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CEGL004342 Amphianthus pusillus - Isoetes melanospora - Isoetes tegetiformans Granite Pool Vegetation

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Poolsprite - Blackspore Quillwort - Merlin''s-grass Granite Pool Vegetation

Colloquial Name: Piedmont Granitic Flatrock Glade, Seasonal Pool

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This community occupies the deepest pools with the longest hydroperiods found on granitic flatrocks of Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama. These pools have intact rims, shallow soils, and are of sufficient depth to retain water for several weeks after a rain. The vegetation of these pools is limited to the rare aquatic endemics Amphianthus pusillus, Isoetes melanospora, and Isoetes tegetiformans.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Coffey (1964) cites Isoetes melanopoda as occurring "in crevices and depressions where water collects from the winter rains", with and Amphianthus pusillus growing "in abundance around the edges of the Isoetes patches." She does not name or identify either particular zones or specific associations in her work on flat granitic outcrops.

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

Floristics: The vegetation of these pools is limited to the rare aquatic endemics Amphianthus pusillus, Isoetes melanospora, and Isoetes tegetiformans (Wharton 1978). All of these species are endemic to granitic flatrocks of the southeastern United States. Diamorpha smallii may occupy marginal areas of this community, which are flooded for shorter periods of time. Other species which may occur are Juncus georgianus and Cyperus granitophilus.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This community occupies the deepest and wettest pools on granitic flatrocks of Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama. These pools have intact rims, shallow soils, and are of sufficient depth to retain water for several weeks after a rain (Baker 1956).
Geographic Range: This community is limited to granitic flatrocks of Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL, GA, SC


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

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.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass S44 2.C
Formation 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation F013 2.C.4
Division 2.C.4.Nd Eastern North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D323 2.C.4.Nd
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nd.2 Broadleaf Cattail - White Snakeroot - Rush species Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M069 2.C.4.Nd.2
Group 2.C.4.Nd.2.c Quillwort species - American Pillwort - Greater Water-starwort Granite Outcrop Pool Group G803 2.C.4.Nd.2.c
Alliance A1817 Quillwort species - Poolsprite Granitic Outcrop Pool Alliance A1817 2.C.4.Nd.2.c
Association CEGL004342 Poolsprite - Blackspore Quillwort - Merlin''s-grass Granite Pool Vegetation CEGL004342 2.C.4.Nd.2.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Pool Type A (Baker 1956)
? shallow pool communities (Quarterman et al. 1993)
Concept Author(s): A.S. Weakley

Author of Description: A.S. Weakley

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-01-96
  • Baker, W. B. 1956. Some interesting plants of the granite outcrops of Georgia. Georgia Mineral Newsletter 9(1):10-19.
  • Burbanck, M. P., and R. B. Platt. 1964. Granite outcrop communities of the Piedmont Plateau in Georgia. Ecology 45:292-306.
  • Coffey, J. C. 1964. A floristic study of the flat granitic outcrops of the lower Piedmont, South Carolina. M.S. thesis, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
  • Nelson, J. B. 1986. The natural communities of South Carolina: Initial classification and description. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Columbia, SC. 55 pp.
  • Quarterman, E., M. P. Burbanck, and D. J. Shure. 1993. Rock outcrop communities: Limestone, sandstone, and granite. Pages 35-86 in: W. H. Martin, S. G. Boyce, and A. C. Echternacht, editors. Biodiversity of the southeastern United States: Upland terrestrial communities. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
  • Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
  • Wharton, C. H. 1978. The natural environments of Georgia. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Atlanta. 227 pp.