Print Report
CEGL008483 Schizachyrium scoparium - Triplasis purpurea - Eriogonum multiflorum - Liatris elegans var. carizzana Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Little Bluestem - Purple Sandgrass - Heart-sepal Buckwheat - Pinkscale Blazingstar Grassland
Colloquial Name: Sandhill Coastal Prairie
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This vegetation occurs on deep sandy ridges flanking the San Bernard and possibly other rivers where they flow through the Lissie Formation in the Upper Coastal Prairie of Texas. It is dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium, Paspalum plicatulum, and variety of other grasses and forbs, many of which are endemic to deep sandy soils.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This vegetation appears closely related to ~Schizachyrium littorale - Paspalum plicatulum Texas Sand Sheet Grassland (CEGL007821)$$ occurring on the South Texas Sand Sheet. All of these similar communities occur over deep sandy strata and share many taxa, but each seems to have a suite of unique species not found in the others. More information is needed to fully describe these differences. The taxonomy of the nominal species of Schizachyrium is in question for some occurrences.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: In addition to Schizachyrium scoparium and Triplasis purpurea, other common grasses include Paspalum plicatulum, Paspalum setaceum, Eragrostis secundiflora, Eragrostis spectabilis, and Cenchrus spinifex (= Cenchrus incertus). Characteristic but less common grasses include Trachypogon spicatus (= Trachypogon secundus), Elionurus tripsacoides, and Sporobolus junceus. In addition to the nominals, this community supports a diverse array of characteristic forbs, including Eriogonum multiflorum, Liatris elegans var. carizzana, Polygonella americana, Polanisia erosa, Croton argyranthemus, Berlandiera betonicifolia, Bigelowia nuttallii, Lechea san-sabeana, Stylisma villosa, Cnidoscolus texanus, Stillingia sylvatica, and Asclepias tuberosa.
Dynamics: These grasslands are maintained by periodic fires and soil conditions generally inhospitable to the growth of trees and shrubs. In some associations, the prolonged absence of fire can favor invasion by woody species which can become abundant. Overgrazing can also alter the composition and structure of these communities.
Environmental Description: This association occurs on deep sandy ridges flanking the San Bernard and possibly other rivers where they flow through the Lissie Formation in the Upper Coastal Prairie. The deep sandy soils of this community may be less likely to support rank growth of grasses common in other coastal prairie communities on finer-textured soils.
Geographic Range: This community occurs on deep sandy ridges along rivers and streams on the Lissie Formation of the Coastal Prairie and the Fayette Prairie of southeastern Texas.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689625
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.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.Nb Central North American Grassland & Shrubland Division | D023 | 2.B.2.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 2.B.2.Nb.1 Big Bluestem - Indiangrass - Dense Blazingstar Tallgrass Prairie Macrogroup | M054 | 2.B.2.Nb.1 |
| Group | 2.B.2.Nb.1.a Little Bluestem - Prairie Bishop - Brownseed Crowngrass Tallgrass Prairie Group | G335 | 2.B.2.Nb.1.a |
| Alliance | A4062 Little Bluestem - Pinkscale Blazingstar Sandy Grassland Alliance | A4062 | 2.B.2.Nb.1.a |
| Association | CEGL008483 Little Bluestem - Purple Sandgrass - Heart-sepal Buckwheat - Pinkscale Blazingstar Grassland | CEGL008483 | 2.B.2.Nb.1.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
- Diamond, D. D. 1993. Classification of the plant communities of Texas (series level). Unpublished document. Texas Natural Heritage Program, Austin. 25 pp.
- NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern United States. No date. Unpublished data. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.