Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Northern Red Oak - Sugar Maple - Appalachian Basswood - Yellow Buckeye - (Kentucky Yellow-wood) Forest

Colloquial Name: Rich Appalachian Red Oak - Sugar Maple Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This is a mesophytic northern red oak - mixed hardwood forest which ranges from the Eastern Highland Rim of Tennessee north into the Cumberlands and Interior Low Plateau of Kentucky. The canopy of stands is typically dominated by Quercus rubra with Carya ovata, Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer saccharum, Tilia americana var. heterophylla, Aesculus flava, Carya cordiformis, Carya ovalis, Prunus serotina var. serotina, Fraxinus sp., and Juglans nigra. Quercus alba may sometimes be present. The subcanopy may contain the above-mentioned canopy species as well as Fagus grandifolia, Ulmus americana, Ostrya virginiana, Juglans cinerea, and Cladrastis kentukea (within its limited range). Acer saccharum may be a strong dominant in this stratum. Shrubs and small trees may include Cornus florida, Asimina triloba, and Euonymus americanus. The herbaceous flora is rich and diverse, including Pachysandra procumbens, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Cardamine angustata, Cardamine concatenata, Cardamine diphylla, Packera obovata, Trillium flexipes, Phacelia bipinnatifida, Hydrophyllum appendiculatum, Delphinium tricorne, Monarda clinopodia (sensu lato), Iris cristata, Stellaria pubera, Carex austrocaroliniana, Carex plantaginea, Polystichum acrostichoides (which may be dominant), Adiantum pedatum, Asplenium resiliens, and Asplenium rhizophyllum, as well as Climacium americanum and other mosses. On the dissected western escarpment of the Eastern Highland Rim of Tennessee, this association has been documented from the Mississippian Fort Payne Formation at 275-350 m (900-1100 feet) elevation. On the dissected eastern escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau and on Short Mountain, an isolated Plateau remnant, it presumably occurs on other Mississippian limestone strata at 350-600 m (1100-2000 feet) elevation. The exotic tree Ailanthus altissima may invade this community, usurping the role of Liriodendron tulipifera as a canopy-gap successional species.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association should be compared to other associations in ~Liriodendron tulipifera - Tilia americana var. heterophylla - Aesculus flava Forest Alliance (A0235)$$. It is distinguished from the Appalachian cove forests by its dominance by Quercus rubra and its somewhat less diverse herbaceous flora. Campbell (2001) could not clearly crosswalk his eastern Kentucky Appalachian types to this type, suggesting that the concept of this association needs further review.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available