Print Report

CEGL003564 Quercus geminata / Vaccinium arboreum Forest

Type Concept Sentence: This xeric hammock or "oak dome" forest, dominated by Quercus geminata with Quercus virginiana, Quercus hemisphaerica, Quercus margarettae, Quercus laevis, and/or Magnolia grandiflora, occurs on deep, sandy soils found in Florida, southern Georgia, and possibly southern Alabama and South Carolina.


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sand Live Oak / Farkleberry Forest

Colloquial Name: Southeastern Coastal Plain Xeric Hammock

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This xeric hammock or "oak dome" community occurs on deep, sandy soils found in Florida, southern Georgia, and possibly southern Alabama and South Carolina. This is a forest dominated by Quercus geminata with Quercus virginiana, Quercus hemisphaerica, Quercus margarettae, Quercus laevis, and/or Magnolia grandiflora also potentially present in the canopy, which can be rather low in stature. Subcanopy species include the same, as well as Ilex opaca, Pinus palustris, Carya pallida, Nyssa sylvatica, Pinus glabra, and Pinus clausa within its range. Important shrubs include Vaccinium arboreum, Vaccinium stamineum, Morella cerifera, and Osmanthus americanus. Other shrubs include Quercus hemisphaerica, Ilex opaca, Quercus virginiana, Vaccinium elliottii, Callicarpa americana, Ilex glabra, Serenoa repens, Quercus nigra, Vaccinium myrsinites, Hypericum hypericoides, Licania michauxii, and Quercus incana. Herbaceous flora is sparse but can include Pteridium aquilinum, Dichanthelium spp., Rhynchospora megalocarpa, Elephantopus nudatus, Desmodium spp., Vernonia angustifolia, and Smilax pumila. The lichens Cladonia evansii and Cladonia subtenuis may be important. Vines such as Vitis rotundifolia and Smilax auriculata are common. The epiphytes Tillandsia usneoides and Pleopeltis polypodioides ssp. michauxiana are often present.

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: This forest is dominated by Quercus geminata with Quercus virginiana, Quercus hemisphaerica, Quercus margarettae, Quercus laevis, and/or Magnolia grandiflora also potentially present in the canopy, which can be rather low in stature. Subcanopy species include the same as well as Ilex opaca, Pinus palustris, Carya pallida, Nyssa sylvatica, Pinus glabra, and Pinus clausa within its range. Important shrubs include Vaccinium arboreum, Vaccinium stamineum, Morella cerifera, and Osmanthus americanus. Other shrubs include Quercus hemisphaerica, Ilex opaca, Quercus virginiana, Vaccinium elliottii, Callicarpa americana, Ilex glabra, Serenoa repens, Quercus nigra, Vaccinium myrsinites, Hypericum hypericoides, Licania michauxii, and Quercus incana. Herbaceous flora is sparse but can include Pteridium aquilinum, Dichanthelium spp., Rhynchospora megalocarpa, Elephantopus nudatus, Desmodium spp., Vernonia angustifolia, and Smilax pumila. The lichens Cladonia evansii (= Cladina evansii) and Cladonia subtenuis (= Cladina subtenuis) may be important. Vines such as Vitis rotundifolia and Smilax auriculata are common. The epiphytes Tillandsia usneoides and Pleopeltis polypodioides ssp. michauxiana (= Polypodium polypodioides var. michauxianum) are often present.

Dynamics:  These forests occur on sites which have not burned for decades, or have only burned at low intensity. They occur in patches on the landscape called oak domes. Quercus geminata leaf litter is not very combustible and acts as a firebreak. After rain, the boat-shaped leaves on the ground will often contain small amounts of water, further protecting the forest from fire which readily burns the generally surrounding longleaf pine-dominated landscape.

Environmental Description:  This association represents xeric hammocks or "oak domes" occurring on deep, sandy soils.

Geographic Range: This association is found in Florida, southern Georgia, and possibly southern Alabama and South Carolina.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL?, FL, GA, SC?




Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: G3

Greasons: No Data Available


Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available

Synonomy: = Evergreen Scrub - Lichen Forest (Wharton 1978)

Concept Author(s): C.W. Nordman

Author of Description: C.W. Nordman and H. Summer

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 06-28-18

  • 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]
  • GNHP [Georgia Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data. Georgia Natural Heritage Program, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Social Circle.
  • NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern United States. No date. Unpublished data. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
  • Nelson, J. B. 1986. The natural communities of South Carolina: Initial classification and description. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Columbia, SC. 55 pp.
  • Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.
  • Wharton, C. H. 1978. The natural environments of Georgia. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Atlanta. 227 pp.