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A3700 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Platanus occidentalis - Acer saccharinum Ozark-Ouachita Floodplain Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: These forests of floodplains, bottomlands, and terraces are dominated by some combination of Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Ulmus americana, and Acer saccharinum, and are primarily found in the Ozarks, Ouachita Mountains, Interior Low Plateau, and Mississippi River Alluvial Plain.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Green Ash - American Sycamore - Silver Maple Ozark-Ouachita Floodplain Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Ozark-Ouachita Green Ash - Sycamore - Silver Maple Floodplain Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: These forests are dominated by some combination of Acer saccharinum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Ulmus americana. Other species found in examples of this alliance include Acer negundo, Betula nigra, Carya illinoinensis, Celtis laevigata, Gleditsia triacanthos, Liquidambar styraciflua, Platanus occidentalis, and Quercus texana. Stands of Arundinaria gigantea are often encountered in the lower strata of these forests. Examples are found in floodplains, bottomlands, and terraces of the Ozarks, Ouachita Mountains, Interior Low Plateau, and Mississippi River Alluvial Plain.

Diagnostic Characteristics: These are diverse floodplain and bottomland forests of the Ozarks, Ouachita Mountains, Interior Low Plateau, Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, and the adjacent Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain dominated by some combination of Acer saccharinum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica with some Ulmus americana. This combination of floristics and biogeography should be diagnostic. This is in contrast to other bottomland forests of the same region with heavier dominance by Ulmus americana, Ulmus crassifolia, and Celtis laevigata.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: The distributions of some of the wide-ranging associations may need to be reviewed or adjusted.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: These are broad-leaved deciduous forests.

Floristics: Stands are dominated by some combination of Acer saccharinum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Ulmus americana. Other species found in examples of this alliance include Acer negundo, Betula nigra, Carya illinoinensis, Celtis laevigata, Gleditsia triacanthos, Liquidambar styraciflua, Platanus occidentalis, and Quercus texana. Stands of Arundinaria gigantea are often encountered in the lower strata of these forests.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  Examples are found in floodplains, bottomlands, and terraces.
Geographic Range: This alliance is primarily found in the Ozarks, Ouachita Mountains, Interior Low Plateau, and Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, as well as the adjacent Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain, from Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Arkansas south to Louisiana and east to Tennessee. One wide-ranging association is at least peripherally attributed to the Central Tallgrass Prairie and East Gulf Coastal Plain, and one to the Ridge and Valley.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL, AR, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, OK, TN, TX?


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

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.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation F026 1.B.3
Division 1.B.3.Na Eastern North American-Great Plains Flooded & Swamp Forest Division D011 1.B.3.Na
Macrogroup 1.B.3.Na.1 Silver Maple - American Sycamore - Hackberry species Floodplain Forest Macrogroup M029 1.B.3.Na.1
Group 1.B.3.Na.1.b <i>Acer saccharinum - Platanus occidentalis - Liquidambar styraciflua</i> Floodplain Forest Group G673 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Alliance A3700 Green Ash - American Sycamore - Silver Maple Ozark-Ouachita Floodplain Forest Alliance A3700 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL002410 Green Ash - Hackberry species - Oak species - American Sycamore Floodplain Forest CEGL002410 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL002427 Green Ash - American Elm - Sugarberry / Possum-haw Floodplain Forest CEGL002427 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL002431 Silver Maple - Sugarberry - Pecan Floodplain Forest CEGL002431 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL004690 Box-elder - (American Sycamore, Eastern Cottonwood) Floodplain Forest CEGL004690 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL007913 American Sycamore - Green Ash - Sugarberry - (Sweetgum) Floodplain Forest CEGL007913 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL007999 American Sycamore - River Birch - Sugarberry - Green Ash / Giant Cane Floodplain Forest CEGL007999 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Concept Lineage: The associations in this Alliance come from a variety of old alliances: A. 278 (1/4); A. 279 (1/11); A. 286 (1/13); A.288 (3/12); Proto A0279, A2050, A2051 (these are split up among two or three new alliances).

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

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

Author of Description: M. Pyne

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

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.