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CEGL007769 Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Echinacea pallida - Dalea purpurea Grassland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Little Bluestem - Indiangrass - Pale Purple Coneflower - Purple Prairie-clover Grassland

Colloquial Name: Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain Dry-Mesic Blackland Prairie

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This dry-mesic blackland prairie community type occurs in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas. Vegetation is typically tall (1.2-1.8 m [4-6 feet]) and dense; bare soil is not present. Eroded areas with dry prairie are extant and succeed to dry-mesic prairie. This community becomes shrubby with fire suppression. Fuel accumulation is rapid (complete burn after one growing season). Dominant species include Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans, Echinacea pallida, and Dalea purpurea. Other herbaceous species include Acacia angustissima, Andropogon virginicus, Centrosema virginianum, Chamaecrista fasciculata, Desmanthus illinoensis, Eryngium yuccifolium, Euphorbia corollata, Eupatorium altissimum, Liatris aspera, Liatris squarrosa, Rhynchosia latifolia, Rudbeckia hirta, Ruellia humilis, Salvia lyrata, Mimosa nuttallii, Silphium laciniatum, Oligoneuron rigidum, Sporobolus compositus, Tragia urticifolia, Tridens flavus, Vernonia baldwinii, and Vernonia missurica. The non-natives Lespedeza cuneata and Melilotus officinalis can be abundant in disturbed areas. Woody species, including Sideroxylon lanuginosum, Berchemia scandens, Cercis canadensis var. canadensis, Cornus florida, Diospyros virginiana, Fraxinus americana, Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana, Quercus muehlenbergii (infrequently as very low density "savanna" community), Rhus glabra, Smilax bona-nox, and Smilax rotundifolia, occur locally during periods of fire suppression. High-quality examples of this community type exist at the Terre Noire Natural Area. Additional large high-quality examples are located on the Keadle, Wood, Brewer, McElhannon, and Deltic Land and Timber tracts. The type location is in Clark County, Arkansas. Other examples can be found in Hempstead, Howard, Little River, Nevada, and Sevier counties, Arkansas.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This community is the matrix blackland prairie type in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas. In some localities this prairie would have graded into ~Quercus sinuata / Solidago auriculata - Zigadenus nuttallii Mixed Herb Dry-mesic Blackland Ravine Woodland (CEGL007966)$$. This association is obviously closely related to ~Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Dalea purpurea - Silphium integrifolium Jackson Prairie Grassland (CEGL004020)$$ and ~Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans Jackson Prairie Grassland (CEGL004721)$$ but not to ~Schizachyrium scoparium - Panicum flexile - Carex microdonta Grassland (CEGL004021)$$, which is closer to the mesic blackland prairie. The Arkansas version does not contain big bluestem. This community has responded well to fire management and cedar/sweet clover removal. Large acreages are being restored in Arkansas. Coneflowers are being heavily exploited in places. A variant of this community occurs with Quercus muehlenbergii and/or Ulmus crassifolia as a low density savanna (trees short, less than 7.6 m [25 feet]; 1-15 trees per acre, frequently in clumps; surrounded by dry-mesic blackland prairie as described). A shrubland community similar to ~Crataegus spathulata - Cornus drummondii - Berchemia scandens Shrubland (CEGL003879)$$ could be described for the fire-suppressed version of this community.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Vegetation is typically tall (1.2-1.8 m [4-6 feet]) and dense. Dominant species include Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans, Echinacea pallida, and Dalea purpurea. Other herbaceous species include Acacia angustissima, Andropogon virginicus, Centrosema virginianum, Chamaecrista fasciculata, Desmanthus illinoensis, Eryngium yuccifolium, Euphorbia corollata, Eupatorium altissimum, Liatris aspera, Liatris squarrosa, Rhynchosia latifolia, Rudbeckia hirta, Ruellia humilis, Salvia lyrata, Mimosa nuttallii (= Schrankia nuttallii), Silphium laciniatum, Oligoneuron rigidum, Sporobolus compositus (= Sporobolus asper), Tragia urticifolia, Tridens flavus, Vernonia baldwinii, and Vernonia missurica. The non-natives Lespedeza cuneata and Melilotus officinalis can be abundant in disturbed areas. Woody species, including Sideroxylon lanuginosum (= Bumelia lanuginosa), Berchemia scandens, Cercis canadensis var. canadensis, Cornus florida, Diospyros virginiana, Fraxinus americana, Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana, Quercus muehlenbergii (infrequently as very low density "savanna" community), Rhus glabra, Smilax bona-nox, and Smilax rotundifolia, occur locally during periods of fire suppression.

Dynamics:  Fire and edaphic factors (drought) play a role in limiting woody vegetation distribution in this community. Woody vegetation can become dense, shading out herbaceous prairie species. This community becomes shrubby with fire suppression. Fuel accumulation is rapid (complete burn after one growing season).
Environmental Description:  This community usually occurs on upper and middle slopes, frequently to ridgetops. Soils are neutral to mildly acidic, fine sandy loams and alkaline clays with the high shrink-swell character of the Okitibbeha-Sumter Series over deep calcareous substrates.
Geographic Range: This dry-mesic blackland prairie community type occurs in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AR, LA?, OK?, TX?


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3

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 CEGL007769 Little Bluestem - Indiangrass - Pale Purple Coneflower - Purple Prairie-clover Grassland CEGL007769 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: = Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Echinacea pallida - Dalea purpurea Herbaceous Vegetation (Zollner et al. 1993)
Concept Author(s): S. Simon and D. Zollner

Author of Description: S. Simon and D. Zollner

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 08-06-98
  • Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
  • Zollner, D., S. Simon, and T. Foti. 1993. A plant community classification for Arkansas''s Blackland Prairie ecosystem. In: E. Peacock and T. Schauwecker, editors. Blackland prairies of the Gulf Coastal Plain: Nature, culture, and sustainability. University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa.
  • Zollner, D., S. Simon, and T. Foti. 2003. A plant community classification for Arkansas''s Blackland Prairie ecosystem. Pages 110-145 in: E. Peacock and T. Schauwecker, editors. Blackland prairies of the Gulf Coastal Plain: Nature, culture and sustainability. University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa.