Print Report

M158 Juniperus ashei - Juniperus pinchotii - Quercus mohriana Scrub & Open Vegetation Macrogroup

Type Concept Sentence: This scrub woodland and shrubland vegetation is found in the High, Rolling, and Red Bed plains of Texas and Oklahoma ranging south into parts of the Edwards Plateau and marginally in the Chihuahuan Desert regions of Texas and possibly adjacent Mexico, as well as the Southwestern Tablelands. Occurrences on dry, rocky sites typically include evergreen junipers and oaks such as Juniperus ashei, Juniperus monosperma, Juniperus pinchotii, Quercus fusiformis, Quercus havardii, Quercus mohriana, and Quercus sinuata, as well as Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa, Buddleja racemosa, Dalea formosa, and Mimosa borealis in some examples.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Ashe''s Juniper - Pinchot''s Juniper - Mohr Oak Scrub & Open Vegetation Macrogroup

Colloquial Name: Great Plains Comanchian Scrub & Open Vegetation

Hierarchy Level:  Macrogroup

Type Concept: This scrub woodland vegetation is found in the High, Rolling, and Red Bed plains of Texas and Oklahoma ranging south into parts of the Edwards Plateau and Chihuahuan Desert regions of Texas, as well as the Southwestern Tablelands. Occurrences on dry, rocky sites typically include evergreen junipers and oaks such as Juniperus ashei, Juniperus monosperma, Juniperus pinchotii, Quercus fusiformis, Quercus havardii, Quercus mohriana, and Quercus sinuata, as well as Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa in some examples. Other woody species include Buddleja racemosa, Cercocarpus montanus, Dalea formosa, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Mimosa borealis, Rhus lanceolata, and Rhus trilobata. On deeper alluvial soils, Prosopis glandulosa may dominate, with species such as Mahonia trifoliolata, Sideroxylon lanuginosum, and Ziziphus obtusifolia also commonly encountered. Characteristic graminoids include Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua hirsuta, Bouteloua dactyloides, Pleuraphis mutica, and Schizachyrium scoparium. Forbs, including species such as Artemisia ludoviciana, Calylophus sp., Chaetopappa ericoides, Croton monanthogynus, Indigofera miniata, Krameria lanceolata, Melampodium leucanthum, Rhynchosia senna, and Ruellia nudiflora, may also be present. The canopy is less than 6 m in height, and may be open with a grassy or rocky understory, or may form dense low patches or mottes interspersed with grasslands and rock outcrops. Bare ground is often conspicuous, and herbaceous cover, where present, is usually dominated by mid to short grasses and forbs. This vegetation occupies dry, rocky sites on mesas and escarpment breaks over a variety of geologic strata, including sandstones, shales, limestone and basalt. Alternatively, Prosopis glandulosa-dominated occurrences may occupy deeper, alluvial soils, often along drainages or topographic lows. Soils are variable in depth, and this vegetation can occur where there is little soil development.

Diagnostic Characteristics: These are Quercus and Juniperus scrub woodlands and shrublands, as well as Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa woodlands in the southwestern Great Plains and adjacent areas. This does not include vegetation characterized by Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa occurring in southern Texas.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: ~Comanchian Oak - Juniper Scrub Group (G191)$$ represents oak and juniper scrub woodlands and shrublands in the southwestern Great Plains and adjacent areas. It overlaps some with ~Madrean Pinyon - Juniper Woodland Group (G200)$$ in ~Madrean Lowland Evergreen Woodland Macrogroup (M010)$$ and ~Balconian Dry Forest & Woodland Group (G126)$$ in ~Balconian Forest & Woodland Macrogroup (M015)$$. These relationships should be examined. Due to the reproductive nature of some of the dominant species, it often exhibits patch dominance by a single species. Classification of this group as well as ~Comanchian Mesquite - Mixed Scrub Group (G192)$$ is further complicated because they may be difficult to distinguish from compositionally and structurally similar ruderal vegetation. G192 as described does not include vegetation characterized by Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa occurring in southern Texas.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Physiognomic expression varies from open, short, stunted woodlands, less than 6 m in height, to low dense shrublands. Many stands are dominated by evergreen oaks and junipers, but deciduous shrubs are also common. Some examples are dominated by Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa, in which the small size of the leaflets allows light to reach the ground even through more closed canopies.

