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CEGL007962 Lythrum alatum - Panicum anceps - Symphyotrichum lanceolatum Wet-Mesic Blackland Grassland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Winged Loosestrife - Beaked Panicgrass - White Panicle Aster Wet-Mesic Blackland Grassland

Colloquial Name: Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet-Mesic Blackland Grassland

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This wet-mesic blackland prairie community occurs in shallow draws and depressions and in level areas with high soil moisture-holding capacity on the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas. This community is temporarily to seasonally saturated. Water may pond briefly in localized depressions due to the tight soils. Vegetation is typically thick, 1.8 m (6 feet) tall or greater. This community becomes shrubby very quickly with fire suppression. Fuel accumulation is rapid. Dominant species include Lythrum alatum, Panicum anceps, Andropogon glomeratus, and Symphyotrichum spp. Tripsacum dactyloides could have been a dominant in the community historically. Other herbaceous species include Symphyotrichum lanceolatum, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, Carex annectens, Carex cherokeensis, Carex frankii, Desmanthus illinoensis, Conoclinium coelestinum, Eupatorium perfoliatum, Schedonorus pratensis, Glyceria striata, Helianthus grosseserratus, Juncus effusus, Lycopus sp., Phyla lanceolata, Scirpus pendulus, Sporobolus sp., Trepocarpus aethusae, Tripsacum dactyloides, and Vernonia baldwinii. Woody species, including Berchemia scandens, Celtis laevigata, Cercis canadensis, Cornus florida, Diospyros virginiana, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Juniperus virginiana, Quercus macrocarpa, Quercus muehlenbergii, Smilax bona-nox, and Smilax rotundifolia occur locally during periods of fire suppression, colonizing and growing faster than in the drier blackland prairie communities. Woody vegetation can become dense, shading out herbaceous prairie species. Soils are alkaline clays with the high shrink-swell character of the Terouge Silty Clay Series. This community has a limited distribution and high-quality examples have not yet been identified. It seems likely that this community used to cover the lower flats and upper swales that become riparian woodlands lower on the landscape. These areas have been largely converted to fescue pasture or dense young stands of Fraxinus pennsylvanica on both the flats and in the swales and small drains. It is hypothesized that much of the wet-mesic blackland prairie has succeeded to low-quality riparian blackland woodland. Examples are known form Columbus Prairie Preserve, Grandview Prairie, and the Terre Noire Natural Area complex. The type location is in Hempstead County, Arkansas. Other, small and degraded examples are known from Clark and Howard counties, Arkansas.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This community description is somewhat speculative. It is based on a series of degraded (grazed, fire-suppressed, planted to improved pasture) sites now being restored. The description will likely change quickly over the next few years with increased prescribed burning.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Dominant species include Lythrum alatum, Panicum anceps, Andropogon glomeratus, and Symphyotrichum spp. (= Aster spp.). Tripsacum dactyloides could have been a dominant in the community historically. Other herbaceous species include Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (= Aster lanceolatus), Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (= Aster novae-angliae), Carex annectens, Carex cherokeensis, Carex frankii, Desmanthus illinoensis, Conoclinium coelestinum (= Eupatorium coelestinum), Eupatorium perfoliatum, Schedonorus pratensis (= Festuca pratensis), Glyceria striata, Helianthus grosseserratus, Juncus effusus, Lycopus sp., Phyla lanceolata, Scirpus pendulus, Sporobolus sp., Trepocarpus aethusae, Tripsacum dactyloides, and Vernonia baldwinii. Woody species, including Berchemia scandens, Celtis laevigata, Cercis canadensis, Cornus florida, Diospyros virginiana, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Juniperus virginiana, Quercus macrocarpa, Quercus muehlenbergii, Smilax bona-nox, and Smilax rotundifolia occur locally during periods of fire suppression, colonizing and growing faster than in the drier blackland prairie communities. Woody vegetation can become dense, shading out herbaceous prairie species.

Dynamics:  This community has a limited distribution and high-quality examples have not yet been identified. It seems likely that this community used to cover the lower flats and upper swales that become riparian woodlands lower on the landscape. These areas have been largely converted to fescue pasture or dense young stands of Fraxinus pennsylvanica on both the flats and in the swales and small drains. It is hypothesized that much of the wet-mesic blackland prairie has succeeded to low-quality riparian blackland woodland.
Environmental Description:  This wet-mesic blackland prairie community occurs in shallow draws and depressions and in level areas with high soil moisture-holding capacity on the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas. This community is temporarily to seasonally saturated. Water may pond briefly in localized depressions due to the tight soils. Vegetation is typically thick, 1.8 m (6 feet) tall or greater. This community becomes shrubby very quickly with fire suppression. Fuel accumulation is rapid. Soils are alkaline clays with the high shrink-swell character of the Terouge Silty Clay Series.
Geographic Range: This wet-mesic blackland prairie community occurs in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas. Examples are known form Columbus Prairie Preserve, Grandview Prairie, and the Terre Noire Natural Area complex. The type location is in Hempstead County, Arkansas. Other, small and degraded examples are known from Clark and Howard counties, Arkansas.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AR


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GH

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass S18 2.B
Formation 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation F012 2.B.2
Division 2.B.2.Nh Southeastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D102 2.B.2.Nh
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nh.2 Southeastern Coastal Plain Patch Prairie Macrogroup M309 2.B.2.Nh.2
Group 2.B.2.Nh.2.a Little Bluestem - Switchgrass - Bushy Bluestem Patch Prairie Group G175 2.B.2.Nh.2.a
Alliance A3317 Switchgrass - Beaked Panicgrass Coastal Plain Prairie Alliance A3317 2.B.2.Nh.2.a
Association CEGL007962 Winged Loosestrife - Beaked Panicgrass - White Panicle Aster Wet-Mesic Blackland Grassland CEGL007962 2.B.2.Nh.2.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Lythrum alatum - Panicum anceps - Symphyotrichum lanceolatum Wet-Mesic Blackland Prairie Temporarily Flooded Herbaceous Vegetation [Provisional] (Zollner et al. 1993)
Concept Author(s): S. Simon et al. (1993)

Author of Description: S. Simon and D. Zollner

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-04-16
  • Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
  • Zollner, D., S. Simon, and T. Foti. 1993. A plant community classification for Arkansas''s Blackland Prairie ecosystem. In: E. Peacock and T. Schauwecker, editors. Blackland prairies of the Gulf Coastal Plain: Nature, culture, and sustainability. University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa.
  • Zollner, D., S. Simon, and T. Foti. 2003. A plant community classification for Arkansas''s Blackland Prairie ecosystem. Pages 110-145 in: E. Peacock and T. Schauwecker, editors. Blackland prairies of the Gulf Coastal Plain: Nature, culture and sustainability. University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa.