Print Report
A0668 Quercus stellata - Quercus virginiana / Ilex vomitoria Forest & Woodland Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This alliance includes woodlands dominated by Quercus virginiana and Quercus stellata, occurring on acidic, sandy, usually claypan soils of the inner Coastal Prairie and the coastal edge of the Post Oak Savannah in Texas.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Post Oak - Live Oak / Yaupon Forest & Woodland Alliance
Colloquial Name: Texas Inner Coastal Plain Post Oak - Live Oak Forest & Woodland
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance includes woodlands dominated by Quercus virginiana and Quercus stellata, occurring on acidic, sandy, usually clay pan soils of the inner Coastal Prairie and the coastal edge of the Post Oak Savannah in Texas. Canopy composition ranges from mostly evergreen dominated by Quercus virginiana to mainly deciduous dominated by Quercus stellata and sometimes mixed with Quercus marilandica with scattered Quercus virginiana. Associated species include Crataegus spp., Ilex vomitoria, Callicarpa americana, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Paspalum plicatulum. Canopy closure is variable and maintained by fire, climate, grazing, and edaphic factors.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Quercus virginiana, Quercus stellata, Ilex vomitoria and other coastal plain species.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This alliance represents the southeastern extent of ~Cross Timbers & East-Central Texas Plains Oak Forest & Woodland Group (G017)$$. It was an existing alliance under the old USNVC hierarchy and has been maintained here, but this vegetation might also be adequately accommodated in ~Quercus stellata - Ulmus crassifolia Forest & Woodland Alliance (A3217)$$. Additional information and analysis are needed to make this decision. More information is needed to flesh out detailed floristic, environment, and range of this alliance. Some of this will likely include describing new associations.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is an evergreen to deciduous to mixed evergreen-deciduous woodland. It may be interspersed with grasslands including ~Schizachyrium scoparium - Paspalum plicatulum - Sorghastrum nutans - Dichanthelium oligosanthes - Paspalum setaceum - Symphyotrichum pratense Alfisol Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL002208)$$, and ~Schizachyrium scoparium - Sorghastrum nutans - Paspalum plicatulum - Carex microdonta - Neptunia lutea Vertisol Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL004519)$$. Canopy closure may be variable depending on land-use factors.
Floristics: This alliance includes mainly evergreen to mainly deciduous woodlands dominated by Quercus virginiana and Quercus stellata. Composition ranges from mostly Quercus virginiana to mainly Quercus stellata and sometimes mixed with Quercus marilandica with scattered Quercus virginiana. Associated species include Crataegus mollis, Crataegus crus-galli, Crataegus spathulata, Crataegus viridis, Ilex vomitoria, Callicarpa americana, Sideroxylon lanuginosum, Diospyros texana, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Paspalum plicatulum.
Dynamics: Fire, climate, native grazing and edaphic factors all likely played a role historically in maintaining an open structure in the woodland examples of this vegetation. Loss of these natural processes often results in a shift toward a more closed canopy, an increase in successional woody species, and a decrease in native grass cover. Naturally forested examples also occur in areas where fires was naturally less frequent.
Environmental Description: This alliance includes mainly evergreen to mainly deciduous woodlands over acidic, sandy, usually clay pan soils along the northern rim of the inner Coastal Prairie and the far southern Post Oak Savannah in Texas. This is found where the Fayette Prairie meets the Coastal Plain in Texas.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes and coastal edge of the Post Oak Savannah in Texas.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899011
Confidence Level: Low
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.2 Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland Formation | F008 | 1.B.2 |
| Division | 1.B.2.Na Eastern North American Forest & Woodland Division | D008 | 1.B.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.2.Na.1 White Oak - Southern Red Oak - Shortleaf Pine Forest & Woodland Macrogroup | M016 | 1.B.2.Na.1 |
| Group | 1.B.2.Na.1.f Post Oak - Blackjack Oak Forest & Woodland Group | G017 | 1.B.2.Na.1.f |
| Alliance | A0668 Post Oak - Live Oak / Yaupon Forest & Woodland Alliance | A0668 | 1.B.2.Na.1.f |
| Association | CEGL002155 Live Oak - Post Oak / Little Bluestem - Brownseed Crowngrass Woodland | CEGL002155 | 1.B.2.Na.1.f |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< IB4b. Western Gulf Coastal Plain Coastal Live Oak Woodland (Allard 1990)
- Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.
- Diamond, D. D. 1993. Classification of the plant communities of Texas (series level). Unpublished document. Texas Natural Heritage Program, Austin. 25 pp.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, M. Hall, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, L. Sneddon, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2013-2019b. Screening alliances for induction into the U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Part 1 - Alliance concept review. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.