Print Report

A1919 Juniperus virginiana / Schizachyrium scoparium - Bouteloua curtipendula Alkaline Bedrock Scrub Grassland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: These are perennial grasslands (called barrens, glades, or prairies) dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium, and Bouteloua curtipendula, with a scattered canopy of Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana, Quercus muehlenbergii, and/or Quercus stellata.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Eastern Red-cedar / Little Bluestem - Sideoats Grama Alkaline Bedrock Scrub Grassland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Little Bluestem Perennial Grass Glade

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: These perennial grasslands (variously locally called barrens, glades, and/or prairies) are dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium, and sometimes also by Bouteloua curtipendula, with a scattered canopy of needle-leaved trees, or mixed needle-leaved evergreen and broad-leaved deciduous trees, particularly one or more of Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana, Quercus muehlenbergii, and/or Quercus stellata. These trees can be found scattered individually or in isolated clumps and patches. The subcanopy is absent or very sparse. Commonly encountered shrubs include Cornus florida, Rhus copallinum, Symphoricarpos orbiculatus, and Ulmus alata. Toxicodendron radicans also displays a shrubby growth form. Herbaceous cover is very uneven, ranging from very dense in some areas to absent in others. Characteristic species include Andropogon gerardii, Bouteloua curtipendula, Helianthus divaricatus, Liatris spp., Manfreda virginica, Rudbeckia spp., Sabatia angularis, Schizachyrium scoparium, Silphium spp., Sorghastrum nutans, and Verbesina alternifolia. This alliance is found in the southeastern and south-central United States, not including the Coastal Plain. Aspect is variable; stands occur primarily on south- and southwest-facing slopes. Soils which support stands of this alliance are stony. Parent material is limestone rock, cherty limestone, dolomite, or calcareous shale which is exposed at the surface, resulting in a very shallow, well-drained substrate. The soils may contain a homogenous mixture of rock fragments of various sizes.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Cedar glades and xeric limestone prairies dominated or codominated by Schizachyrium scoparium, and sometimes also by Bouteloua curtipendula. The latter is a better diagnostic, but the former is a common dominant.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: An additional association may be required for the Southern Ridge and Valley of eastern Tennessee.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Perennial grasslands, with widely scattered trees.

Floristics: These perennial grasslands (variously locally called barrens, glades, and/or prairies) are dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium, and sometimes also by Bouteloua curtipendula, with a scattered canopy of needle-leaved trees, or mixed needle-leaved evergreen and broad-leaved deciduous trees, particularly one or more of Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana, Quercus muehlenbergii, and/or Quercus stellata. Specimens of Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana are relatively short and compact. The open-grown canopy oaks have short trunks, spreading limbs, and rounded crowns with many branches. These trees can be found scattered individually or in isolated clumps and patches. The subcanopy is absent or very sparse. Commonly encountered shrubs include Cornus florida, Rhus copallinum, Symphoricarpos orbiculatus, and Ulmus alata. Toxicodendron radicans also displays a shrubby growth form. Herbaceous cover is very uneven, ranging from very dense in some areas to absent in others. Characteristic species include Andropogon gerardii, Bouteloua curtipendula, Helianthus divaricatus, Liatris spp., Manfreda virginica, Rudbeckia spp., Sabatia angularis, Schizachyrium scoparium, Silphium spp., Sorghastrum nutans, and Verbesina alternifolia. In the western portion of the alliance''s range, some characteristic species may include Astragalus distortus, Castilleja purpurea, Clematis fremontii, Draba reptans, Erysimum capitatum, Lesquerella filiformis, Mentzelia oligosperma, Nothocalais cuspidata, Penstemon cobaea, Physalis pumila, and Rudbeckia missouriensis. Smilax bona-nox and Smilax glauca are the most frequently encountered vines and may form dense mats when present.

Dynamics:  These open grasslands can occur on erodible slopes, where the effects of freezing and thawing contribute to enhanced erosion and mass-wasting. Drought in the summer or fall is an important source of stress for the trees in these extreme habitats, many trees do not survive.
Environmental Description:  Aspect is variable; stands occur primarily on south- and southwest-facing slopes. Soils which support stands of this alliance are stony, shallow to moderately deep, neutral pH to alkaline, and primarily composed of weathered mineral matter, loess, and organic debris which collects in cracks and crevices of the bedrock. Parent material is limestone rock, cherty limestone, dolomite, or calcareous shale which is exposed at the surface, resulting in a very shallow, well-drained substrate. The soils may contain a homogenous mixture of rock fragments of various sizes. Organic matter is low, and there is little or no horizon development. These soils are nutrient-poor and are extremely susceptible to erosion, partly due to freeze-thaw and subsequent mass-wasting. Although predominantly droughty and excessively drained, these sites can be seasonally wet, and water is occasionally ponded in shallow depressions.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the southeastern and south-central United States, not including the Coastal Plain.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL, AR, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MO, OH, OK, TN, VA


