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D102 Schizachyrium tenerum - Aristida beyrichiana - Manfreda virginica Grassland & Shrubland Division

Type Concept Sentence: This division encompasses a diversity of grass-, herb-, and shrub-dominated communities of the Southeastern Coastal Plain and locally as far west as the Edwards Plateau of Texas. Vegetation occurs on a wide variety of soil types and depths, with highly acidic to basic pH, and deep loams to bare rock, sometimes in combination with natural fire disturbances that collectively prevent tree establishment. Vegetation types are colloquially known as barrens, flatrocks, glades, and prairies.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Slender Little Bluestem - Beyrich''s Three-awn - False Aloe Grassland & Shrubland Division

Colloquial Name: Southeastern North American Grassland & Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Division

Type Concept: This division encompasses a diversity of grass- and shrub-dominated vegetation types in the southeastern and relatively moist parts of the south-central United States. As these communities occur under climatic conditions that support forested communities, their physiognomy is dependent on one or more factors that preclude or limit tree growth: fire, shallow depth, dry topographic situation, salinity or other "difficult" soil conditions, or natural or anthropogenic disturbances. With the exception of ~Southeastern Ruderal Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup (M307)$$, these communities have high levels of endemism and disjunction. They also have a high degree of uniqueness or discordance in composition as compared to surrounding (forested) matrix communities, with many heliophytic species that are regionally rare or uncommon. There is high fine-scale diversity / species-packing in these communities, and also a high level of uniqueness of individual community types as compared to the group as a whole, this uniqueness strongly correlated with geography and edaphic variation across the heterogeneity included in this division. This makes the division as a whole difficult to characterize compositionally. Biogeographically, and at the species level, there is an admixture of southeastern United States endemics, species peripheral or disjunct from more western (Phemeranthus), northwestern, or northern grassland and shrubland divisions, and primarily in ~Florida Peninsula Scrub & Herb Macrogroup (M162)$$ some tropical components (Licania). At the family and genus level, there are some regionally endemic components (Marshallia, Serenoa) and in widespread genera, such as Andropogon, Baptisia, Sporobolus, Schizachyrium, Liatris, Helianthus, Rudbeckia, a high diversity of individual species, many with narrow distributions. Families that are strongly represented in this division (both in cover/dominance and in diversity of species present) are Poaceae and Asteraceae. Brassicaceae is also prominent in ~Southern Barrens & Glade Macrogroup (M308)$$. Perennials predominate in most macrogroups, but annuals are frequent and diverse in M308.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Further review is needed to determine diagnostic species.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: The four macrogroups included in this division are quite disparate in floristic composition, dynamics, and ecological drivers. M307 is weedy and highly variable from site to site based on local anthropogenic disturbance sequence and is compositionally composed of generalists and secondary successional opportunists. While M309 has many distinctive Southeastern Coastal Plain floristic elements, it also shows strong affinities in dominant species, dynamics, and structure to 2.B.2.Nc ~Eastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division (D024)$$ and is a southern analogue of that division. Likewise, M308 consists primarily of rare Coastal Plain communities with exposed flat to gently sloping rock, and shows both its own distinctive floristic composition, but also close relationships to M508 and M509 in D024. Lastly, M162 "faces south rather than north" and is in some ways the southern end of the floristically highly distinctive Longleaf, without the open canopy of that division.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: The division includes mainly grass-dominated communities, with less common forbs, shrubs, and stunted or widely scattered trees. But, especially in ~Florida Peninsula Scrub & Herb Macrogroup (M162)$$, shrubs may be patchily or generally dominant. ~Southern Barrens & Glade Macrogroup (M308)$$ characteristically has zonal or patchy mixed physiognomy of bare rock zones, lichen- and/or moss-dominated zones, annual-dominated zones, perennial-dominated (grass or forb) zones, shrub-dominated zones, and patchy treed areas.

