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CEGL004022 Schizachyrium scoparium - Marshallia caespitosa - Nemastylis geminiflora Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Little Bluestem - Puffballs - Prairie Pleatleaf Grassland
Colloquial Name: Morse Clay Calcareous Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This calcareous prairie community is restricted to the Morse Clay soil series in northwestern Louisiana and adjacent Arkansas. It is known from Bossier, Caddo, Red River, Rapides, and Natchitoches parishes in Louisiana and from Lafayette, Columbia, (and possibly Little River) counties in Arkansas. This community is dominated by grasses and forbs with scattered shrubby vegetation and, occasionally, trees. Typical grasses include Schizachyrium scoparium, Andropogon glomeratus, and Aristida spp. Other common species include Manfreda virginica, Baptisia nuttalliana, Arnoglossum plantagineum, Dalea purpurea, Eryngium yuccifolium, Houstonia purpurea var. calycosa, Monarda fistulosa, Nemastylis geminiflora, Neptunia lutea, Mimosa nuttallii, Panicum virgatum, Parthenium hispidum, Asclepias viridis, Marshallia caespitosa var. signata, Delphinium carolinianum, Echinacea pallida, and Asclepias tuberosa. Typical woody components include Crataegus spp., Pinus echinata, Prunus angustifolia, Ilex decidua, and Cercis canadensis. This community occurs in the Coastal Plain of southwestern Arkansas and western Louisiana and is associated with alluvium deposits in the former Red River floodplain. It occurs over the Morse Clay soil series on historic alluvial deposits, areas that are not part of the active floodplain. Soils are typically alkaline clays, with high shrink-swell character, and gilgai microtopography. The combination of periodic fire, high soil pH, and extreme physical soil properties are thought to be important in maintaining this community in a landscape otherwise dominated by forests (at least historically).
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Similar communities occur over calcareous clays in other parts of the southeastern United States. More study is needed to clearly define the vegetative distinctions among these communities, as well as with other tallgrass communities in the southeastern and midwestern United States. Nemastylis geminiflora was chosen as a nominal species because it is indicative of clayey, calcareous substrates and its presence helps distinguish this calcareous prairie from others in Louisiana and Arkansas. LAPS type. Name changed 7-99 at suggestion of Latimore Smith; Andropogon glomeratus is weedy and not diagnostic and has been replaced with the more diagnostic Marshallia caespitosa.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This open prairie community is dominated by grasses and forbs with scattered shrubby vegetation and, occasionally, trees. Typical grasses include Schizachyrium scoparium, Andropogon glomeratus, and Aristida spp. Other common species include Manfreda virginica, Baptisia nuttalliana, Arnoglossum plantagineum, Dalea purpurea, Eryngium yuccifolium, Houstonia purpurea var. calycosa, Monarda fistulosa, Nemastylis geminiflora, Neptunia lutea, and Mimosa nuttallii (= Mimosa quadrivalvis var. nuttallii). Typical woody components include Crataegus spp., Pinus echinata, Prunus angustifolia, Ilex decidua, and Cercis canadensis. Camassia scilloides and Houstonia purpurea var. calycosa are recognized as rare in Louisiana and have been reported from this community.
Dynamics: This is a pyrogenic community. Fire suppression precipitates invasion by woody species.
Environmental Description: This calcareous prairie is known from Morse Clay alluvium deposits on historical floodplains of the Red River on Pleistocene Prairie Terraces and Pleistocene Intermediate Terraces. These areas are not part of the active floodplain. Soils are typically alkaline clays, with high shrink-swell character and gilgai microtopography.
Geographic Range: This calcareous prairie community is restricted to the Morse Clay in northwestern Louisiana and adjacent Arkansas. It is known from Bossier, Caddo, Red River, Rapides, and Natchitoches parishes in Louisiana and from Lafayette, Columbia, and, possibly, Little River counties in Arkansas. In Arkansas, it also occurs on Gore silt loam and McKamie silt loam, as well as Morse clay (Foti 1987).
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AR, LA, OK?, TX?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685999
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1G2
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 | A3318 Little Bluestem - Indiangrass Coastal Plain Prairie Alliance | A3318 | 2.B.2.Nh.2.a |
| Association | CEGL004022 Little Bluestem - Puffballs - Prairie Pleatleaf Grassland | CEGL004022 | 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: ? ID4b. Morse Clay Calcareous Prairie (Allard 1990)
? T5A1aI1b. Panicum virgatum (Foti et al. 1994)
? T5A1aI1c. Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum avenaceum (Foti et al. 1994)
? T5A1aI1b. Panicum virgatum (Foti et al. 1994)
? T5A1aI1c. Andropogon gerardii - Sorghastrum avenaceum (Foti et al. 1994)
- 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.
- Foti, T. [1987]. Element Abstract - Draft, Red Clay Prairie. Unpublished report to Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Little Rock (typescript). 1 p.
- Foti, T., M. Blaney, X. Li, and K. G. Smith. 1994. A classification system for the natural vegetation of Arkansas. Proceedings of the Arkansas Academy of Science 48:50-53.
- Foti, T., compiler. 1994b. Natural vegetation classification system of Arkansas, draft five. Unpublished document. Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Little Rock. 8 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]
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.