Print Report

G176 Serenoa repens / Aristida beyrichiana Dry Prairie Group

Type Concept Sentence: These are generally open treeless areas dominated by Serenoa repens and low shrubs, such as Asimina reticulata, Hypericum tenuifolium, Ilex glabra, Morella cerifera, Quercus minima, many heath shrubs, and a variety of grasses, such as Andropogon ternarius, Aristida beyrichiana, Aristida spiciformis, Dichanthelium spp., Schizachyrium scoparium var. stoloniferum, and Sorghastrum secundum which occur in extensive flat, inland areas of southern Florida, north of the Everglades and Big Cypress.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Saw Palmetto / Beyrich''s Three-awn Dry Prairie Group

Colloquial Name: Florida Dry Prairie

Hierarchy Level:  Group

Type Concept: Endemic to subtropical Florida, this group is characterized by nearly treeless plains with dense cover of grasses and low shrubs, primarily Serenoa repens. Associates include low shrubs, such as Asimina reticulata, Hypericum tenuifolium, Ilex glabra, Morella cerifera, Quercus minima, many heath shrubs, and a variety of grasses, such as Andropogon ternarius, Aristida beyrichiana, Aristida spiciformis, Dichanthelium spp., Schizachyrium scoparium var. stoloniferum, and Sorghastrum secundum. Examples occur on flat, low-lying terrain over moderately to poorly drained soils with sandy surfaces overlying organic hardpans or clayey subsoil. Florida Dry Prairie was historically expansive in several regions of Florida. Early surveyors noted large expanses of this group on the plains near the Kissimmee River, north from Lake Okeechobee, and in the area west of Lake Okeechobee (Fisheating Creek). The original extent has been heavily reduced by clearing for agriculture and conversion for forage production. Intact examples have been further altered by lack of fire which changes the proportion of grasses and shrubs and may further alter species composition. Frequent fires were an important natural process in this group.

Diagnostic Characteristics: These prairies generally are open, flat and essentially treeless areas, dominated by grasses and low shrubs, especially the shrubby palm Serenoa repens. It occurs in flat areas in southern Florida, which may stay wet part of the year.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This dry prairie grades into mesic pine flatwoods and may have nearly identical composition except for the absent or nearly absent overstory layer (Abrahamson and Hartnett 1990, FNAI 2010a, Huffman and Judd 1998).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: These generally are open and essentially treeless areas, dominated by grasses and low shrubs, especially the dwarf palm shrub Serenoa repens.

Floristics: Intact examples are generally open and essentially treeless areas dominated by Serenoa repens and low shrubs, such as Asimina reticulata, Bejaria racemosa, Gaylussacia dumosa, Hypericum tenuifolium (= Hypericum reductum), Ilex glabra, Lyonia lucida, Lyonia fruticosa, Morella cerifera (= var. pumila), Quercus minima, Vaccinium darrowii, Vaccinium myrsinites, as well as a variety of grasses, such as Andropogon ternarius, Aristida beyrichiana, Aristida spiciformis, Dichanthelium dichotomum var. ensifolium, Dichanthelium strigosum, Paspalum setaceum, Schizachyrium scoparium var. stoloniferum, Sorghastrum secundum, and others (Huffman and Judd 1998, FNAI 2010a). Forbs include Piloblephis rigida, Pityopsis graminifolia, Polygala spp., Rhexia spp., and Xyris spp. (FNAI 2010a).

Dynamics:  Like the floristically and ecologically related pine flatwoods, the open structure and species composition of this group is maintained by frequent fire. However, the natural fire frequency is thought to be greater than in mesic pine flatwoods (Duever et al. 1982, Abrahamson and Hartnett 1990, Hardin 1990), about once every 1-2 years (FNAI 2010a). Dry prairie can become dominated by woody vegetation with the absence of fire, especially in the absence of fires during the dry early spring. The stress of fire at the beginning of the rainy season followed immediately by the stress of flooding with the start of the summer rainy season, both of which would have been more frequent events in dry prairie compared to the surrounding flatwoods, may have been sufficient to prevent pine seedlings from becoming established in dry prairies (Platt et al. 2006a, FNAI 2010a). At least five fairly discrete phases or "states" of this group can be identified (Huffman and Werner 2000): good conditions are typified by abundant herbaceous cover and relatively low (<40%) cover of shrubs, especially Serenoa repens; degraded conditions resulting from long fire-free intervals result in reduced herbaceous cover and increased shrub coverage, to the eventual exclusion of all herbaceous cover. Outright replacement of dry prairies by oak - palmetto stands has been well-documented at Myakka River State Park (Huffman and Blanchard 1990). Some sources suggest that examples of this group may be the result of anthropogenic factors that provided an unnaturally high fire frequency or removed vegetation through logging or grazing (Hardin 1990); however, dry prairie has been well-documented as part of the presettlement vegetation of the Florida Peninsula, well before extensive logging occurred (Bridges 2006).
Environmental Description:  Examples occur on flat, low-lying terrain over moderately to poorly drained soils with sandy surfaces overlying organic hardpans or clayey subsoil (FNAI 2010a). Climate: The climate is subtropical, characterized by hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters. Annual rainfall is about 127 cm and occurs mostly in June through September. Soil/substrate/hydrology: These dry prairies occur on flat, moderately to poorly drained sandy sites. These areas are seldom inundated but may flood with several centimeters of water for short periods after heavy summer rains. The normal water table is several centimeters (in summer and fall) to several meters (in winter and spring) below the ground surface (Duever and Brinson 1984a, Abrahamson and Hartnett 1990, Hardin 1990). The lack of streams and other drainage dissection in the dry prairie landscape may result in more frequent fire and flooding than in flatwoods, which tend to occur closer to small streams (Bridges 2006, FNAI 2010a). Major soils of the dry prairie are poorly drained sandy Spodosols with an organic hardpan, including the series EauGallie, Myakka, Immokalee, Oldsmar, and Smyrna, as well as Alfisols (Malabar soils) with a subsurface clay layer that impedes drainage (Orzell and Bridges 2006a, FNAI 2010a). Soils on some sites consist of 0.1-0.9 m of undifferentiated quartz sand with a spodic horizon or clayey subsoil 30-107 cm below the surface. These acidic, nutrient-poor sands have few weatherable minerals and low clay nutrients in the surface soil (Abrahamson and Hartnett 1990). Soils supporting these sparse shrublands are classified as Arenic Haplaquods and include such series as Smyrna; types are Myakka (sandy, siliceous, hyperthermic Aeric Alaquod), Wabasso (sandy, siliceous, hyperthermic Alfic Alaquod), Oldsmar (sandy, siliceous, hyperthermic Alfic Arenic Alaquod), Immokalee (sandy, siliceous, hyperthermic Arenic Alaquod), Leon, Adamsville, and Keri sands (Moore and Swindel 1981, Duever and Brinson 1984a). Dry prairie in the Kissimmee River region occurs mostly on upland soils (Bridges 2006).
Geographic Range: This group occurs in southern Florida, mainly north of the Everglades and Big Cypress area. For example, it is found on the plains near the Myakka River, Kissimmee River, as well as north of Lake Okeechobee and near Fisheating Creek (west of Lake Okeechobee).

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  FL


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR

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.Nh Southeastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D102 2.B.2.Nh
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nh.1 Saw Palmetto - Myrtle Oak / Beyrich''s Three-awn Scrub & Dry Prairie Macrogroup M162 2.B.2.Nh.1
Group 2.B.2.Nh.1.b Saw Palmetto / Beyrich''s Three-awn Dry Prairie Group G176 2.B.2.Nh.1.b
Alliance A1519 Saw Palmetto / Three-awn species Florida Dry Prairie Shrubland Alliance A1519 2.B.2.Nh.1.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Dry Prairie (FNAI 2010a)
= Dry Prairie (Abrahamson and Hartnett 1990)
= Palmetto (Küchler 1964)
= Saw-palmetto or dry prairie (Davis 1943)
Concept Author(s): W.G. Abrahamson and D.C. Hartnett (1990)

Author of Description: C.W. Nordman

Acknowledgements: The work of J.H. Davis, Jr. over 70 years ago, and the more recent work of W.G. Abrahamson, E.L. Bridges, D.C. Hartnett, J.M. Huffman, W.S. Judd, S.L. Orzell and the staff of Florida Natural Areas Inventory are gratefully acknowledged.

