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CEGL002398 Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Bouteloua curtipendula - Rudbeckia missouriensis - Stenaria nigricans Wooded Grassland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Little Bluestem - Indiangrass - Sideoats Grama - Missouri Orange Coneflower - Diamond-flowers Wooded Grassland

Colloquial Name: Ozark Dolomite Glade

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This little bluestem graminoid dolomite glade community is found in the United States in the Ozark region of Missouri and Arkansas. Stands occur on moderate to steep slopes of dissected hills, steep valley slopes above large rivers and streams. Aspect is variable, but typically southern and western. Soils are rapidly drained (seasonally saturated in winter and spring) and shallow (0-40 cm). The parent material is dolomitic (dolostone) bedrock. The vegetation is dominated by medium-tall grasses and forbs, occasionally with stunted trees and shrubs. Stands are dominated Schizachyrium scoparium, Bouteloua curtipendula, Sporobolus heterolepis, occurring with Andropogon gerardii, Rudbeckia missouriensis, Symphyotrichum sericeum, Buchnera americana, Oenothera macrocarpa, Clinopodium arkansanum, Sporobolus neglectus, Echinacea paradoxa, Evolvulus nuttallianus, Leavenworthia uniflora, Clematis fremontii, Centaurea americana, Valerianella ozarkana, Yucca glauca, Eriogonum longifolium, Acacia angustissima, Phyllanthus polygonoides, Cotinus obovatus, Stenosiphon linifolius, Palafoxia callosa, Centaurium texense, Scutellaria bushii, Penstemon cobaea, Marshallia caespitosa var. signata, Thelesperma filifolium var. filifolium, Juniperus ashei, Toxicodendron pubescens, and lichens Protoparmeliopsis muralis, Caloplaca saxicola, Placidium lachneum, Psora russellii, Placynthium nigrum. Some additional forbs and grasses from Arkansas occurrences include Asclepias amplexicaulis, Asclepias viridiflora, Coreopsis lanceolata, Croton capitatus, Desmanthus illinoensis, Grindelia lanceolata, Stenaria nigricans, Liatris cylindracea, Minuartia patula, Mirabilis albida, Onosmodium bejariense var. subsetosum, Rhynchosia latifolia, and Ruellia humilis.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Concept of this type is based on the Missouri state type Dolomite glade (Nelson 1985). Missouri may split this type into three subtypes: (1) White River section: large glades (>10 acres) on Cotter Dolomite. Several endemics are present, including Penstemon cobaea. (2) Upper/Lower Ozark section: small to medium glades (1-5 acres) on Gasconade and Eminence Dolomite. Indicator species include Scutellaria bushii. (3) Ozark Border section along the Missouri River: medium glades (5-20 acres) on Jefferson City-Cotter Dolomite. Indicator species include Clematis fremontii (M. Leahy pers. comm. 1999).

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

Floristics: The vegetation is dominated by medium-tall grasses and forbs, occasionally with stunted trees and shrubs. Stands are dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium, Bouteloua curtipendula, Sporobolus heterolepis, occurring with Andropogon gerardii, Rudbeckia missouriensis, Symphyotrichum sericeum (= Aster sericeus), Buchnera americana, Oenothera macrocarpa (= Oenothera missouriensis), Clinopodium arkansanum (= Satureja arkansana), Sporobolus neglectus, Echinacea paradoxa, Evolvulus nuttallianus, Leavenworthia uniflora, Clematis fremontii (= Clematis fremontii var. riehlii), Centaurea americana, Valerianella ozarkana, Yucca glauca, Eriogonum longifolium, Acacia angustissima, Phyllanthus polygonoides, Cotinus obovatus, Stenosiphon linifolius, Palafoxia callosa, Centaurium texense, Scutellaria bushii, Penstemon cobaea (= Penstemon cobaea var. purpureus), Marshallia caespitosa var. signata, Thelesperma filifolium var. filifolium (= Thelesperma trifidum), Juniperus ashei, Toxicodendron pubescens (= Rhus toxicodendron), and lichens (Protoparmeliopsis muralis (= Lecanora muralis), Caloplaca saxicola, Placidium lachneum (= Dermatocarpon lachneum), Psora russellii, Placynthium nigrum) (Nelson 1985). Some additional forbs and grasses from Arkansas occurrences include Asclepias amplexicaulis, Asclepias viridiflora, Coreopsis lanceolata, Croton capitatus, Desmanthus illinoensis, Grindelia lanceolata, Stenaria nigricans (= Hedyotis nigricans), Liatris cylindracea, Minuartia patula, Mirabilis albida, Onosmodium bejariense var. subsetosum (= Onosmodium molle ssp. subsetosum), Rhynchosia latifolia, and Ruellia humilis.