Floristics: Examples are dominated by evergreen junipers and oaks such as Juniperus ashei, Juniperus monosperma, Juniperus pinchotii, Juniperus scopulorum, Quercus fusiformis, Quercus havardii, Quercus mohriana, and Quercus sinuata, as well as Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa in some examples. Other woody species include Acacia greggii, Aloysia gratissima, Buddleja racemosa, Cercocarpus montanus, Dalea formosa, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Mahonia trifoliolata, Mimosa borealis, Prosopis glandulosa, Rhus lanceolata, Rhus trilobata, Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii, and Ungnadia speciosa. In addition, Yucca glauca and Opuntia spp. may be present. On deeper alluvial soils, Prosopis glandulosa may dominate, with species such as Mahonia trifoliolata, Sideroxylon lanuginosum, and Ziziphus obtusifolia also commonly encountered. Field layer cover is variable but often sparse. Characteristic graminoids, when present, include Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua gracilis, Bouteloua hirsuta, Bouteloua dactyloides (= Buchloe dactyloides), Nassella leucotricha, Pleuraphis mutica, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Sporobolus vaginiflorus. Forbs, including species such as Artemisia ludoviciana, Calylophus sp., Chaetopappa ericoides, Croton monanthogynus, Indigofera miniata, Krameria lanceolata, Melampodium leucanthum, Mimosa spp., Rhynchosia senna, and Ruellia nudiflora, may also be present. Additional forbs characteristic of open vegetation of rock outcrops are Lesquerella gordonii, Lesquerella ovalifolia, Sedum nuttallianum, and Sedum pulchellum.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  Examples of ~Comanchian Oak - Juniper Scrub Group (G191)$$ occupy dry, rocky sites on mesas and escarpment breaks over a variety of geologic strata, including sandstones, shales, limestone and basalt. Soils are variable and this vegetation can occur where there is little soil development. ~Comanchian Mesquite - Mixed Scrub Group (G192)$$ occurs on a variety of soil types but is best developed on bottomland soils (L. Elliott pers. comm., D. Diamond. pers. comm.).
Geographic Range: This scrub woodland vegetation is found in the High, Rolling, and Red Bed plains of Texas and Oklahoma ranging south into parts of the Edwards Plateau and marginally in the Chihuahuan Desert regions of Texas and possibly adjacent Mexico, as well as the Southwestern Tablelands.

Nations: MX?,US

States/Provinces:  MXCHH?, MXCOA?, NM?, OK, TX


Confidence Level: Low

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.Nb Central North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D023 2.B.2.Nb
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nb.5 Ashe''s Juniper - Pinchot''s Juniper - Mohr Oak Scrub & Open Vegetation Macrogroup M158 2.B.2.Nb.5
Group 2.B.2.Nb.5.a Yellow Stonecrop - Gordon''s Bladderpod - Poverty Dropseed Glade Vegetation Group G598 2.B.2.Nb.5.a
Group 2.B.2.Nb.5.b Mohr Oak - Bastard Oak - Pinchot''s Juniper Scrub Group G191 2.B.2.Nb.5.b
Group 2.B.2.Nb.5.c Honey Mesquite - Lotebush Scrub Group G192 2.B.2.Nb.5.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Prosopis glandulosa Shrubland Alliance (Hoagland 2000)
>< Ashe Juniper - Redberry (Pinchot) Juniper: 66 (Eyre 1980)
>< Live Oak - Mesquite Savanna (Tharp 1939)
>< Mesquite - Grassland (Tharp 1939)
>< Mesquite Grassland (Hoagland 2008)
>< Mesquite Plains (Blair and Hubbell 1938)
>< Mohrs (Shin) Oak: 67 (Eyre 1980)
Concept Author(s): J. Teague, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2014)

Author of Description: M. Pyne and J. Teague

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 05-07-15
  • Blair, W. F., and T. H. Hubbell. 1938. The biotic districts of Oklahoma. The American Midland Naturalist 20:425-454.
  • Bray, W. L. 1901. The ecological relations of the vegetation of western Texas. Botanical Gazette 32:102.
  • Diamond, David D. Personal communication. Director, Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership (MoRAP), University of Missouri, Columbia.
  • Elliott, Lee. Personal communication. The Nature Conservancy, San Antonio, TX.
  • Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
  • 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]
  • Hoagland, B. 2000. The vegetation of Oklahoma: A classification for landscape mapping and conservation planning. The Southwestern Naturalist 45(4):385-420.
  • Hoagland, B. W. 2008. Vegetation of Oklahoma In: K. S. Johnson and K. V. Luza, editors. Earth Sciences and Mineral Resources of Oklahoma. Oklahoma Geological Survey Educational Publication #9. Norman. [http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/download/publications/HoaglandOGS08.pdf]
  • 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.