Print Report
CEGL003583 Pinus palustris / Quercus laevis / Licania michauxii / Pityopsis aspera Woodland
Type Concept Sentence: This open woodland is dominated by Pinus palustris with Quercus laevis, Quercus incana, Quercus geminata, and Quercus margarettiae in the subcanopy/shrub layer; it is found in the Florida Panhandle and adjacent and southern Alabama on xeric, sandy soils with a slightly higher fine particle composition in the surface soils, and higher species richness than other Florida sandhill types.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Longleaf Pine / Turkey Oak / Gopher-apple / Pineland Silk-grass Woodland
Colloquial Name: Longleaf Pine / Turkey Oak Woodland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This open Pinus palustris woodland is found in the Florida Panhandle and adjacent and southern Alabama on xeric, sandy soils with a slightly higher fine particle composition in the surface soils, and higher species richness than other Florida sandhill types (e.g., ~Pinus palustris / Quercus laevis / Aristida beyrichiana - Tephrosia chrysophylla Woodland (CEGL007132)$$). Quercus laevis is the most constant and abundant oak in the subcanopy/shrub layer, but Quercus incana, Quercus geminata, and Quercus margarettae are also common and typically abundant. Schizachyrium scoparium var. stoloniferum is the most constant dominant species in the herbaceous layer, but Aristida beyrichiana is also often dominant, despite being slightly less constant in this type. Indicator species include Gaylussacia dumosa, Licania michauxii, Vaccinium darrowii, among the shrubs, and Aristida mohrii, Commelina erecta, Croton argyranthemus, Eriogonum tomentosum, Euphorbia floridana, Liatris gracilis, Pityopsis aspera, Rhynchosia cytisoides, and Schizachyrium tenerum, among the herbs. Many of these indicators are restricted to the panhandle of Florida.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This association is distinguished by its location in the Florida Panhandle and adjacent southern Alabama, xeric, sandy soil, dominance by Quercus incana and Quercus margarettae, absence of scrub oaks (Quercus myrtifolia, Quercus chapmanii), and relatively high species richness. Pityopsis aspera is indicative of this type.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Description has been changed based on 19 plots from the Carolina Vegetation Survey (http://vegbank.org/cite/VB.ds.199701). This corresponds to type XU2 of Carr et al. 2010 (Panhandle Xeric Sandhills), except that ~Pinus palustris / Quercus geminata / Conradina canescens / Aristida beyrichiana Woodland (CEGL007133)$$ also belongs in XU2. This type largely corresponds to the original concept of CEGL003583, which was described as pertaining to xeric sites of the eastern Gulf Coast of the Florida Panhandle and adjacent Alabama, but reference was also made in the description to disjunct occurrences in Georgia and South Carolina. South Carolina and Georgia examples are floristically different and likely correspond to ~Pinus palustris / Quercus laevis / Schizachyrium scoparium - Stipulicida setacea Woodland (CEGL007844)$$. CEGL003583 is redefined to occur exclusively south of Georgia. The name has been changed to put more emphasis on Licania and less emphasis on Aristida beyrichiana.
Note that ~Pinus palustris / Quercus laevis / Schizachyrium scoparium - Rhynchosia cytisoides Woodland (CEGL003587)$$, which is described from the De Soto National Forest of southern Mississippi, includes reference to occurrences in Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The Eglin plots fit this type (CEGL003583). This suggests that CEGL003587 is found exclusively in southern Mississippi and possibly adjacent Alabama, and that it belongs in ~Pinus palustris / Quercus laevis / Aristida condensata Woodland Alliance (A4077)$$.
Note that ~Pinus palustris / Quercus laevis / Schizachyrium scoparium - Rhynchosia cytisoides Woodland (CEGL003587)$$, which is described from the De Soto National Forest of southern Mississippi, includes reference to occurrences in Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The Eglin plots fit this type (CEGL003583). This suggests that CEGL003587 is found exclusively in southern Mississippi and possibly adjacent Alabama, and that it belongs in ~Pinus palustris / Quercus laevis / Aristida condensata Woodland Alliance (A4077)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Pinus palustris dominates the open canopy of this association. In addition to Quercus laevis, several oak species dominate the midstory (Quercus incana, Quercus geminata, Quercus margarettae). Patchy growths of rhizomatous subshrubs typify this community, including Licania michauxii, Gaylussacia dumosa, and Vaccinium darrowii. Other common shrub species include Serenoa repens, Opuntia humifusa, and Hypericum hypericoides. Aristida beyrichiana is a characteristic and often dominant herbaceous species in this community, but in some parts of its range is replace by Schizachyrium scoparium as the dominant in the herbaceous layer. Other species with high cover or indicator values are Andropogon gyrans var. gyrans (= Andropogon elliottii), Andropogon virginicus var. virginicus, Aristida mohrii, Bulbostylis ciliatifolia, Commelina erecta, Croton argyranthemus, Cyperus lupulinus, Dichanthelium aciculare (= Dichanthelium angustifolium), Dichanthelium ovale, Eriogonum tomentosum, Euphorbia floridana, Liatris tenuifolia, Pityopsis aspera, Rhynchosia cytisoides, Rhynchospora grayi, Scleria ciliata, Schizachyrium tenerum, Solidago odora var. odora, Sorghastrum secundum, Sporobolus junceus, Stylisma patens, and Stylosanthes biflora.
