, Xerophyllum asphodeloides, and Schizachyrium scoparium. High solar irradiation and desiccating winds, in combination with the shallow, nutrient-poor soils, are key environmental factors influencing this community. This community often occurs adjacent to or grades into xeric forests and woodlands dominated by Pinus pungens, Tsuga caroliniana, or Quercus montana.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Associated shrub species vary among occurrences. This shrubland may have significant areas of bare rock and non-woody vegetation but generally has at least 25% shrub cover. Similar shrublands in the southern Appalachian Mountains may contain Rhododendron carolinianum but comprising less than 50% of the total shrub cover. This community is known from areas of quartzite and meta-arkose geology in Linville Gorge Wilderness (Newell and Peet 1995).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This community may occur as a dense shrubland, 2-4 m tall, or as a shorter, more open shrubland with areas of exposed rock with fruticose and crustose lichens, scattered mats of prostrate vegetation, and isolated clumps of herbaceous species. The dominant shrub species is Rhododendron carolinianum. Associated shrubs may include Kalmia latifolia, Lyonia ligustrina, Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium pallidum, Fothergilla major, Acer rubrum, Ilex montana, and low-growing Gaylussacia baccata and Leiophyllum buxifolium. Some occurrences may have occasional stunted trees of Pinus pungens or Pinus rigida. More open occurrences have significant cover by mats of Selaginella tortipila and scattered herbaceous species such as Galax urceolata, Hypericum densiflorum, Carex umbellata, Danthonia sericea, Coreopsis major, Liatris pilosa (= Liatris graminifolia), Xerophyllum asphodeloides, and Schizachyrium scoparium. This community contains species occurring disjunct from their typical northern and arctic ranges, including Trichophorum cespitosum, Sibbaldiopsis tridentata, and Vaccinium corymbosum. Species in this community that are endemic to the southern Appalachian Mountains include Rhododendron carolinianum, Galax urceolata, Asplenium montanum, Hudsonia montana, Liatris helleri, Fothergilla major, and Selaginella tortipila. This community often occurs adjacent to or grades into xeric forests and woodlands dominated by Pinus pungens, Tsuga caroliniana, or Quercus montana (= Quercus prinus).
Dynamics: Fire may be important in the maintenance of this community but the fire regime is not known. This community can result from the successional development of ~Leiophyllum buxifolium Dwarf-shrubland (CEGL003951)$$. It is often maintained in an early successional stage by limited soil development and limited moisture availability. Where this community occurs on less exposed sites with greater soil development it may succeed to xeric Pinus-dominated woodlands or forests.
Environmental Description: This community occurs on steep ridges and rock outcroppings typically at 1040-1280 m (3400-4200 feet) elevation but may occur as low as 610 m (2000 feet) (Newell and Peet 1995) or as high as 1980 m (6500 feet) (Whittaker 1979a). Aspects range from southeast to northwest, and topographic positions vary from flat bluff ledges to moderate slopes and steep bluff faces. This community is known from areas of exposed slate on the steep ridges of Mount Le Conte (Ramseur 1958) and areas of quartzite and meta-arkose geology in Linville Gorge Wilderness (Newell and Peet 1995). High solar irradiation and desiccating winds, in combination with the shallow, nutrient-poor soils, are key environmental factors influencing this community.
Geographic Range: This shrubland occurs in the mountains of western North Carolina.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: NC, TN
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685780
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2
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.1 Catawba Rosebay / Michaux''s Saxifrage - Flattened Oatgrass Felsic & Mafic Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup | M506 | 2.B.2.Nc.1 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nc.1.a Catawba Rosebay - Mountain Fetterbush - Mountain Alder Southern Appalachian Shrub Bald Group | G658 | 2.B.2.Nc.1.a |
| Alliance | A0744 Catawba Rosebay - Carolina Azalea - Mountain Laurel Shrub Bald Alliance | A0744 | 2.B.2.Nc.1.a |
| Association | CEGL003816 Carolina Azalea Shrubland | CEGL003816 | 2.B.2.Nc.1.a |
Concept Lineage: merged
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Rhododendron minus/Selaginella tortipila Outcrops (Newell and Peet 1995)
< IC4a. Heath Bald Shrubland (Allard 1990)
< IC4a. Heath Bald Shrubland (Allard 1990)
- 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.
- Cain, S. A. 1930b. An ecological study of the heath balds of the Great Smoky Mountains. Butler University Botanical Studies 1:177-208.
- Newell, C. L., and R. K. Peet. 1995. Vegetation of Linville Gorge Wilderness, North Carolina. Unpublished report. to USDA Forest Service. University of North Carolina, Department of Biology, Chapel Hill. 211 pp.
- Peet, R. K., T. R. Wentworth, M. P. Schafale, and A.S. Weakley. No date. Unpublished data of the North Carolina Vegetation Survey. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
- Ramseur, G. S. 1958. The vascular flora of high mountain communities of the Southern Appalachians. Ph.D. dissertation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 106 pp.
- Risk, P. L. 1993. High elevation heath communities in the Blue Ridge of North Carolina. Ph.D. dissertation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
- Schafale, M. P. 2012. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina, 4th Approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh.
- Schafale, M. P., and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina. Third approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 325 pp.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Whittaker, R. H. 1979a. Appalachian balds and other North American heathlands. Pages 427-439 in: R. L. Specht, editor. Ecosystems of the world. Series Publication 9A. Heathlands and related shrublands: Descriptive studies. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, New York.