Version Date: 05-12-15
  • Abrahamson, W. G., and D. C. Hartnett. 1990. Pine flatwoods and dry prairies. Pages 103-147 in: R. L. Myers and J. L. Ewel, editors. Ecosystems of Florida. University of Central Florida Press, Orlando.
  • Bridges, E. L. 2006. Landscape ecology of Florida dry prairie in the Kissimmee River region. Pages 14-44 in: R. F. Noss, editor. Land of fire and water. Proceedings of the Florida Dry Prairie Conference. Painter, DeLeon Springs, FL.
  • Davis, J. H., Jr. 1943. The natural features of southern Florida, especially the vegetation, and the Everglades. Florida Department of Conservation, Geologic Survey. Geologic Bulletin No. 25. Tallahassee, FL.
  • Duever, L. C., J. F. Meeder, and M. J. Duever. 1982. Ecological portion: Florida peninsula natural region theme study. National Audubon Society Ecosystem Research Unit, Naples, FL.
  • Duever, L. C., and S. Brinson. 1984a. Community element abstracts. Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission, Nongame Wildlife Program, Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 200 pp.
  • 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]
  • 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]
  • Hardin, D. 1990. Guide to the natural communities of Florida. Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission, Nongame Wildlife Program, Natural Areas Inventory, and Florida Department of Natural Resources, Tallahassee. 111 pp.
  • Harper, R. M. 1927. Natural resources of southern Florida. Pages 27-206 in: 18th Annual Report. Florida Geologic Survey, Tallahassee.
  • Harshberger, J. W. 1914a. The vegetation of south Florida south of 27 degrees 30 minutes north, exclusive of the Florida Keys. Transactions of the Wagner Free Institute of Science Philadelphia 7:51-189.
  • Huffman, J. M., and P. A. Werner. 2000. Restoration of Florida pine savanna: Flowering response of Lilium catesbaei to fire and roller-chopping. Natural Areas Journal 20(1):12-23.
  • Huffman, J. M., and S. W. Blanchard. 1990. Changes in woody vegetation in Florida dry prairie and wetlands during a period of fire exclusion, and after dry-growing-season fire. Pages 75-83 in: S. C. Nodvin and T. A. Waldrop, editors. Fire and the environment: Ecological and cultural perspectives. Proceedings of an International Symposium. Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, Asheville, NC. 429 pp.
  • Huffman, J. M., and W. S. Judd. 1998. Vascular flora of Myakka River State Park, Sarasota and Manatee counties, Florida. Castanea 63:25-50.
  • Huffman, Jean, Ph.D. Personal communication. Environmental Specialist, St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve, Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Apalachicola. FL.
  • Küchler, A. W. 1964. Potential natural vegetation of the conterminous United States. American Geographic Society Special Publication 36. New York, NY. 116 pp.
  • Moore, W. H., and B. F. Swindel. 1981. Effects of site preparation on dry prairie vegetation in south Florida. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry 5:89-92.
  • Orzell, S. L., and E. L. Bridges. 2006a. Species composition and environmental characteristics of Florida dry prairies from the Kissimmee River region of south-central Florida. Pages 100-135 in: R. F. Noss, editor. Land of Fire and Water: The Florida Dry Prairie Ecosystem. Proceedings of the Florida Dry Prairie Conference. Painter, DeLeon Springs.
  • Platt, W. J., J. M. Huffman, M. G. Slocum, and B. Beckage. 2006a. Fire regimes and trees in Florida dry prairie landscapes. Pages 3-13 in: R. F. Noss, editor. Land of Fire and Water: The Florida Dry Prairie Ecosystem. Proceedings of the Florida Dry Prairie Conference. October 5-7, 2004. Chateau Elan - Sebring, FL.