Floristics: Biogeographically, and at the species level, there is an admixture of southeastern United States endemics, species peripheral or disjunct from more western (Phemeranthus), northwestern, or northern grassland and shrubland divisions, and primarily in ~Florida Peninsula Scrub & Herb Macrogroup (M162)$$ some tropical components (Licania). At the family and genus level, there are some regionally endemic components (Marshallia, Serenoa) and in widespread genera, such as Andropogon, Baptisia, Sporobolus, Schizachyrium, Liatris, Helianthus, Rudbeckia, a high diversity of individual species, many with narrow distributions. Families that are strongly represented in this division (both in cover/dominance and in diversity of species present) are Poaceae and Asteraceae. Brassicaceae is also prominent in ~Southern Barrens & Glade Macrogroup (M308)$$. Perennials predominate in most macrogroups, but annuals are frequent and diverse in M308.

Characteristic (but see above comment about the heterogeneity of the division) woody plants (shrubs, stunted trees, and lianas) can include Bejaria racemosa, Ceratiola ericoides, Ilex glabra, Licania michauxii, Lyonia ferruginea, Lyonia fruticosa, Lyonia lucida, Quercus chapmanii, Quercus geminata, Quercus inopina, Quercus minima, Quercus myrtifolia, and Serenoa repens. Characteristic graminoids (but see above comment about the heterogeneity of the division) can include Andropogon floridanus, Andropogon gerardii, Andropogon glomeratus, Andropogon ternarius, Andropogon virginicus, Aristida beyrichiana, Aristida spiciformis, Bouteloua curtipendula, Carex cherokeensis, Dichanthelium dichotomum var. ensifolium, Dichanthelium strigosum, Muhlenbergia capillaris, Panicum virgatum, Paspalum floridanum, Paspalum setaceum, Piptochaetium avenaceum, Rhynchospora megalocarpa, Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium, Schizachyrium scoparium var. stoloniferum, Schizachyrium tenerum, Schoenus nigricans, Sorghastrum nutans, Sorghastrum secundum, Sporobolus clandestinus, Sporobolus vaginiflorus, and Tripsacum dactyloides. Characteristic forbs (but see above comment about the heterogeneity of the division) include: Allium cuthbertii, Bigelowia nuttallii, Coreopsis spp., Croton spp., Dalea spp., Echinacea spp., Lesquerella spp., Liatris spp., Manfreda virginica, Marshallia spp., Ratibida pinnata, Rudbeckia spp., Sedum nuttallianum, Sedum pulchellum, and Tephrosia virginiana.

Dynamics:  ~Florida Peninsula Scrub & Herb Macrogroup (M162)$$ and ~Southeastern Coastal Plain Patch Prairie Macrogroup (M309)$$ have frequent fire as an important natural disturbance. Fire is also important in some zones of examples of ~Southern Barrens & Glade Macrogroup (M308)$$, but fire is precluded in others by open rock and fuel too sparse to carry fire. M308 is structured more importantly by soil depth and periodic droughts which kill woody vegetation. The dynamics of ~Southeastern Ruderal Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup (M307)$$ is dominated by secondary successional processes following anthropogenic disturbance.
Environmental Description:  No Data Available
Geographic Range: This type occurs in localized areas throughout the southeastern United States Coastal Plain and adjacent provinces to the west (Edwards Plateau).

Nations: MX?,US

States/Provinces:  AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV


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.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
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nh.2 Southeastern Coastal Plain Patch Prairie Macrogroup M309 2.B.2.Nh.2
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nh.3 Poverty Dropseed - Little Bluestem - Calamint species Southern Barrens & Glade Macrogroup M308 2.B.2.Nh.3
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nh.90 Broomsedge Bluestem - Blackberry species - Annual Ragweed Southeastern Ruderal Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup M307 2.B.2.Nh.90
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
Concept Author(s): Faber-Langendoen et al.

Author of Description: A.S. Weakley

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-20-16
  • 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]