Print Report
A4092 Bigelowia nuttallii - Aristida longespica - Schizachyrium scoparium West Gulf Coastal Plain Grassland Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This distinctive vegetation represents dry glades and barrens found in the West Gulf Coastal Plain of the United States in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, on saline soils and on the Catahoula sandstone formation.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Nuttall''s Rayless-goldenrod - Slimspike Three-awn - Little Bluestem West Gulf Coastal Plain Grassland Alliance
Colloquial Name: West Gulf Coastal Plain Dry Saline & Catahoula Barrens & Glade
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: This alliance accommodates dry glades and barrens found in the West Gulf Coastal Plain of the United States in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, including sandstone (Catahoula) glades and barrens and inland saline soil prairies. In these examples, Sporobolus silveanus may be a primary component. The herbaceous flora is rich in endemic and disjunct species. Other typical herbaceous species include Astragalus nuttallianus, Chaetopappa asteroides, Diodia teres, Fimbristylis puberula, Houstonia pusilla, Hypericum drummondii, Isolepis carinata, Krigia occidentalis, Lechea san-sabeana, Linum medium, Marshallia caespitosa, Minuartia drummondii, Nothoscordum bivalve, Phacelia glabra, Polygala mariana, Rhynchospora globularis, Saxifraga texana), and Stylosanthes biflora. Typical woody species that may be scattered in these communities include Ilex vomitoria, Morella cerifera, Pinus palustris, Pinus echinata, Pinus taeda, Quercus marilandica, Quercus stellata, Vaccinium arboreum, Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium elliottii, and Vaccinium stamineum. Examples may appear almost devoid of vegetation during the dry summers, while the spring and autumn are periods of peak flowering. Soils are strongly acidic, sandy loams and silty clay loams, with high aluminum content. Much of the soil and rock is unvegetated. These soils can be saturated during the cooler, wetter months, but are extremely dry and hard during summer droughts. The drier inland saline prairies have scattered patchy vegetation with much bare soil.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Glades and barrens found in the West Gulf Coastal Plain of the United States in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. These are on saline soils or rocky substrates (e.g., Catahoula sandstone) and have distinctive herbaceous floras and very low cover of trees.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The old Bigelowia nuttallii Herbaceous Alliance (A.1617), whose associations have in common the presence of Bigelowia nuttallii as a seasonal aspect dominant, has been split into its West Gulf Coastal Plain (this alliance) and Southern Coastal Plain components. This is based on the assumption that differences in the total floristics of these associations, despite the aforementioned seasonal aspect dominance of Bigelowia nuttallii, would support this separation. This assumption should be examined more carefully. The current plan is to separate the Nepheline-Syenite components (CEGL008421, CEGL008422) into ~Sporobolus clandestinus - Clinopodium arkansanum - Delphinium carolinianum Nepheline Syenite Bedrock Grassland Alliance (A4094)$$, and then to separate the drier phases glades and barrens (dry Saline plus Catahoula) from the moister phases (wet Saline plus Weches), creating three alliances (Nepheline-Syenite, drier Saline-Catahoula, and moister Saline-Weches). Another alternative was to place the Saline Barrens/Glades associations (CEGL003904, CEGL004171, CEGL004274, CEGL007803, CEGL008418, CEGL008419) into their own alliance, distinct from the others (Nepheline-Syenite, Catahoula, and Weches glades and barrens). That has been rejected.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: These glades and barrens, found on saline soils or rocky substrates (e.g., Catahoula sandstone), have distinctive herbaceous floras and very low cover of trees. Occurrences dominated by Bigelowia nuttallii may appear almost devoid of vegetation during the dry summers, while the spring and autumn are periods of peak flowering.
