Print Report
CEGL003879 Crataegus spathulata - Cornus drummondii - Berchemia scandens Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Littlehip Hawthorn - Roughleaf Dogwood - Alabama Supplejack Shrubland
Colloquial Name: West Gulf Coastal Plain Prairie Shrub Thicket
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This shrubland is dominated by Crataegus spathulata, Crataegus crus-galli, Crataegus berberifolia, Crataegus engelmannii, Berchemia scandens, Cornus drummondii, Diospyros virginiana, Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana, Ilex decidua, Sideroxylon lanuginosum ssp. lanuginosum, Prunus mexicana, Frangula caroliniana, and Rubus spp. The tall-shrub stratum (2-5 m high) ranges from 25-60% cover. Open examples include a sparse to patchy ground cover. Grasses include Schizachyrium scoparium, Andropogon glomeratus, Andropogon gerardii, Sporobolus spp., Setaria parviflora, Panicum flexile, Aristida spp., Paspalum floridanum, and Sorghastrum nutans. This successional shrubland community develops on soils derived from marly clays and chalk of marine origin. These soils are typically silty clay loams, clays, and silt loams that are well-drained, slowly permeable, and alkaline (pH 7.5-8.0). Subsurface clay layers have calcareous concretions, weathered limestone aggregations and shrink-swell properties. This community typically occupies 1-8 hectares within calcareous forests dominated by Pinus taeda or Quercus spp. This community occurs in a nearly level to gently rolling landscape, on ridgetops and on gentle slopes that often border small streams. Moisture regimes are typically dry to dry-mesic. This community results from fire suppression of calcareous prairies but may also have occurred naturally in spatially or temporally fire-sheltered situations. It is associated with outcrops of the Cook Mountain Formation from western Winn Parish, west-central Louisiana and outcrops of the Fleming Formation in southeast Texas.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This type is probably natural but also has increased because of fire exclusion. For conservation target purposes, it can be treated as a complex with the several herbaceous prairie types with which it typically co-occurs. Similar vegetation on the Sam Houston National Forest occurring on calcareous soils derived from the Fleming Formation is classed here.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This shrubland is dominated by Crataegus spathulata, Crataegus spp., Berchemia scandens, Cornus drummondii, Diospyros virginiana, Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana, Ilex decidua, Sideroxylon lanuginosum ssp. lanuginosum, Prunus mexicana, and Rubus spp. The tall-shrub stratum (2-5 m tall) ranges from approximately 25-60% cover. Open examples include a sparse to patchy ground cover. Grasses include Schizachyrium scoparium, Andropogon glomeratus, Andropogon gerardii, Sporobolus spp., Setaria parviflora, Aristida spp., Paspalum floridanum, and Sorghastrum nutans. Other common species include Ruellia humilis, Silphium laciniatum, Dalea candida, Dalea purpurea, Ambrosia psilostachya, Solidago spp., Silphium laciniatum, Helenium autumnale, Gaillardia aestivalis var. flavovirens, Echinacea pallida, Liatris spp., Neptunia lutea, Galactia spp., Desmanthus illinoensis, Delphinium carolinianum, Ruellia humilis, Callirhoe papaver, Asclepias tuberosa, Oenothera speciosa, Gaura longiflora, and Ranunculus sardous. Rare plant species reported from this community include Carex microdonta, Heliotropium tenellum, and Polytaenia nuttallii. Exotic and/or invasive plant species introduced through cattle grazing include Lonicera japonica, Schedonorus pratensis (= Lolium pratense), Iva annua, Bromus arvensis (= Bromus japonicus), Pyrrhopappus carolinianus, among others (Smith et al. 1989).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This successional shrubland community occurs on outcrops of the Cook Mountain geologic formation and develops on soils derived from marly clays and chalk of marine origin. These soils are typically silty clay loams, clays, and silt loams that are well drained, slowly permeable, and alkaline (pH 7.5-8.0). Subsurface clay layers have calcareous concretions, weathered limestone aggregations and shrink-swell properties. This community occurs in a nearly level to gently rolling landscape, on ridgetops and on gentle slopes that often border small streams. Moisture regimes are typically dry to dry-mesic.
Geographic Range: This association is known only from the West and Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana and Texas.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: LA, TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685886
Confidence Level: Low
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.Nh Southeastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D102 | 2.B.2.Nh |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nh.2 Southeastern Coastal Plain Patch Prairie Macrogroup | M309 | 2.B.2.Nh.2 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nh.2.a Little Bluestem - Switchgrass - Bushy Bluestem Patch Prairie Group | G175 | 2.B.2.Nh.2.a |
| Alliance | A3316 Cockspur Hawthorn - Parsley Hawthorn - Littlehip Hawthorn Coastal Plain Prairie Shrubland Alliance | A3316 | 2.B.2.Nh.2.a |
| Association | CEGL003879 Littlehip Hawthorn - Roughleaf Dogwood - Alabama Supplejack Shrubland | CEGL003879 | 2.B.2.Nh.2.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Cook Mountain / Jackson Calcareous Prairie (Martin and Smith 1991)
< ID4e. Cook Mountain Calcareous Prairie (Allard 1990)
< Southern Redcedar: 73 (Eyre 1980)
< ID4e. Cook Mountain Calcareous Prairie (Allard 1990)
< Southern Redcedar: 73 (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.
- Allen, C. 1993c. Ecological assessment of the forest vegetation of Keiffer Prairie Research Natural Area in the Kisatchie National Forest. Unpublished report. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest, and Northeast Louisiana University, Alexandria. 60 pp.
- Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
- 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. 1991. A survey and description of the natural plant communities of the Kisatchie National Forest, Winn and Kisatchie districts. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA. 372 pp.
- Smith, L. M., N. M. Gilmore, R. P. Martin, and G. D. Lester. 1989. Keiffer calcareous prairie/forest complex: A research report and preliminary management plan. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Natural Heritage Program, Baton Rouge. 44 pp.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.