Print Report

A3960 Quercus montana - Pinus echinata / Schizachyrium scoparium Scrub Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance contains xeric open woodlands dominated by scattered Pinus spp. and Quercus spp. with Schizachyrium scoparium and Gaylussacia baccata, Vaccinium stamineum, and/or Vaccinium pallidum. It is found in the southern Piedmont and the lower elevations of the Southern Blue Ridge.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Chestnut Oak - Shortleaf Pine / Little Bluestem Scrub Alliance

Colloquial Name: Chestnut Oak - Shortleaf Pine / Little Bluestem Acidic Glade Open Scrub

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance contains xeric open woodlands found in the southern Piedmont and the lower elevations of the Southern Blue Ridge. Examples are dominated by scattered Pinus spp. and Quercus spp. with dry-site grasses, including Schizachyrium scoparium, and short clonal shrubs such as Gaylussacia baccata, Vaccinium stamineum, and/or Vaccinium pallidum. In the southern Piedmont, examples are found on thin soils over shallow bedrock but without substantial rock outcrop, and in the Southern Blue Ridge, they occur on gently to moderately sloping outcrops of felsic rocks with irregular or undulating surfaces, but few crevices.

Diagnostic Characteristics: These are xeric open woodlands or scrubby open vegetation in the southern Piedmont and the lower elevations of the Southern Blue Ridge, dominated by scattered Quercus spp. and Pinus spp. with dry-site grasses, including Schizachyrium scoparium, and short clonal shrubs such as Gaylussacia baccata, Vaccinium stamineum, and/ or Vaccinium pallidum.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: In the southern Piedmont, this vegetation is conceptually intermediate between rock-dominated communities and more typical dry upland forest communities. While glades and rock outcrop communities are often heterogeneous, responding to varying rock configuration and soil depth, this vegetation typically occupies a zone where soil and vegetation cover are predominant but where shallow rock prevents development of a closed forest. It should be recognized only where there is a substantial expanse of this kind of vegetation, and not used for small pockets of woody/herbaceous growth in more rock-dominated sites. In the Southern Blue Ridge, low-elevation acidic glades are distinguished from low-elevation rocky summits by having few crevices and having abundant grassy mats and low shrub mats in shallow soil but relatively few forbs or woody plants rooted in crevices.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: In the southern Piedmont, the vegetation ranges from an open woodland to low shrub or herbaceous vegetation with some tree cover, but not a typical forest canopy. The dominant trees may be widely spaced and often small and stunted, or there may be substantial tree cover. Canopy cover is up to 75-80% at present, but likely was significantly less when fires periodically burned these areas. These woodlands occur on south- to west-facing slopes, and the exposure and topography at these sites contribute to maintenance of woodland physiognomy. Rocks, typically quartzite exposures, are present at the surface.

Floristics: In the southern Piedmont, the predominant trees are Pinus echinata, Pinus virginiana, Quercus montana (= Quercus prinus), and Quercus stellata, in varying proportions. Other trees may include Carya glabra, Juniperus virginiana, Quercus alba, and Quercus marilandica. Grassy areas are generally dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium, but may include Andropogon gerardii, Andropogon gyrans, Andropogon ternarius, Danthonia spicata, Piptochaetium avenaceum, and Sorghastrum nutans. A variety of forbs may also be present, including Coreopsis verticillata, Cunila origanoides, Parthenium integrifolium, Pityopsis graminifolia, Pteridium aquilinum, and Tephrosia virginiana. In the lower elevations of the Southern Blue Ridge, this vegetation is predominantly characterized by dry-site grasses, graminoids and low shrubs in fairly shallow soil mats. In these examples, the scattered woody plants include Quercus montana and Vaccinium pallidum. The drier examples are dominated by Danthonia spp., Schizachyrium scoparium, or other dry-site grasses. Lichens may include Cladonia spp.

Dynamics:  In the southern Piedmont, the open canopy in these communities appears to be maintained both by difficulty of tree establishment and by tree mortality, due to a combination of shallow soils and fire effects. Death of established trees has been observed during droughts. Periodic fire probably had a significant effect on these communities, interacting with the dry conditions and difficulty of tree establishment to make them more open in the past.
Environmental Description:  Woodlands in this alliance occur on south- to west-facing slopes and similar sites. Exposure and topography contribute to maintenance of woodland physiognomy. Rocks, typically quartzite exposures, are present at the surface. Examples typically occur downslope from Quercus montana-dominated forests.
Geographic Range: Examples of this vegetation are known from the southern Piedmont and Southern Blue Ridge of North Carolina. No examples are known from Virginia. It may possibly be found in South Carolina and/or Georgia.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  GA, NC, SC?


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.1 Catawba Rosebay / Michaux''s Saxifrage - Flattened Oatgrass Felsic & Mafic Scrub & Grassland Macrogroup M506 2.B.2.Nc.1
Group 2.B.2.Nc.1.d Wretched Sedge - Michaux''s Saxifrage - Highbush Blueberry Appalachian Rocky Outcrop Group G670 2.B.2.Nc.1.d
Alliance A3960 Chestnut Oak - Shortleaf Pine / Little Bluestem Scrub Alliance A3960 2.B.2.Nc.1.d
Association CEGL003993 <i>Pinus (virginiana</i>, <i>taeda)</i> / Eastern Red-cedar - White Fringetree - Winged Elm Granitic Flatrock Border Woodland CEGL003993 2.B.2.Nc.1.d
Association CEGL004910 Chestnut Oak - Post Oak - Shortleaf Pine/ Blue Ridge Blueberry / Little Bluestem Scrub CEGL004910 2.B.2.Nc.1.d
Association CEGL004990 (Chestnut Oak) / Blue Ridge Blueberry / Little Bluestem - Poverty Oatgrass / Cup Lichen species Scrub Grassland CEGL004990 2.B.2.Nc.1.d
Concept Lineage: This new alliance includes associations from the old A.623 (1/2) and A.1920 (1/16).

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: 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.
  • Gallyoun, M., G. Meyer, A. Andreu, and W. Slocumb. 1996. Mapping vegetation communities with The Nature Conservancy''s vegetation classification system on five small national parks in the southeastern USA. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Conservation Science Department, Chapel Hill, NC.