Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Big Bluestem - Sideoats Grama - Wavyleaf Purple Coneflower Coosa Valley Barren Grassland

Colloquial Name: Dry Coosa Valley Barrens

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This barrens vegetation occurs in the Coosa River valley of northwestern Georgia and northeastern Alabama and represents the drier end of a spectrum of small prairie-like openings in a mosaic of gently rolling terrain over the Conasauga Group geology including calcareous shale and limestone. These small openings (generally less than 1 ha) are dominated by a mixture of perennial grasses and forbs many of which are disjunct midwestern prairie species or narrowly distributed endemics adapted to the unique edaphic factors present at these sites. This drier variant occurs in exposed upland topographic situations either on the crest of low ridges or south- or west-facing slopes where limestone and calcareous shale are at close proximity to the surface. Prairie-related grasses such as Schizachyrium scoparium, Andropogon gerardii, Sporobolus heterolepis, Bouteloua curtipendula, and Sorghastrum nutans typically predominate. Panicum virgatum is also a dominant grass species. Prairie goldenrods such as Oligoneuron rigidum and Oligoneuron album are also distinct components along with Echinacea simulata. Other disjunct elements include Spiranthes magnicamporum, Asclepias hirtella, Baptisia australis var. aberrans, and Hypericum sphaerocarpum. Other herbaceous species found in this association include Silphium trifoliatum var. latifolium, Sporobolus vaginiflorus, Liatris squarrosa var. hirsuta, Liatris aspera, Ruellia humilis, Solidago nemoralis, Physostegia virginiana, Helenium autumnale, Rudbeckia fulgida, Onosmodium virginianum, Comandra umbellata, Eurybia hemispherica, Allium cernuum, Scutellaria parvula var. missouriensis, Carex crawei, Trichostema brachiatum, Ionactis linariifolius, Buchnera americana, Houstonia canadensis, Lobelia spicata, Asclepias viridiflora, Symphyotrichum laeve var. concinnum, and Gaura filipes.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Joint efforts between The Nature Conservancy, Temple - Inland, Inc., a forest products company in Georgia, and the Georgia Natural Heritage Program have led to the identification and protection of some significant examples of this extremely rare habitat type in Floyd County, Georgia. Examples in Alabama (Tom Cat Prairie, Etowah County) have nearly been completely destroyed by conversion to loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations. The striking combination of disjunct prairie species and globally rare narrow endemics are indicative of the unique soil conditions. This association bears close affinities to cedar glade vegetation of Tennessee and northwest Georgia but lacks a number of glade endemics such as Pediomelum subacaule.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available

note: No Data Available