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CEGL004093 Bouteloua hirsuta - (Muhlenbergia filipes) Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Hairy Grama - (Gulf Hairawn Muhly) Grassland
Colloquial Name: Southwest Florida Coastal Grassland (Hairy Grama Type)
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This is the main coastal grassland community on Cayo Costa and North Captiva islands and formerly on Sanibel Island, Lee County, Florida, dominated by Bouteloua hirsuta, which forms a dense sod excluding, for the most part, the more typical coastal grasses, such as Muhlenbergia filipes, Schizachyrium spp., and Spartina patens. This community may also have occurred on Gasparilla Island (immediately to the north of Cayo Costa) where Bouteloua hirsuta is now known only from an abandoned golf course. Other characteristic species include Ernodea littoralis, Chiococca parvifolia, Lantana depressa var. sanibelensis, Trichostema [sp. nov. ined.], Opuntia stricta, Dodonaea viscosa, Cnidoscolus urens var. stimulosus, and Aristida patula. Dispersed throughout the grassland are shrub islands of Sabal palmetto surrounded by tropical shrubs such as Jacquinia keyensis, Myrsine cubana, Chiococca alba, and Forestiera segregata.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Nomenclatural notes on Muhlenbergia (C. Nordman/M. Pyne 10-07): NatureServe Ecology varies from Kartesz (1999) on the nomenclature of three related southeastern Muhlenbergia taxa. The names in Kartesz (1999) for these plants are Muhlenbergia capillaris (Lam.) Trin. var. capillaris; Muhlenbergia capillaris (Lam.) Trin. var. filipes (M.A. Curtis) Chapman ex Beal; and Muhlenbergia capillaris (Lam.) Trin. var. trichopodes (Ell.) Vasey. We have chosen to treat all three of these at the specific level, as (respectively) Muhlenbergia capillaris Lam.; Muhlenbergia filipes M.A. Curtis; and Muhlenbergia expansa (Poir.) Trin. A more recent innovation, which we will adopt at some point, is the recent recognition that Muhlenbergia sericea (Michx.) P.M. Peterson is the correct name (based on nomenclatural priority) for the plant formerly known as Muhlenbergia filipes M.A. Curtis (= Muhlenbergia capillaris var. filipes) (Gustafson and Peterson 2007). Based on Johnson and Muller (1992, 1993a). Per suggestion by A. Johnson, the former Sabal palmetto / Bouteloua hirsuta - Muhlenbergia filipes Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL004218) was merged into this type.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: Stands are dominated by Bouteloua hirsuta, which forms a dense sod excluding, for the most part, the more typical coastal grasses, such as Muhlenbergia filipes, Schizachyrium spp., and Spartina patens. Other characteristic species include Ernodea littoralis, Chiococca parvifolia (= Chiococca pinetorum), Lantana depressa var. sanibelensis, Trichostema [sp. nov. ined.], Opuntia stricta, Dodonaea viscosa, Cnidoscolus urens var. stimulosus (= Cnidoscolus stimulosus), and Aristida patula. Dispersed throughout the grassland are shrub islands of Sabal palmetto surrounded by tropical shrubs such as Jacquinia keyensis, Myrsine cubana (= Rapanea punctata), Chiococca alba, and Forestiera segregata (Johnson and Muller 1992).
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This is the main coastal grassland community on Cayo Costa and North Captiva islands and formerly on Sanibel Island (Cooley 1955), Lee County, Florida. This community may also have occurred on Gasparilla Island (immediately to the north of Cayo Costa) where Bouteloua hirsuta is now known only from an abandoned golf course (Morrill and Harvey 1980).
Geographic Range: Historically known only from 4 barrier islands off the southwest coast of Florida in Lee County.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: FL
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.688862
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G1
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.4 Temperate to Polar Scrub & Herb Coastal Vegetation Formation | F005 | 2.B.4 |
| Division | 2.B.4.Na Eastern North American Coastal Scrub & Herb Vegetation Division | D026 | 2.B.4.Na |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.4.Na.2 American Beachgrass - Sea-oats - Seaside Goldenrod Dune & Grassland Macrogroup | M057 | 2.B.4.Na.2 |
| Group | 2.B.4.Na.2.a Wax-myrtle - Sea-oats - Shore Little Bluestem Dune & Grassland Group | G494 | 2.B.4.Na.2.a |
| Alliance | A3688 Southern Hairgrass - Saltmeadow Cordgrass Dune Grassland Alliance | A3688 | 2.B.4.Na.2.a |
| Association | CEGL004093 Hairy Grama - (Gulf Hairawn Muhly) Grassland | CEGL004093 | 2.B.4.Na.2.a |
Concept Lineage: merged in
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Coastal Berm, Bouteloua Savanna subtype (FNAI 1992b)
= Coastal grassland, Bouteloua variant (Johnson and Muller 1993a)
= Coastal grassland, Bouteloua variant (Johnson and Muller 1993a)
- Cooley, G. R. 1955. The vegetation of Sanibel Island, Lee County, Florida. Rhodora 57:269-289.
- FNAI [Florida Natural Areas Inventory]. 1992b. Natural community classification. Unpublished document. The Nature Conservancy, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 16 pp.
- FNAI [Florida Natural Areas Inventory]. 2010a. Guide to the natural communities of Florida: 2010 edition. Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee, FL. 228 pp. [https://fnai.org/naturalcommguide.cfm]
- Gustafson, D. J., and P. M. Peterson. 2007. Re-examination of Muhlenbergia capillaris, M. expansa and M. sericea (Poaceae: Muhlenbergiinae). Journal Botanical Research Institute of Texas 1(1):85-89.
- Herwitz, S. 1977. The natural history of Cayo-Costa Island. New College Environmental Studies Publication No. 14, New College, Sarasota, FL.
- Johnson, A. F., and J. W. Muller. 1992. An assessment of Florida''s remaining coastal upland natural communities: Southwest Florida. The Nature Conservancy, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 12 pp. plus appendices.
- Johnson, A. F., and J. W. Muller. 1993a. An assessment of Florida''s remaining coastal upland natural communities: Final summary report. The Nature Conservancy, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 37 pp.
- Morrill, S., and J. Harvey. 1980. An environmental assessment of North Captiva Island, Lee County, Florida. New College Environmental Studies Program Publication No. 23, New College, Sarasota, FL.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.