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A3169 Prosopis glandulosa Tamaulipan Mixed Deciduous Thornscrub Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance includes mixed deciduous shrublands (thornscrub) where Prosopis glandulosa is expected to be a constant and sometimes dominant or codominant species occurring on a variety of soil types in the Tamaulipan region of Texas and Mexico.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Honey Mesquite Tamaulipan Mixed Deciduous Thornscrub Alliance

Colloquial Name: Tamaulipan Mixed Deciduous Thornscrub

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance includes mixed deciduous shrublands (thornscrub) occurring on a variety of soil types in the Tamaulipan region of Texas and Mexico. Prosopis glandulosa is expected to be a constant and sometimes dominant or codominant species. It occurs in combination with a variety of other thorny shrubs depending on location, and may include Vachellia farnesiana, Acanthocereus tetragonus, Atriplex spp., Borrichia frutescens, Celtis laevigata, Celtis ehrenbergiana, Cordia boissieri, Diospyros texana, Forestiera angustifolia, Koeberlinia spinosa, Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri, Opuntia spp., Parkinsonia texana var. macra, Spartina spartinae, Xylothamia palmeri, and Zanthoxylum fagara. Structure is typically a shrubland, but can approach a woodland in height in some cases. This alliance is a heterogeneous group of associations ranging from coastal sand and shell ridges that receive salt spray, to inland moderately saline sandy soils in the Tamaulipan and Trans Pecos regions, to heavy clay soils in the Rio Grande valley, to rocky slopes of the Stockton Plateau.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Located in Tamaulipan region or nearby, characterized by shrubby Prosopis glandulosa in combination with a variety of other thorn shrubs.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This alliance is a heterogeneous group of associations ranging from coastal sand and shell ridges that receive salt spray, to inland moderately saline sandy soils in the Tamaulipan and Trans-Pecos regions, to heavy clay soils in the Rio Grande valley, to rocky slopes of the Stockton Plateau. In addition, there may be undescribed associations related to this alliance and some associations may require splitting. The alliance itself may require splitting. More information is needed to flesh out detailed floristic, environment, and range. It currently includes natural types and disturbed types on heavily utilized pastures and disturbed areas. This ruderal vegetation could be separated into its own macrogroup or group. Classification of vegetation characterized by Prosopis glandulosa is complicated because Prosopis glandulosa is considered both a native species and a native invasive species and is often a component of ruderal vegetation, so it may be difficult to classify ruderal versus natural/semi-natural vegetation. Also, because Prosopis glandulosa can have both shrub and tree growth forms, there may be confusion classifying a given stand. Further complicating the classification of this vegetation is the difficulty in discerning dominance patterns. Johnston (1952) collected vegetation data from xeric shrublands in this region and he concluded that no clear patterns of dominance could be correlated with different habitats; these shrublands all seem to intergrade.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance includes closed to open canopy shrublands. Some examples are nearly impenetrable shrub thickets ranging from approximately 1.5 to 4 m in height.

Floristics: As currently circumscribed, this alliance is wide-ranging and composition is variable. The constant that ties these associations together is Prosopis glandulosa which occurs in combination with a variety of other thorny shrubs depending on location. The variety of associated species may include Vachellia farnesiana (= Acacia farnesiana), Acanthocereus tetragonus, Atriplex spp., Borrichia frutescens, Celtis laevigata, Celtis ehrenbergiana (= Celtis pallida), Cordia boissieri, Diospyros texana, Forestiera angustifolia, Koeberlinia spinosa, Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri, Opuntia spp., Parkinsonia texana var. macra, Spartina spartinae, Xylothamia palmeri, and Zanthoxylum fagara.

Dynamics:  Prosopis glandulosa is known to increase under heavy grazing and to invade disturbed sites.
Environmental Description:  This alliance is a heterogeneous group of associations ranging from coastal sand and shell ridges that receive salt spray, to inland moderately saline sandy soils in the Tamaulipan and Trans-Pecos regions, to heavy clay soils in the Rio Grande valley, to rocky slopes of the Stockton Plateau.
Geographic Range: This alliance occurs in the Tamaulipan region and nearby areas of Texas and adjacent Mexico.

Nations: MX,US

States/Provinces:  MXCOA?, MXNLE, MXTAM, TX


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class C03 3
Subclass 3.A Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Woodland, Scrub & Grassland Subclass S06 3.A
Formation 3.A.2 Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation F015 3.A.2
Division 3.A.2.Na North American Warm Desert Scrub & Grassland Division D039 3.A.2.Na
Macrogroup 3.A.2.Na.1 Honey Mesquite - Spiny Hackberry / Multi-flower Rhodesgrass Tamaulipan Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup M130 3.A.2.Na.1
Group 3.A.2.Na.1.a Honey Mesquite - Spiny Hackberry - Texas Barometerbush Thornscrub Group G099 3.A.2.Na.1.a
Alliance A3169 Honey Mesquite Tamaulipan Mixed Deciduous Thornscrub Alliance A3169 3.A.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL002193 Honey Mesquite - Saltbush species Shrubland CEGL002193 3.A.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL004615 Lime Prickly-ash - Texas Swamp-privet - Texas Persimmon Shrubland CEGL004615 3.A.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL007756 Honey Mesquite / Spiny Hackberry - Prickly-pear species Ruderal Scrub CEGL007756 3.A.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL007762 Honey Mesquite - Texas Paloverde - (Anacahuita, Crown-of-thorns) Shrubland CEGL007762 3.A.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL007786 Honey Mesquite - Catclaw Acacia - Spiny Hackberry / Slender Crowngrass - Fringed Signalgrass Scrub CEGL007786 3.A.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL007787 Honey Mesquite - Spiny Hackberry / Prickly-pear species - Texas Desert Goldenrod Scrub CEGL007787 3.A.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL007788 Honey Mesquite / Texan Hogplum - Spotted Beebalm - Basora-Prieta Scrub CEGL007788 3.A.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL007793 Sweet Acacia - Sugarberry - Spiny Hackberry Ruderal Scrub CEGL007793 3.A.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL007832 Honey Mesquite / Triangle Cactus Scrub CEGL007832 3.A.2.Na.1.a
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): J. Teague, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: J. Teague

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
  • 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.
  • Johnston, M. C. 1952. Vegetation of eastern Cameron County, Texas. M.S. thesis, University of Texas, Austin. 127 pp.