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G028 Quercus buckleyi - Juglans major / Juniperus ashei Dry-Mesic Forest Group

Type Concept Sentence: This group includes deciduous forests of dry-mesic and mesic slopes and canyons from the Edwards and Stockton plateaus of Texas to the Crosstimbers and isolated mountains in south-central Oklahoma. Characteristic trees vary regionally and include Acer grandidentatum, Arbutus xalapensis, Celtis laevigata var. reticulata, Fraxinus albicans, Juglans major, Prunus serotina var. eximia, Quercus buckleyi, Quercus laceyi, Quercus muehlenbergii, and Ulmus crassifolia.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Texas Red Oak - Arizona Walnut / Ashe''s Juniper Dry-Mesic Forest Group

Colloquial Name: Balconian Dry-Mesic Hardwood Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Group

Type Concept: The range of this woodland and forest group is centered in the highly dissected southern and eastern sections of the Edwards Plateau of Texas but extends west into the Stockton Plateau of Texas and north and east into the Crosstimbers and to the Arbuckle Mountains and possibly other isolated mountains in south-central Oklahoma. It typically occurs on north- and northeast-facing, dry-mesic to mesic limestone slopes and canyon bottoms. The tree canopy is generally closed, deciduous, and floristically variable regionally. Quercus buckleyi is present in most stands and dominant in many. Other dominants vary regionally and include Quercus laceyi, Quercus muehlenbergii, Ulmus crassifolia, and Acer grandidentatum. Juglans major is common in more mesic stands. Other diagnostic trees sometimes present include Arbutus xalapensis, Celtis laevigata var. reticulata, Fraxinus albicans, and Prunus serotina var. eximia. Diagnostic shrubs may include Aesculus pavia, Cercis canadensis var. texensis, Forestiera pubescens, Frangula caroliniana, Garrya ovata, Juniperus ashei, Lindera benzoin, Prunus mexicana, Ungnadia speciosa, and Viburnum rufidulum.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Biotic and floristic regions centered on central Texas have been reported in several studies (Tharp 1939, Dice 1943, Blair 1950, Webster and Bahre 2001, McLaughlin 2007), but the vegetation of this region is a mixture of endemic, eastern, western and Great Plains components. The mixture of vegetation is distinct, and anchored by a few endemics, but many components are related to vegetation of other regions. As a result, this group is somewhat difficult to circumscribe. This group generally represents the predominantly deciduous forests found on rocky upland slopes that are typically more mesic and less fire-prone than the surrounding uplands, but species dominance varies across the range of the group. It shares some species with ~Balconian Dry Forest & Woodland Group (G126)$$. Species endemic or near-endemic to this group and G126 include Quercus buckleyi, Quercus laceyi, Fraxinus albicans, Salvia penstemonoides, and Clematis texensis. Species generally ranging farther west include Juglans major, Celtis laevigata var. reticulata, Ungnadia speciosa, and Acer grandidentatum. Species ranging farther east include Quercus muehlenbergii, Aesculus pavia, Prunus serotina, Frangula caroliniana, and Lindera benzoin. Several studies suggest the presence of this deciduous forest and woodland group (Van Auken et al. 1981, Gehlbach 1988, Riskind and Diamond 1988, Van Auken 1988).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This vegetation is primarily deciduous but has some evergreen components. In contrast, adjacent upland vegetation is primarily dominated by grasslands or evergreen woodlands. The structure is that of a short, open to closed forest. The shrub layer is often patchily well-developed and the ground flora is generally poorly developed.

Floristics: This forest group is characterized by an open to closed tree canopy that is floristically variable regionally. Common, but frequently not dominant, components include Quercus buckleyi, Juniperus ashei, and Juglans major. Canopy dominants vary regionally and include Quercus laceyi, Quercus muehlenbergii, and Acer grandidentatum. Other diagnostic trees sometimes present include Prunus serotina, Arbutus xalapensis, Fraxinus albicans (= Fraxinus texensis), Ulmus crassifolia, and Celtis laevigata var. reticulata. Other trees that can occur in this group are Ulmus crassifolia, Quercus macrocarpa, Quercus stellata, and Quercus sinuata var. breviloba. Diagnostic shrubs may include Aesculus pavia, Cercis canadensis var. texensis, Forestiera pubescens, Frangula caroliniana (= Rhamnus caroliniana), Garrya ovata, Juniperus ashei, Lindera benzoin, Prunus mexicana, Ungnadia speciosa, and Viburnum rufidulum. Other shrubs include Ptelea trifoliata, Ageratina havanensis (= Eupatorium havanense), Garrya ovata ssp. lindheimeri (= Garrya lindheimeri), Diospyros texana, and Viburnum rufidulum. Herbaceous cover is generally sparse.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  Vegetation of this group typically occurs on mesic to dry-mesic limestone slopes in dissected parts of the Edwards Plateau region of Texas and the Arbuckle Mountains of Oklahoma. These slopes are generally more mesic and less fire-prone than the surrounding landscape (Van Auken et al. 1981).
Geographic Range: The range of this woodland and forest group is centered in the Edwards Plateau of Texas but extends north into the Arbuckle Mountains in southern Oklahoma and west into the Stockton Plateau of Texas.

Nations: MX?,US

States/Provinces:  MXCOA?, OK, TX


Confidence Level: High

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR

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.Nd Madrean-Balconian Forest & Woodland Division D060 1.B.1.Nd
Macrogroup 1.B.1.Nd.3 Texas Red Oak - Texas Live Oak - Ashe''s Juniper Forest & Woodland Macrogroup M015 1.B.1.Nd.3
Group 1.B.1.Nd.3.b Texas Red Oak - Arizona Walnut / Ashe''s Juniper Dry-Mesic Forest Group G028 1.B.1.Nd.3.b
Alliance A0242 Texas Red Oak Slope Forest & Woodland Alliance A0242 1.B.1.Nd.3.b
Alliance A3214 Bigtooth Maple - Chinquapin Oak - Arizona Walnut Forest & Woodland Alliance A3214 1.B.1.Nd.3.b
Alliance A3215 Lacey Oak Forest & Woodland Alliance A3215 1.B.1.Nd.3.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Andropogon-Quercus-Juniperus (Küchler 1964)
< Canyons and Riparian Woodlands (Webster 2001)
> Deciduous Woodland (Riskind and Diamond 1988)
> Edwards Plateau Bigtooth Maple Mesic Canyon (not mapped) [CES303.038.1] (Elliott 2011)
> Edwards Plateau Mixed Deciduous Mesic Canyon (not mapped) [CES303.038.2] (Elliott 2011)
< Edwards Plateau Oak-Cedar (Tharp 1939)
> Edwards Plateau: Oak / Ashe Juniper Slope Forest (903) [CES303.656.4] (Elliott 2011)
> Edwards Plateau: Oak / Hardwood Slope Forest (904) [CES303.656.6] (Elliott 2011)
< Juniper Woodland (Webster 2001)
> North Slope Deciduous Forest (Van Auken 1988)
Concept Author(s): J. Teague, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2011)

Author of Description: J. Teague

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-07-15
  • Amos, B., and C. Rowell, Jr. 1988. Floristic geography of woody plants. In: B. B. Amos and F. R. Gehlbach, editors. Edwards Plateau vegetation: Plant ecological studies in central Texas. Baylor University Press, Waco, TX.
  • Blair, W. F. 1950. The biotic provinces of Texas. Texas Journal of Science 2:93-117.
  • Dice, L. R. 1943. The biotic provinces of North America. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor.
  • Elliott, L. 2011. Draft descriptions of systems, mapping subsystems, and vegetation types for Phases I, II, III, and IV. Unpublished documents. Texas Parks and Wildlife Ecological Systems Classification and Mapping Project. Texas Natural History Survey, The Nature Conservancy of Texas, San Antonio.
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, S. Gawler, M. Hall, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, L. Sneddon, K. Schulz, J. Teague, M. Russo, K. Snow, and P. Comer, editors. 2010-2019a. Divisions, Macrogroups and Groups for the Revised U.S. National Vegetation Classification. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. plus appendices. [in preparation]
  • Gehlbach, F. R. 1988. Forests and woodlands of the Northeastern Balcones Escarpment. Pages 27-77 in: B. B. Amos and F. R. Gehlbach, editors. Edwards Plateau vegetation: Plant ecological studies in central Texas. Baylor University Press, Waco, TX.
  • Küchler, A. W. 1964. Potential natural vegetation of the conterminous United States. American Geographic Society Special Publication 36. New York, NY. 116 pp.
  • McLaughlin, S. P. 2007. Tundra to Tropics: The floristic plant geography of North America. Sida Botanical Miscellany Publication 30:1-58.
  • Palmer, E. J. 1920. The canyon flora of the Edwards Plateau of Texas. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 1:233-239.
  • Riskind, D. H., and D. D. Diamond. 1988. An introduction to environments and vegetation. Pages 1-15 in: B. B. Amos and F. R. Gehlbach, editors. Edwards Plateau vegetation: Plant ecological studies in central Texas. Baylor University Press, Waco, TX.
  • TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. 2004b. A biodiversity and conservation assessment of the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion. Edwards Plateau Ecoregional Planning Team, The Nature Conservancy, San Antonio, TX.
  • Tharp, B. C. 1939. The vegetation of Texas. Texas Academy of Science, Nontechnical Publication Series, Austin.
  • Van Auken, O. 1988. Woody vegetation of the southeastern escarpment and plateau. In: B. B. Amos and F. R. Gehlbach, editors. Edwards Plateau vegetation: Plant ecological studies in central Texas. Baylor University Press, Waco, TX.
  • Van Auken, O., A. L. Ford, and J. L. Allen. 1981. An ecological comparison of upland deciduous and evergreen forests of central Texas. American Journal of Botany 68:1249-1256.
  • Webster, G. L. 2001. Reconnaissance of the flora and vegetation of La Frontera. Pages 6-38 in: G. L. Webster and C. J. Bahre, editors. Changing plant life of La Frontera: Observations of vegetation in the United States/Mexico borderlands. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, NM.
  • Webster, G. L., and C. J. Bahre, editors. 2001. Changing plant life of La Frontera: Observations of vegetation in the United States/Mexico borderlands. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, NM.