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CEGL004778 Quercus lyrata - Quercus palustris / Acer rubrum / Itea virginica - (Lindera melissifolia) Floodplain Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Overcup Oak - Pin Oak / Red Maple / Virginia Sweetspire - (Southern Spicebush) Floodplain Forest
Colloquial Name: Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Mixed Oak - Hardwood Sand Pond Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This mixed oak - hardwood sand pond forest is found in the western edge of the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain of the United States, in Missouri and Arkansas. Stands occur in wet depressions in eolian sand deposits in a matrix of dry upland sandhill vegetation. Examples of this type tend to have a closed canopy while the surrounding uplands tend to be relatively open due to xeric conditions. The wettest areas within the ponds are dominated by Quercus lyrata and Quercus palustris; Diospyros virginiana is present, rarely also Taxodium distichum. Other canopy taxa include Carya aquatica, Celtis laevigata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Fraxinus profunda, Liquidambar styraciflua, Ulmus americana, and an occasional Nyssa sylvatica. Acer rubrum var. drummondii is abundant in the midstory. Lindera melissifolia is concentrated in this zone, but is not restricted to it. Where it is abundant, it may exclude other shrubs except for an occasional Cephalanthus occidentalis. Areas of hummocky topography have a shrub / understory stratum of Itea virginica and Cornus foemina. In addition, Ilex decidua and Styrax americanus are also found where the Lindera is thin or absent. Brunnichia ovata is a common and abundant vine, especially in openings. The herbaceous flora is typically sparse; it may include Symphyotrichum lateriflorum, Carex crus-corvi, Carex hyalinolepis, Carex louisianica, Cinna arundinacea, Iris fulva, Ludwigia glandulosa, Lysimachia radicans, Pilea pumila, Polygonum virginianum, and Saururus cernuus. The vegetation grades up to Quercus texana - Quercus michauxii or Quercus phellos - Quercus nigra forest, and then to Quercus alba - Quercus shumardii forest with non-wetland shrubs and small trees including Lindera benzoin, Asimina triloba, and Cornus florida.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This community is difficult to characterize. It is known from the western edge of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain in Arkansas (Clay, Jackson, Lawrence, and Woodruff counties) and Ripley County, Missouri (Sand Ponds Natural Area).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The vegetation forms a closed-canopy bottomland hardwood forest (Heineke 1987). The wettest areas within the ponds are dominated by Quercus lyrata and Quercus palustris; Diospyros virginiana is present, as well as rarely also Taxodium distichum. Other canopy taxa include Carya aquatica, Celtis laevigata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Fraxinus profunda, Liquidambar styraciflua, Ulmus americana, and an occasional Nyssa sylvatica (Heineke 1987). Acer rubrum var. drummondii is abundant in the midstory. Lindera melissifolia is concentrated in this zone, but is not restricted to it. Where it is abundant, it may exclude other shrubs except for an occasional Cephalanthus occidentalis (Heineke 1987). Areas of hummocky topography have a shrub/understory stratum of Itea virginica and Cornus foemina. In addition, Ilex decidua and Styrax americanus are also found where the Lindera is thin or absent. Brunnichia ovata is a common and abundant vine, especially in openings. The herbaceous flora is typically sparse; it may include Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (= Aster lateriflorus), Carex crus-corvi, Carex hyalinolepis, Carex louisianica, Cinna arundinacea, Iris fulva, Ludwigia glandulosa, Lysimachia radicans, Pilea pumila, Polygonum virginianum, and Saururus cernuus. The vegetation grades up to Quercus texana - Quercus michauxii or Quercus phellos - Quercus nigra forest, and then to Quercus alba - Quercus shumardii forest with non-wetland shrubs and small trees including Lindera benzoin, Asimina triloba, and Cornus florida.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: Stands occur in wet depressions in eolian sand deposits (Heineke 1987). In Arkansas these depressions have silty bottoms and perched water tables (T. Foti pers. comm.). The sand deposits are apparently Pleistocene dunes that were overlooked or unrecognized until the late 1970s (Saucier 1978). In Arkansas, these dunes are found near Crowley''s Ridge and the Black and White rivers, above the normal flood level of the Mississippi. Examples in Missouri occur amidst a series of low-lying, anastomosing channels that have helped to protect them from extensive alteration more typical in Arkansas (T. Foti pers. comm.).
Geographic Range: This mixed oak-hardwood sand pond forest is found in the western edge of the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain of the United States, in eastern Missouri and Arkansas.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AR, MO
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687561
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2?
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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D062 | 1.B.3.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nb.4 Swamp Chestnut Oak - Bald-cypress - Pecan Southern Floodplain Forest Macrogroup | M031 | 1.B.3.Nb.4 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a Swamp Chestnut Oak - Laurel Oak - Sweetgum Floodplain Forest Group | G034 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a |
| Alliance | A3629 Overcup Oak - Willow Oak - Water Hickory Swamp Forest Alliance | A3629 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a |
| Association | CEGL004778 Overcup Oak - Pin Oak / Red Maple / Virginia Sweetspire - (Southern Spicebush) Floodplain Forest | CEGL004778 | 1.B.3.Nb.4.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Quercus lyrata - Quercus palustris / Acer rubrum var. drummondii / Itea virginica - Cornus foemina - (Lindera melissifolia) Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Eolian Sand Communities (Heineke 1987)
< P1B3cI1a. Quercus lyrata - Carya aquatica (Foti et al. 1994)
= Eolian Sand Communities (Heineke 1987)
< P1B3cI1a. Quercus lyrata - Carya aquatica (Foti et al. 1994)
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Foti, T., M. Blaney, X. Li, and K. G. Smith. 1994. A classification system for the natural vegetation of Arkansas. Proceedings of the Arkansas Academy of Science 48:50-53.
- Foti, Tom. Personal communication. Ecologist [retired]. Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Little Rock.
- Heineke, T. E. 1987. The flora and plant communities of the middle Mississippi River Valley. Ph.D. dissertation, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. 653 pp.
- Nelson, P. 2010. The terrestrial natural communities of Missouri. Revised edition. Missouri Natural Areas Committee, Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.
- Saucier, R. T. 1978. Sand dunes and related eolian features of lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley. Geoscience and Man 19:23-40.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Zollner, Douglas. Personal communication. Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy, Arkansas Field Office, Little Rock.