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.Nc Eastern North American Grassland & Shrubland Division D024 2.B.2.Nc
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Nc.3 Little Bluestem - Dropseed species Central Interior Calcareous Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup M508 2.B.2.Nc.3
Group 2.B.2.Nc.3.b Little Bluestem - Sideoats Grama - Diamond-flowers Central Glade & Barrens Group G179 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Alliance A1919 Eastern Red-cedar / Little Bluestem - Sideoats Grama Alkaline Bedrock Scrub Grassland Alliance A1919 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL002251 Little Bluestem - Sideoats Grama - Missouri Orange Coneflower - Plains Mentzelia Wooded Grassland CEGL002251 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL002398 Little Bluestem - Indiangrass - Sideoats Grama - Missouri Orange Coneflower - Diamond-flowers Wooded Grassland CEGL002398 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL004078 Little Bluestem - Tall Dropseed - Orange Coneflower Wooded Grassland CEGL004078 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL004080 Little Bluestem - Sandhill Dropseed - Brown-eyed Susan - Alabama Marbleseed Wooded Grassland CEGL004080 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL004464 Eastern Red-cedar / Little Bluestem - Lucy Braun''s Rosinweed - Juniper Sedge - Scarlet Indian-paintbrush Wooded Grassland CEGL004464 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL004738 Eastern Red-cedar / Little Bluestem - (Big Bluestem, Indiangrass) - Prairie Rosinweed Wooded Grassland CEGL004738 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL005131 Chinquapin Oak - Eastern Red-cedar / Little Bluestem - False Aloe Wooded Grassland CEGL005131 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL005284 Chinquapin Oak / Little Bluestem - Sideoats Grama Wooded Grassland CEGL005284 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL007117 Little Bluestem - Rough Dropseed - Narrowleaf Gumweed - Eastern Prickly-pear - (Longleaf Buckwheat) Dry Shale Glade Grassland CEGL007117 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL007824 (Post Oak, Winged Elm) / Little Bluestem - Late Purple Aster Wooded Grassland CEGL007824 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Association CEGL007970 Little Bluestem - Big-head Pygmy-cudweed Gravel Glade Grassland CEGL007970 2.B.2.Nc.3.b
Concept Lineage: equivalent to A.1919 with edits

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Schizachyrium scoparium / Juniperus virginiana herbaceous alliance (Hoagland 1998a)
>< Schizachyrium scoparium herbaceous series (Hoagland 1997)
>< ID4f. Limestone Prairie (Allard 1990)
? IE10a. Interior Upland Limestone Barren (Allard 1990)
? IE6c. Ouachita Novaculite Glade/Outcrop (Allard 1990)
= Xeric Limestone Prairies (Lawless et al. 2006)
Concept Author(s): C.W. Nordman, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2014)

Author of Description: C. Nordman

Acknowledgements: The work of Patrick J. Lawless, Jerry M. Baskin, and Carol C. Baskin is gratefully acknowledged.

Version Date: 09-26-14
  • 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.
  • Carpenter, S. 1996. Limestone glade plant and butterfly survey. Unpublished final report to Ouachita National Forest, Tiak Ranger District. 4 pp. plus appendices.
  • DeSelm, H. R. 1988. The barrens of the western Highland Rim of Tennessee. Pages 199-219 in: D. H. Snyder, editor. Proceedings of the first annual symposium on the natural history of the lower Tennessee and Cumberland river valleys. Austin Peay St. University, Center for Field Biology, Clarksville, TN.
  • 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.
  • Fralish, J. S. 1987. Forest stand basal area and its relationship to individual soil and topographic factors in the Shawnee Hills. Transactions of the Illinois Academy of Science 80(3 and 4):183-194.
  • Hoagland, B. W. 1997. Preliminary plant community classification for Oklahoma. Unpublished draft document, version 35629. University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, Norman. 47 pp.
  • Hoagland, B. W. 1998a. Classification of Oklahoma vegetation types. Working draft. University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, Norman. 43 pp.
  • Lawless, P. J., J. M. Baskin, and C. C. Baskin. 2006. Xeric limestone prairies of eastern United States: Review and synthesis. The Botanical Review 72(3):235-272.
  • Nelson, P. W. 1985. The terrestrial natural communities of Missouri. Missouri Natural Areas Committee, Jefferson City. 197 pp. Revised edition, 1987.
  • Smith, T. L. 1991. Natural ecological communities of Pennsylvania. First revision. Unpublished report. Pennsylvania Science Office of The Nature Conservancy, Middletown, PA. 111 pp.