Dynamics:  Dry summer conditions can lead to occasional fires, and fires may have been more frequent in regions where glades were extensive. Seasonal winter and spring saturation can lead to frost heaving (Nelson 1985).
Environmental Description:  Stands occur on moderate to steep slopes of dissected hills, steep valley slopes above large rivers and streams. Aspect is variable, but typically southern and western. Soils are rapidly drained (seasonally saturated in winter and spring) and shallow (0-40 cm). The parent material is dolomitic (dolostone) bedrock interspersed with abundant rock fragments and often dissected by horizontal layers of exposed dolomite bedrock (Nelson 1985).
Geographic Range: This bluestem graminoid dolomite glade community is found in the United States in the Ozarks region of Missouri and Arkansas. Range extent is about 120,000 square km (the area of USFS Subsection 222A).

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AR, MO


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4

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.Nc Eastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D024 2.B.2.Nc
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nc.3 Little Bluestem - Dropseed species Central Interior Calcareous Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup M508 2.B.2.Nc.3
Group 2.B.2.Nc.3.b Little Bluestem - Sideoats Grama - Diamond-flowers Central Glade & Barrens Group G179 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Alliance A1919 Eastern Red-cedar / Little Bluestem - Sideoats Grama Alkaline Bedrock Scrub Grassland Alliance A1919 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL002398 Little Bluestem - Indiangrass - Sideoats Grama - Missouri Orange Coneflower - Diamond-flowers Wooded Grassland CEGL002398 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Bouteloua curtipendula - Rudbeckia missouriensis - Hedyotis nigricans Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Dolomite Glade (Nelson 1985)
Concept Author(s): P.W. Nelson (1985)

Author of Description: P. Nelson and D. Faber-Langendoen

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-01-98
  • Chastain, R. A., M.A. Struckhoff, K. W. Grabner, E. D. Stroh, H. He, D. R. Larsen, T. A. Nigh, and J. Drake. 2006. Mapping vegetation communities in Ozark National Scenic Riverways: Final technical report to the National Park Service. Open-File Report 2006-1354. U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA. 90 pp. plus appendices.
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
  • Hop, K., M. Pyne, T. Foti, S. Lubinski, R. White, and J. Dieck. 2012a. National Park Service vegetation inventory program: Buffalo National River, Arkansas. Natural Resource Report NPS/HTLN/NRR--2012/526. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 340 pp.
  • Leahy, Mike. Personal communication. Missouri Natural Heritage Database, Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.
  • Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Nelson, P. 2010. The terrestrial natural communities of Missouri. Revised edition. Missouri Natural Areas Committee, Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Conservation, Jefferson City.
  • Nelson, P. W. 1985. The terrestrial natural communities of Missouri. Missouri Natural Areas Committee, Jefferson City. 197 pp. Revised edition, 1987.
  • Nigh, T., C. Buck, J. Grabner, J. Kabrick, and D Meinert. 2000. An ecological classification system for the Current River Hills subsection. Missouri Ecological Classification System and Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership. 44 pp.