Floristics: Stands are typically dominated by a diverse assemblage of forbs and graminoids, with the dominant species being variable among the several associations. The Bigelowia nuttallii-dominated associations contain a mixture of forbs and grasses, including many diminutive annuals. The herbaceous flora can be rich in endemic and disjunct species. Other typical herbaceous species include Aristida dichotoma, Aristida longespica, Astragalus nuttallianus, Chaetopappa asteroides, Croton michauxii, Diodia teres, Fimbristylis puberula, Houstonia pusilla, Hypericum drummondii, Isolepis carinata (= Scirpus koilolepis), Krigia occidentalis, Lechea san-sabeana, Linum medium, Marshallia caespitosa, Minuartia drummondii, Nothoscordum bivalve, Phacelia glabra, Polygala mariana, Rhynchospora globularis, Saxifraga texana, Sporobolus silveanus, Stylosanthes biflora, and Tridens strictus. Typical woody species that may be scattered in these communities include Ilex vomitoria, Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera), Quercus marilandica, Quercus stellata, Pinus palustris, Pinus echinata, Pinus taeda, Vaccinium arboreum, Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium elliottii, and Vaccinium stamineum. In Catahoula examples, some species that are not dominant but that may be present include Andropogon gyrans var. gyrans, Andropogon ternarius, Anthaenantia villosa, Aristida purpurascens var. virgata, Dichanthelium aciculare, Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon, Diodia teres, Eupatorium leucolepis, Eurybia hemispherica (= Aster paludosus ssp. hemisphericus), Helianthus angustifolius, Ionactis linariifolius, Juncus marginatus, Liatris pycnostachya, Liatris squarrosa, Oligoneuron nitidum (= Solidago nitida), Packera tomentosa (= Senecio tomentosus), Pityopsis graminifolia var. graminifolia, Polygala mariana, Polygala nana, Rhynchospora globularis, Rhynchospora plumosa, Schizachyrium tenerum, Sporobolus junceus, Symphyotrichum dumosum (= Aster dumosus), Spiranthes vernalis, Scleria ciliata, Spiranthes tuberosa, Vernonia texana, and Viola pedata (MacRoberts and MacRoberts 1992). Although scattered Quercus individuals may be present, their cover is much less than 10%; especially in more xeric sites, the scattered Quercus marilandica, Quercus stellata, and Quercus falcata are stunted and gnarled, barely rising above the shrub layer.
In the West Gulf Coastal Plain salt glade, Aristida dichotoma is dominant. Other typical species include Anagallis minima, Anemone caroliniana, Aristida dichotoma, Bigelowia nuttallii, Callirhoe papaver, Coreopsis tinctoria, Drosera brevifolia, Geocarpon minimum, Hedeoma hispida, Hordeum pusillum, Houstonia rosea, Houstonia micrantha, Houstonia pusilla, Isolepis carinata (= Isolepis koilolepis), Krigia occidentalis, Lepuropetalon spathulatum, Neptunia lutea, Mimosa strigillosa, Minuartia muscorum (= Minuartia muriculata), Nothoscordum bivalve, Oenothera linifolia, Ophioglossum crotalophoroides, Polypremum procumbens, Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium, Schoenolirion wrightii, Spergularia echinosperma, Sporobolus pyramidatus, Phemeranthus parviflorus (= Talinum parviflorum), and Tradescantia occidentalis.
In the West Gulf Coastal Plain salt glade, Aristida dichotoma is dominant. Other typical species include Anagallis minima, Anemone caroliniana, Aristida dichotoma, Bigelowia nuttallii, Callirhoe papaver, Coreopsis tinctoria, Drosera brevifolia, Geocarpon minimum, Hedeoma hispida, Hordeum pusillum, Houstonia rosea, Houstonia micrantha, Houstonia pusilla, Isolepis carinata (= Isolepis koilolepis), Krigia occidentalis, Lepuropetalon spathulatum, Neptunia lutea, Mimosa strigillosa, Minuartia muscorum (= Minuartia muriculata), Nothoscordum bivalve, Oenothera linifolia, Ophioglossum crotalophoroides, Polypremum procumbens, Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium, Schoenolirion wrightii, Spergularia echinosperma, Sporobolus pyramidatus, Phemeranthus parviflorus (= Talinum parviflorum), and Tradescantia occidentalis.
Dynamics: In sandstone glades of the Catahoula Formation on mesalike, tiered hilltops in Louisiana, tree seedling desiccation and high mortality rates are apparently some of the main reasons for the very open canopy of this community. Mature trees have an increased susceptibility to windthrow due to the shallow impermeable sandstone layer and rooting depth. Part of this community may be extremely eroded through natural causes, exhibiting exposed subsoils and gully-formation (Soil Conservation Service 1990, Martin and Smith 1991, MacRoberts and MacRoberts 1992).
Environmental Description: Soils are strongly acidic sandy loams and silty clay loams, with high aluminum content. These soils can be saturated during the cooler, wetter months, but are extremely dry and hard during summer droughts. One association occurs on exposed outcrops of the Catahoula Formation (Oligocene) on mesalike, tiered hilltops. This vegetation also occurs on high-sodium soils including Bonn silt loam, a Glossic Natraqualf in Louisiana. It may be associated with inland salt domes in Louisiana and Arkansas.
Geographic Range: Examples of this alliance are found in the West Gulf Coastal Plain of the United States in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AR, LA, TX
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.905018
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
Concept Lineage: Three of the four associations here are from A.1617 (3/6); the other is from A.1920 (1/15).
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
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