Print Report

A1222 Schizachyrium maritimum - Heterotheca subaxillaris Dune Grassland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance represents coastal dune communities of the Panhandle of Florida and adjacent Alabama dominated or codominated by Schizachyrium maritimum, characteristically found on coastal sands with little or no profile development.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Gulf Bluestem - Camphorweed Dune Grassland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Gulf Bluestem - Camphorweed Dune Grassland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance represents coastal dune communities of the Panhandle of Florida and adjacent Alabama dominated or codominated by Schizachyrium maritimum. Examples from the western Panhandle of Florida and southern Alabama are distinguished by the regular presence of Balduina angustifolia, Chrysoma pauciflosculosa, Chrysopsis godfreyi, Chrysopsis gossypina ssp. cruiseana, Galactia microphylla, and Paronychia erecta, and the usual absence of Heterotheca subaxillaris. Other characteristic species include Balduina angustifolia and Uniola paniculata. Examples on the eastern Panhandle of Florida are distinguished by the presence (and usual codominance) of Heterotheca subaxillaris with Croton punctatus, and the absence of Balduina angustifolia, Chrysoma pauciflosculosa, Chrysopsis godfreyi, Chrysopsis gossypina ssp. cruiseana, Galactia microphylla, and Paronychia erecta.

Diagnostic Characteristics: This alliance represents coastal dunes of the Panhandle of Florida and adjacent Alabama dominated or codominated by Schizachyrium maritimum.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This coastal dune vegetation is dominated or codominated by Schizachyrium maritimum. Examples from the western Panhandle of Florida and southern Alabama are distinguished by the regular presence of Balduina angustifolia, Chrysoma pauciflosculosa, Chrysopsis godfreyi, Chrysopsis gossypina ssp. cruiseana, Galactia microphylla, and Paronychia erecta, and the usual absence of Heterotheca subaxillaris. Other characteristic species include Balduina angustifolia and Uniola paniculata. Examples on the eastern Panhandle of Florida are distinguished by the presence (and usual codominance) of Heterotheca subaxillaris with Croton punctatus and the absence of Balduina angustifolia, Chrysoma pauciflosculosa, Chrysopsis godfreyi, Chrysopsis gossypina ssp. cruiseana, Galactia microphylla, and Paronychia erecta.

Dynamics:  This alliance occurs on dunes which have been protected from active sand burial for approximately 2-6 years (Johnson 1997); more active sand burial favors Uniola and Panicum amarum [see ~Uniola paniculata - Panicum amarum var. amarulum - Iva imbricata Grassland (CEGL004041)$$ in ~Uniola paniculata - Panicum amarum Dune Alliance (A1199)$$]. With longer periods of protection, this vegetation will succeed to ~Chrysoma pauciflosculosa - Paronychia erecta Dwarf-shrubland (CEGL003947)$$ in ~Chrysoma pauciflosculosa - Schizachyrium maritimum Dune Scrub Alliance (A1061)$$.
Environmental Description:  This alliance is characteristically found on coastal sands with little or no profile development.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the Panhandle of Florida and adjacent Alabama along the northern Gulf of Mexico. Schizachyrium maritimum ranges westward through Mississippi to Louisiana (Kartesz 1999), but this alliance is not currently known to occur in either state. In Florida, Schizachyrium maritimum is apparently restricted to northwestern Florida (Sorrie and Weakley 2001).

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL, 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.4 Temperate to Polar Scrub & Herb Coastal Vegetation Formation F005 2.B.4
Division 2.B.4.Na Eastern North American Coastal Scrub & Herb Vegetation Division D026 2.B.4.Na
Macrogroup 2.B.4.Na.2 American Beachgrass - Sea-oats - Seaside Goldenrod Dune & Grassland Macrogroup M057 2.B.4.Na.2
Group 2.B.4.Na.2.a Wax-myrtle - Sea-oats - Shore Little Bluestem Dune & Grassland Group G494 2.B.4.Na.2.a
Alliance A1222 Gulf Bluestem - Camphorweed Dune Grassland Alliance A1222 2.B.4.Na.2.a
Association CEGL004057 Gulf Bluestem - (Camphorweed) Grassland CEGL004057 2.B.4.Na.2.a
Concept Lineage: This new alliance is equivalent to old alliance A.1222.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
Concept Author(s): A.S. Weakley, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M. Pyne

Acknowledgements: We have incorporated significant descriptive information previously compiled by A.S. Weakley.

Version Date: 09-26-14
  • 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.
  • Johnson, A. F. 1997. Rates of vegetation succession on a coastal dune system in northwest Florida. Journal of Coastal Research 13:373-384.
  • Kartesz, J. T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: J. T. Kartesz and C. A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, NC.
  • Sorrie, B. A., and A. S. Weakley. 2001. Coastal Plain vascular plant endemics: Phytogeography patterns. Castanea 66(1-2):50-82.