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CEGL007461 Quercus pagoda - Magnolia grandiflora - Fagus grandifolia / Hydrangea quercifolia / Thelypteris kunthii Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Cherrybark Oak - Southern Magnolia - American Beech / Oakleaf Hydrangea / Kunth''s Maidenfern Forest
Colloquial Name: Southern Loess Hills Hardwood Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This association is restricted to steep ridge-and-ravine topography on deep loess soil deposits associated with the Mississippi River in Louisiana and adjacent Mississippi. The woody flora is extremely diverse and is characteristic of this association. Quercus pagoda is possibly the most common and diagnostic overstory tree in existing examples (possibly as a result of removal of other hardwood species). A variety of other tree species may be encountered, such as Fagus grandifolia, Magnolia grandiflora, Quercus shumardii, Quercus nigra, Quercus michauxii, Fraxinus americana, Platanus occidentalis, Acer negundo, Ulmus americana, Ulmus rubra, and Liriodendron tulipifera. When compared to other mesic forests of the region, other diagnostic features of this type are the prevalence of Arundinaria gigantea (often a dominant in the shrub layer), and the abundance of Cystopteris protrusa and Thelypteris kunthii. A variety of other herbaceous species may be present, suggesting both mesic and rich conditions for the region. This vegetation is known from the Tunica Hills in Louisiana.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The woody flora in stands of this association is extremely diverse and generally composed of deciduous hardwood species. The dense canopy can include the following species: Fagus grandifolia (apparently absent in some disturbed examples), Quercus pagoda, Magnolia grandiflora, Quercus shumardii, Quercus nigra, Quercus michauxii, Fraxinus americana, Platanus occidentalis, Acer negundo, Ulmus americana, Ulmus rubra, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Pinus taeda. The open to dense subcanopy consists of Acer floridanum (= Acer barbatum), Carpinus caroliniana ssp. caroliniana, Ostrya virginiana, Halesia diptera, Magnolia pyramidata, Tilia americana var. caroliniana, Zanthoxylum clava-herculis, Liquidambar styraciflua, Cornus florida, Ilex opaca var. opaca, Prunus caroliniana, Cercis canadensis, Celtis laevigata, and canopy species. Shrubs and woody vines include Toxicodendron radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Viburnum rufidulum, Ilex vomitoria, Berchemia scandens, Vitis rotundifolia, Hydrangea quercifolia, Decumaria barbara, Callicarpa americana, Symplocos tinctoria, Nekemias arborea (= Ampelopsis arborea), Arundinaria gigantea, Frangula caroliniana, Smilax tamnoides (= Smilax hispida), Gelsemium sempervirens, Sabal minor, Schisandra glabra (= Schisandra coccinea), Lindera benzoin, Asimina parviflora, Cornus drummondii, Bignonia capreolata, and Euonymus americanus. The ferns Cystopteris protrusa and Thelypteris kunthii may be abundant in the ground layer. Additional herbs and herbaceous vines include Adiantum pedatum, Ageratina altissima var. altissima, Arisaema dracontium, Aristolochia serpentaria, Boehmeria cylindrica, Botrychium virginianum, Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, Clematis crispa, Cryptotaenia canadensis, Cynoglossum virginianum, Desmodium nudiflorum, Galium obtusum, Lithospermum tuberosum, Mikania scandens, Passiflora lutea, Polystichum acrostichoides, Ranunculus recurvatus, Sanicula canadensis, Sanicula marilandica, Tillandsia usneoides, Trillium foetidissimum, and Viola walteri. The exotics Lonicera japonica and Microstegium vimineum may appear in stands of this association.
Dynamics: Occurrences of this association are currently often dominated by Quercus pagoda as a result of disturbance. At a site examined in Mississippi, this seemed to be the case, where Fagus grandifolia was completely absent as was Quercus alba (R. Evans pers. obs., R. Wieland pers. obs.), although the set of disturbance events that would lead to such dominance is unclear.
Environmental Description: This association is restricted to steep ridge-and-ravine topography on deep loess deposits associated with the Mississippi River in Louisiana and Mississippi. This association generally occurs on the more upland portions of the local loessal landscape, especially narrow ridgetops. These areas are generally dissected by a series of lower slopes and draws which have somewhat different vegetation (R. Evans pers. obs.). This vegetation is known from the Tunica Hills in Louisiana and the Laurel Hill Plantation of southern Mississippi (NatureServe Ecology unpubl. data).
Geographic Range: This association is found in the Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana and Mississippi.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: LA, MS
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689630
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3?
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.1 Warm Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F018 | 1.B.1 |
| Division | 1.B.1.Na Southeastern North American Forest & Woodland Division | D006 | 1.B.1.Na |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.1.Na.3 American Beech - Southern Magnolia - White Oak Forest Macrogroup | M008 | 1.B.1.Na.3 |
| Group | 1.B.1.Na.3.a American Beech - Southern Magnolia - Oak species Forest Group | G007 | 1.B.1.Na.3.a |
| Alliance | A0369 American Beech - Southern Magnolia Forest Alliance | A0369 | 1.B.1.Na.3.a |
| Association | CEGL007461 Cherrybark Oak - Southern Magnolia - American Beech / Oakleaf Hydrangea / Kunth''s Maidenfern Forest | CEGL007461 | 1.B.1.Na.3.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < IA8e. Beech - Magnolia Forest (Allard 1990)
- Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.
- Evans, Rob. Personal communication. Regional Ecologist, Plant Conservation Program, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Raleigh, NC.
- LNHP [Louisiana Natural Heritage Program]. 2009. Natural communities of Louisiana. Louisiana Natural Heritage Program, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 46 pp. [http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/page_wildlife/6776-Rare%20Natural%20Communities/LA_NAT_COM.pdf]
- 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.
- Wieland, Ron G. Personal communication. Ecologist, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Mississippi Natural Heritage Program, Jackson.