Print Report
A3689 Quercus geminata - Quercus myrtifolia Dune Shrubland Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: These are upland maritime dune shrublands or "coastal scrubs" dominated by Persea borbonia, Quercus geminata, Quercus myrtifolia, and Serenoa repens, that occur in a narrow strip near the coast on acidic sands in Panhandle Florida and adjacent Alabama, south along the Florida peninsular coasts, and possibly in adjacent Georgia. One association of the Florida peninsular coast consists of nearly pure stands of Ceratiola ericoides.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Sand Live Oak - Myrtle Oak Dune Shrubland Alliance
Colloquial Name: Scrub Oak Dune Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: These are upland maritime dune shrublands or "coastal scrubs" dominated by Persea borbonia, Quercus geminata, Quercus myrtifolia, and Serenoa repens. Other characteristic species include Erythrina herbacea, Ilex vomitoria, Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola, Lyonia ferruginea, Morella cerifera, Osmanthus americanus, and Quercus chapmanii. In Panhandle Florida, examples contain Chrysoma pauciflosculosa, Chrysopsis gossypina ssp. cruiseana, Chrysopsis godfreyi, Conradina canescens, Lupinus westianus, and Polygonella macrophylla. Characteristic lichens are Cladonia evansii, Cladonia leporina, and Cladonia prostrata, which may form 100% cover in some places. This vegetation occurs in a narrow strip near the coast on acidic sands in Panhandle Florida and adjacent Alabama, south along the Florida peninsular coasts, and possibly in adjacent Georgia. One southern association has Ceratiola ericoides as a dominant and includes tropical components such as Cassytha filiformis and Ximenia americana. It is found on ridges and dunes of the Florida peninsular coast and consists of nearly pure stands of Ceratiola ericoides possibly with scattered Pinus clausa and scrub oaks. The herb layer is generally sparse and dominated by lichens, particularly Cladonia evansii, Cladonia subtenuis, Cladonia leporina, and Cladonia prostrata. The white or light-colored sandy soils are well-drained and infertile. Ceratiola ericoides scrub is pyrogenic with fire frequencies of 30-40 years, depending on fuel availability and ignition sources.
Diagnostic Characteristics: These are upland maritime dune shrublands dominated by Quercus geminata and/or Quercus myrtifolia rather than Quercus virginiana.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The old alliances A.779 and A.817 were designed to be floristically based and to include "Florida Scrub" from both inland (Lake Wales Ridge) and maritime examples. This new alliance (A3689) unites the maritime components from both of these old alliances.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Examples dominated by Ceratiola ericoides are shrub-dominated, sometimes with scattered Pinus clausa. This community is temporally variable in stature of the shrubs, since it experiences stand-replacing fires.
Floristics: These are upland maritime dune shrublands or "coastal scrubs" dominated by Persea borbonia, Quercus geminata, Quercus myrtifolia, and Serenoa repens. Other characteristic species include Erythrina herbacea, Ilex vomitoria, Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola, Lyonia ferruginea, Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera), Osmanthus americanus, and Quercus chapmanii. In Panhandle Florida, examples contain Chrysoma pauciflosculosa, Chrysopsis gossypina ssp. cruiseana, Chrysopsis godfreyi, Conradina canescens, Lupinus westianus, and Polygonella macrophylla. Characteristic lichens are Cladonia evansii (= Cladina evansii), Cladonia leporina, and Cladonia prostrata, which may form 100% cover in some places. One southern association has Ceratiola ericoides as a dominant and includes tropical components such as Cassytha filiformis and Ximenia americana. Its herb layer is generally sparse and dominated by lichens, particularly Cladonia evansii, Cladonia subtenuis (= Cladina subtenuis), Cladonia leporina, and Cladonia prostrata.
Dynamics: Ceratiola ericoides scrub is pyrogenic with fire frequencies of 30-40 years, depending on fuel availability and ignition sources.
Environmental Description: This vegetation occurs in a narrow strip near the coast on acidic sands in Panhandle Florida and adjacent Alabama, south along the Florida peninsular coasts, and possibly in adjacent Georgia.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in Panhandle Florida and adjacent Alabama, south along the Florida peninsular coasts, and possibly in adjacent Georgia.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AL, FL, GA?
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899741
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
Concept Lineage: This new alliance contains three associations from A.779 (3/8) and one from A.817 (1/3).
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< IB8h. Gulf Coastal Scrub (Allard 1990)
? Oak Scrub (Wolfe 1990)
? Rosemary Scrub (Wolfe 1990)
>< Scrub (FNAI 1992a)
? Oak Scrub (Wolfe 1990)
? Rosemary Scrub (Wolfe 1990)
>< Scrub (FNAI 1992a)
- 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.
- Austin, D. F. 1976. Florida scrub. The Florida Naturalist 49:2-5.
- FNAI [Florida Natural Areas Inventory]. 1992a. Natural communities. Unpublished document. The Nature Conservancy, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 6 pp.
- FNAI [Florida Natural Areas Inventory]. 1992b. Natural community classification. Unpublished document. The Nature Conservancy, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 16 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.
- Johnson, A. F. 1982. Some demographic characteristics of the Florida rosemary, Ceratiola ericoides Michx. The American Midland Naturalist 108:170-174.
- Johnson, A. F., J. W. Muller, and K. A. Bettinger. 1992a. An assessment of Florida''s remaining coastal upland natural communities: Panhandle. The Nature Conservancy, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 12 pp. plus appendices.
- Johnson, A. F., and J. W. Muller. 1992. An assessment of Florida''s remaining coastal upland natural communities: Southwest Florida. The Nature Conservancy, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 12 pp. plus appendices.
- Johnson, A. F., and J. W. Muller. 1993a. An assessment of Florida''s remaining coastal upland natural communities: Final summary report. The Nature Conservancy, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 37 pp.
- Johnson, A. F., and M. G. Barbour. 1990. Dunes and maritime forests. Pages 429-480 in: R. L. Myers and J. J. Ewel, editors. Ecosystems of Florida. University of Central Florida Press, Orlando.
- Laessle, A. M. 1958. The origin and successional relationship of sandhill vegetation and sand pine scrub. Ecological Monographs 28:361-387.
- Myers, R. L. 1990a. Scrub and high pine. Pages 150-193 in: R. L. Myers and J. L. Ewel, editors. Ecosystems of Florida. University of Central Florida Press, Orlando.
- Schmalzer, P. A., and C. R. Hinkle. 1992b. Recovery of oak-saw palmetto scrub after fire. Castanea 57:158-173.
- TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. 1992a. Element stewardship abstract for Florida scrub. The Nature Conservancy, Florida Region, Winter Park, FL. 15 pp.
- Wolfe, S. H., editor. 1990. An ecological characterization of the Florida Springs Coast: Pithlachascotee to Waccasassa rivers. USDI Fish & Wildlife Service, Biological Report 90(21). Slidell, LA. 323 pp.