Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: The open canopy of this association is dominated by a combination of Pinus palustris and Pinus serotina. Pinus taeda may also be present. Ilex glabra, Clethra alnifolia, and Gaylussacia frondosa are common in the shrub layer. Sporobolus pinetorum, Aristida stricta, Ctenium aromaticum, and Eryngium integrifolium are in the herbaceous layer. Sporobolus pinetorum may dominate, with Ctenium aromaticum of secondary importance. Some stands in the wiregrass gap of South Carolina (e.g., Francis Marion National Forest) will not have Aristida stricta present. Other shrub layer species that may occur commonly include Magnolia virginiana, Quercus pumila, Symplocos tinctoria, Gaylussacia dumosa, Hypericum galioides, Hypericum crux-andreae, Vaccinium tenellum, Persea palustris, Morella caroliniensis (= Myrica heterophylla), Lyonia mariana, and sprouts of Liquidambar styraciflua and Quercus phellos. Common forbs may include Solidago stricta, Chaptalia tomentosa, Carphephorus paniculatus, Carphephorus tomentosus, Lycopodiella alopecuroides, Rhexia petiolata, Helianthus heterophyllus, Helianthus angustifolius, Eupatorium leucolepis, Eupatorium rotundifolium, Hypericum setosum, Viola x primulifolia, Tephrosia hispidula, Lobelia nuttallii, Symphyotrichum walteri (= Aster walteri), Symphyotrichum dumosum (= Aster dumosus), Coreopsis major, Viola septemloba, Lespedeza capitata, Bigelowia nudata, Xyris caroliniana, Rhexia alifanus, Osmunda cinnamomea, Marshallia graminifolia, Desmodium tenuifolium, Sarracenia minor, and many others. Graminoids may include Scleria pauciflora var. caroliniana, Schizachyrium scoparium, Paspalum praecox, Saccharum brevibarbe var. contortum, Panicum virgatum, Gymnopogon brevifolius, Aristida purpurascens var. virgata (= Aristida virgata), Andropogon capillipes, Tridens ambiguus, Andropogon glomeratus var. hirsutior, Rhynchospora chapmanii, Panicum verrucosum, Panicum anceps (= var. rhizomatum), Chasmanthium laxum, Dichanthelium consanguineum, Dichanthelium dichotomum var. ensifolium (= Dichanthelium ensifolium), Dichanthelium strigosum var. leucoblepharis, Dichanthelium dichotomum var. tenue (= Dichanthelium tenue), and Andropogon glaucopsis (Glitzenstein and Streng 2004).

Dynamics:  The maintenance of this vegetation type depends on frequent, low-intensity, growing-season fires to control understory vegetation and for the reproduction of Pinus palustris and Pinus serotina. The fires limit competition from hardwood trees and shrubs and help to maintain the high diversity of herbaceous vegetation (Glitzenstein et al. 2003).