Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Longleaf Pine / Blackjack Oak / Little Bluestem - Slender Little Bluestem - Smooth Meadowbeauty Woodland

Colloquial Name: Mississippi Loam Hills Longleaf Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This association occurs on rolling upland hills, on ridges and slopes of all exposures and slopes, but is more common on east, southeast, and southern exposures, in southern Mississippi and possibly elsewhere in the eastern Gulf Coastal Plain. It is typically associated with well-drained upland soils, including McLaurin loamy sand, Benndale sandy loam, and Heidel sandy loam. On the Conecuh National Forest, this association may be found on the Troup, Mablis, Dothan, Orangeburg, and Florala soil series, which are sandy loams. This association is characterized by a floristic mixture of species typical of upland longleaf pine communities and of pine flatwoods. It is characterized as an upland longleaf pine community, lacking wiregrass, with floristic composition of the eastern Gulf Coastal Plain. The canopy is dominated by Pinus palustris. The subcanopy consists primarily of Quercus marilandica and Quercus incana, with occasional Quercus stellata, Quercus margarettae, Carya glabra, and Nyssa sylvatica. Common shrubs include Castanea pumila, Diospyros virginiana, Gaylussacia mosieri, Vaccinium myrsinites, Vaccinium arboreum, and Licania michauxii. The herbaceous stratum is diverse, and includes Andropogon ternarius, Andropogon virginicus, Andropogon spp., Aristida purpurascens var. virgata, Aristida purpurascens var. tenuispica, Aristida longespica, Ctenium aromaticum, Gymnopogon ambiguus, Paspalum floridanum, Schizachyrium scoparium, Schizachyrium tenerum, Sporobolus junceus, Symphyotrichum concolor, Sericocarpus tortifolius, Ionactis linariifolius, Tephrosia sp., Tragia smallii, Eryngium yuccifolium, Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium, Desmodium spp., Gaura angustifolia, Pityopsis graminifolia, Coreopsis major, Dalea pinnata var. pinnata, Rhynchosia reniformis, Lechea spp., Zornia bracteata, and Rhexia alifanus.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This community occurs in landscapes with ~Pinus palustris / Quercus falcata / Cornus florida / Schizachyrium scoparium Woodland (CEGL003575)$$ but in better drained soils and higher topographic positions. This association represents the better-drained phase (i.e., found on generally less finer-textured soils) of upland pine forests from the East Gulf Coastal Plain within the distribution of Aristida beyrichiana. In some parts of this species'' range (e.g., Conecuh National Forest, Alabama), Aristida beyrichiana is restricted to more mesic (and even wetter) stands, and it is absent from stands of CEGL003598. For example, it is more characteristic of CEGL004945 than of CEGL003598, where the two occur in close proximity. CEGL004945 is generally found in the Dougherty Plain, and CEGL003598 in the Southern Pine Plains and Hills. Both of these land type units or ecoregions are part of subsection 232Bj. In the De Soto National Forest, this association is less well-distributed than CEGL003575, which is on finer-textured soils.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available