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CEGL007007 Metopium toxiferum - Eugenia foetida - Krugiodendron ferreum - Swietenia mahagoni / Capparis flexuosa Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Florida Poisontree - Boxleaf Stopper - Black Ironwood - West Indian Mahogany / Limber Caper Forest
Colloquial Name: Upper Keys Rockland Hammock
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This community is a dense, tropical, broad-leaved, evergreen forest with an open understory, occurring on areas of elevated rock. Canopies are typically 9-12 m and composed of trees 10-20 cm in diameter with scattered individuals that are up to 100 cm in diameter. Common canopy species include Metopium toxiferum, Krugiodendron ferreum, Swietenia mahagoni, Guapira discolor, Bursera simaruba, Coccoloba diversifolia, Lysiloma latisiliquum, Sideroxylon salicifolium, Sideroxylon foetidissimum, and Ficus aurea. Well-developed subcanopies contain smaller individuals of canopy species and Eugenia axillaris, Eugenia foetida, Gymnanthes lucida, Thrinax radiata, Leucothrinax morrisii, Amyris elemifera, Drypetes diversifolia, Canella winteriana, Bourreria succulenta, Sapindus saponaria, Guaiacum sanctum, etc. Species that occur as shrubs include Psychotria nervosa, Ardisia escallonoides, Guettarda elliptica, Guettarda scabra, Colubrina elliptica, Capparis flexuosa, and Eugenia rhombea. Only a few shade-tolerant herbs are found beneath the dense forest cover (Dichanthelium dichotomum, Oplismenus hirtellus ssp. setarius, Lasiacis divaricata). Scattered orchids (Eulophia alta, Beloglottis costaricensis, Cyclopogon cranichoides, Stenorrhynchos lanceolatum, Eltroplectris calcarata) and clumps of ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata, Nephrolepis biserrata, Thelypteris kunthii) may grow in areas with sufficient moisture. Other ferns (Adiantum tenerum, Tectaria heracleifolia, Tectaria fimbriata, Thelypteris reptans, Thelypteris sclerophylla) grow on the walls of solution holes. Herbaceous epiphytes are abundant and conspicuous (Campyloneurum phyllitidis, Pleopeltis polypodioides ssp. polypodioides, Phlebodium aureum, Vittaria lineata, Tillandsia spp.).
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This community occurs on upland areas over Key Largo Limestone in the upper portion of the Florida Keys in Dade and Monroe counties, ranging from Soldier Key to Big Pine Key.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This community is a dense, tropical, broad-leaved, evergreen forest with an open understory, occurring on areas of elevated rock. Canopies are typically 9-12 m and composed of trees 10-20 cm in diameter with scattered individuals that are up to 100 cm in diameter (McGuire and Brown 1974). Common canopy species include Metopium toxiferum, Krugiodendron ferreum, Swietenia mahagoni, Guapira discolor, Bursera simaruba, Coccoloba diversifolia, Lysiloma latisiliquum, Sideroxylon salicifolium, Sideroxylon foetidissimum, and Ficus aurea. Well-developed subcanopies contain smaller individuals of canopy species and Eugenia axillaris, Eugenia foetida, Gymnanthes lucida, Thrinax radiata, Leucothrinax morrisii (= Thrinax morrisii), Amyris elemifera, Drypetes diversifolia, Canella winteriana, Bourreria succulenta (= Bourreria ovata), Bourreria succulenta, Sapindus saponaria, Guaiacum sanctum, etc. Species that occur as shrubs include Psychotria nervosa, Ardisia escallonoides, Guettarda elliptica, Guettarda scabra, Colubrina elliptica, Capparis flexuosa, and Eugenia rhombea. Only a few shade-tolerant herbs are found beneath the dense forest cover (Dichanthelium dichotomum, Oplismenus hirtellus ssp. setarius (= Oplismenus setarius), Lasiacis divaricata). Scattered orchids (Eulophia alta, Beloglottis costaricensis (= Spiranthes costaricensis), Cyclopogon cranichoides (= Spiranthes cranichoides), Stenorrhynchos lanceolatum (= Spiranthes lanceolata), Eltroplectris calcarata) and clumps of ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata, Nephrolepis biserrata, Thelypteris kunthii) may grow in areas with sufficient moisture. Other ferns (Adiantum tenerum, Tectaria heracleifolia, Tectaria fimbriata, Thelypteris reptans, Thelypteris sclerophylla) grow on the walls of solution holes. Herbaceous epiphytes are abundant and conspicuous (Campyloneurum phyllitidis, Pleopeltis polypodioides (= Polypodium polypodioides), Phlebodium aureum, Vittaria lineata, Tillandsia spp.). Rare plants include Guaiacum sanctum, Thrinax radiata, Amyris balsamifera, Tillandsia flexuosa, Asplenium serratum, Leucothrinax morrisii, Colubrina cubensis, Phoradendron rubrum, Eugenia rhombea, Bourreria radula, etc. Exotic plants include Casuarina equisetifolia and Schinus terebinthifolius.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This community occurs on upland areas over Key Largo Limestone. This limestone formation is formed from ancient fossilized reef corals and is highly porous. Areas that support this community are well-drained and not normally exposed to flooding by ocean water. The organic soils are circumneutral and range from 4-16 cm in depth, but may accumulate to depths of 50 cm or more in solution holes. Local gradients of elevation and saline influence are important environmental factors that affect the vegetation structure and species composition in these communities (Ross et al. 1992).
Geographic Range: This community occurs in the upper portion of the Florida Keys in Dade and Monroe counties, ranging from Soldier Key to Big Pine Key.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: FL
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.690071
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.A Tropical Forest & Woodland Subclass | S17 | 1.A |
| Formation | 1.A.1 Tropical Dry Forest & Woodland Formation | F003 | 1.A.1 |
| Division | 1.A.1.Ea Caribbean-Mesoamerican Dry Forest & Woodland Division | D099 | 1.A.1.Ea |
| Macrogroup | 1.A.1.Ea.2 Gumbo Limbo - Tie-tongue - Stopper species Caribbean Coastal Lowland Dry Forest Macrogroup | M134 | 1.A.1.Ea.2 |
| Group | 1.A.1.Ea.2.b Gumbo Limbo - Tie-tongue - White Stopper Forest Group | G765 | 1.A.1.Ea.2.b |
| Alliance | A2030 Gumbo Limbo - Tie-tongue - White Stopper Forest Alliance | A2030 | 1.A.1.Ea.2.b |
| Association | CEGL007007 Florida Poisontree - Boxleaf Stopper - Black Ironwood - West Indian Mahogany / Limber Caper Forest | CEGL007007 | 1.A.1.Ea.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = ESU--11 Medium Productivity Rockland Hammock (Ross et al. 1992)
< IA10a. Keys Hammock Forest (Allard 1990)
< IA10a. Keys Hammock 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.
- Duever, L. C. 1984a. Natural communities of Florida''s rocklands. Palmetto, April 1984:8-11.
- FNAI [Florida Natural Areas Inventory]. 2010a. Guide to the natural communities of Florida: 2010 edition. Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee, FL. 228 pp. [https://fnai.org/naturalcommguide.cfm]
- Kruer, C. R. 1992. An assessment of Florida''s remaining coastal and upland natural communities: Florida Keys. The Nature Conservancy, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 33 pp. plus appendices.
- McGuire, R. J., Jr., and L. N. Brown. 1974. A phytosociological analysis of two subtropical hammocks on Elliot Key, Dade County, Florida. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 90:125-131.
- Ross, M. S., J. J. O''Brien, and L. J. Flynn. 1992. Ecological site classification of Florida Keys terrestrial habitats. Biotropica 24:488-502.
- Snyder, J. R., A. Herndon, and W. B. Robertson, Jr. 1990. South Florida rockland. Pages 230-277 in: R. L. Myers and J. J. Ewel, editors. Ecosystems of Florida. University of Central Florida Press, Orlando.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
- Tomlinson, P. B. 1986a. The biology of trees native to tropical Florida. Harvard University Printing Office, Allston, MA. 480 pp.