Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: In typical stands of this association, Quercus montana (= Quercus prinus) is dominant (or codominant in some occurrences with Quercus alba). Other canopy species include Quercus falcata, Carya glabra, Carya tomentosa (= Carya alba), Quercus marilandica, Quercus coccinea, Nyssa sylvatica, Acer rubrum, Pinus echinata, Pinus virginiana, and Quercus stellata. Other subcanopy species include Acer rubrum and Nyssa sylvatica. Species that may be present in the sparse shrub layer include Vaccinium pallidum, Vaccinium stamineum, Gaylussacia baccata, Gaylussacia frondosa, and Kalmia latifolia. The herb layer contains such species as Vitis rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans, Quercus montana, Chimaphila maculata, Danthonia spicata, Desmodium nudiflorum, Schizachyrium scoparium, Tephrosia virginiana, Hieracium venosum, Coreopsis verticillata, and Pteridium aquilinum. Canopy cover ranges from 60% to approaching 100% except following a natural disturbance. Quercus montana contributes 75% of the total tree cover. The subcanopy ranges from sparse to fairly dense, while the shrub and herb layers rarely have 25% cover, and frequently have <5%. Most likely because of the dry, acid, low-nutrient soils, this community has relatively low for species richness, i.e., 34.0 species/0.1 ha average in North Carolina (Peet and Christensen 1980). In addition, of the forest types in NC sampled by Peet and Christensen (1980), this is the only type where tree species contributed more than half (66.5%) of understory cover, e.g., less than 1 m tall.

Dynamics:  Individual tree death is probably the most common natural disturbance to effect composition or structure of this community. Fire and, especially, wind damage are not uncommon events in occurrences of this forest, although the frequency with which each occurs is not known. Most of the species of this community are fire-tolerant. This community may be considered a topo-edaphic climax in most of the situations in which it occurs.