Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This is a xeromorphic shrubby community consisting of evergreen scrub oaks (Quercus myrtifolia, Quercus chapmanii, Quercus geminata), Lyonia ferruginea, Sabal etonia, and Serenoa repens. The 0.5-m to 3.0-m shrub layer ranges from very open to dense in patches, with a 25-60% cover. The herb layer (10-40%) is generally sparse and frequently dominated by lichens (Cladonia leporina, Cladonia prostrata, Cladonia evansii (= Cladina evansii), and Cladonia subtenuis (= Cladina subtenuis)). Much of the vegetation is rare or endemic to Florida scrub habitats. Floral endemics include Ilex opaca var. arenicola, Persea humilis, Garberia heterophylla, Palafoxia feayi, Osmanthus americanus var. megacarpus, Carya floridana, Dicerandra christmanii, Dicerandra frutescens, Bonamia grandiflora, Ziziphus celata, Hypericum cumulicola, Eryngium cuneifolium, Lupinus westianus var. aridorum, and Polygonella basiramia.

A managed example of this scrub type documented on the Ocala National Forest was dominated by Quercus geminata and Quercus myrtifolia with low amounts of Pinus clausa. Quercus chapmanii and Quercus laevis were infrequent. Other species with distributions restricted to central Florida include Sabal etonia, Chapmannia floridana, and Bonamia grandiflora (NatureServe Ecology unpubl. data).

Dynamics:  This is a pyrogenic community maintained by fairly intense fires typically every 10 to 25 years, depending on fuel accumulation and flammability of adjacent vegetation. Sites on the panhandle may have a longer fire interval, especially when located in sites susceptible to other disturbances (windthrow, blowdowns) such as those along the coast. Position on the landscape is the primary factor controlling the fire regime. Fires generally ignite in other surrounding vegetation and burn into this community when fire conditions are extremely favorable. Examples existing in a matrix of very flammable types (such as upland Pinus palustris woodlands) have much higher burn frequencies than those occurring in relatively protected areas (Richardson 1989, Myers 1990, TNC 1992a, R. Myers pers. comm. 1994, B. Platt pers. comm. 1994).

Fire does not induce major shifts in vegetation but instead creates small, localized transitions. Post-fire regeneration of the vegetation (including the Quercus spp.) occurs via sprouting. The lichens however are "seeder" species that take 25-30 years to reach preburn cover. Similarly, Ceratiola ericoides regenerates via seedbanks (Johnson 1982). No significant flush of annuals take place in the first year following a fire.