Dynamics: This community is pyrogenic, generally being adapted to frequent, low-intensity surface fires every 2 to 5 years (Hardin 1990, FNAI 2010a). These woodlands become increasingly dominated by oaks in the absence of fire. Hurricanes commonly impact this type.
Environmental Description: This community is restricted to the western Florida Panhandle south of the Cody Scarp (Florida''s most prominent ancient Pliocene-Pleistocene shoreline), and occupies two landscape contexts: (1) ridgetops and upper slopes of large sandy ridges associated with ancient marine shorelines, and (2) broad flat terrain with little apparent topographic variation on the Citronelle Formation (i.e., Eglin Air Force Base) (S. Carr pers. obs.). Surface soils of this type are well- to excessively drained Entisols and Ultisols. Entisols are coarse sands with little soil profile development. However, this type may also inhabit highly weathered Ultisols, which have argillic horizons below 100 cm (40 inches) depth. Accordingly, surface soils are notably higher in silt and clay content relative to other sandhill types in Florida. This contributes to higher available moisture capacity and may contribute to overall higher species richness.
Geographic Range: This community is restricted to the western Florida Panhandle south of the Cody Scarp (Florida''s most prominent ancient Pleistocene shoreline). It has been documented in Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, and Washington counties, Florida. There is also a record from adjacent southern Alabama, in Baldwin County (ALNHP unpubl. data 2017).
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AL, FL
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687165
Confidence Level: High
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.1 Warm Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F018 | 1.B.1 |
| Division | 1.B.1.Na Southeastern North American Forest & Woodland Division | D006 | 1.B.1.Na |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.1.Na.1 Longleaf Pine / Pineland Three-awn Woodland Macrogroup | M007 | 1.B.1.Na.1 |
| Group | 1.B.1.Na.1.c Longleaf Pine / Turkey Oak Xeric Woodland Group | G154 | 1.B.1.Na.1.c |
| Alliance | A4076 Longleaf Pine / Turkey Oak - Sand Live Oak Woodland Alliance | A4076 | 1.B.1.Na.1.c |
| Association | CEGL003583 Longleaf Pine / Turkey Oak / Gopher-apple / Pineland Silk-grass Woodland | CEGL003583 | 1.B.1.Na.1.c |
Concept Lineage: merged.
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pinus palustris / Quercus laevis / Licania michauxii / Pityopsis aspera Woodland (Palmquist et al. 2016)
< IB6b. Southeastern Coastal Plain Xeric Sandhill (Allard 1990)
< IB6c. Southeastern Coastal Plain Subxeric Pine - Oak Sandhill (Allard 1990)
< Longleaf Pine - Scrub Oak: 71 (Eyre 1980)
< Panhandle Xeric Sandhills (Carr et al. 2010)
= Sandhill (Kindell et al. 1997)
< IB6b. Southeastern Coastal Plain Xeric Sandhill (Allard 1990)
< IB6c. Southeastern Coastal Plain Subxeric Pine - Oak Sandhill (Allard 1990)
< Longleaf Pine - Scrub Oak: 71 (Eyre 1980)
< Panhandle Xeric Sandhills (Carr et al. 2010)
= Sandhill (Kindell et al. 1997)
- ALNHP [Alabama Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data on file. Alabama Natural Heritage Program, Auburn University.
- 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.
- Carr, S. C., K. M. Robertson, and R. K. Peet. 2010. A vegetation classification of fire-dependent pinelands of Florida. Castanea 75(2):153-189.
- Carr, S. No date. Unpublished data. Ph.D. research. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
- Carr, S. Personal communication. Forest Ecologist. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest, Alexandria, LA.
- Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
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- NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern United States. No date. Unpublished data. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Palmquist, K. A., R. K. Peet, and S. C. Carr. 2016. Xeric longleaf pine vegetation of the Atlantic and East Gulf Coast Coastal Plain: An evaluation and revision of associations within the U.S. National Vegetation Classification. Proceedings of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification. [in press]
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