Print Report

A4190 Pinus taeda - Quercus laurifolia - Quercus phellos West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This flatwoods vegetation is typically dominated by a combination of Pinus taeda, Quercus laurifolia, Quercus phellos, Quercus pagoda, Quercus similis, and Quercus stellata, and is found in flat, wet habitats, primarily on Pleistocene terraces across the Gulf Coastal Plain and Mississippi River Alluvial Plain from the Florida parishes of Louisiana west to Texas and north to Oklahoma and possibly Missouri.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Loblolly Pine - Laurel Oak - Willow Oak West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine - Oak Wet Flatwoods Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: The vegetation of this flatwoods forest alliance occurs in flat, wet habitats, primarily on Pleistocene terraces across the Gulf Coastal Plain and Mississippi River Alluvial Plain from Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas northward to Missouri and Oklahoma. Canopy components may include Pinus taeda, Quercus laurifolia, Quercus phellos, Quercus pagoda, Quercus similis, and Quercus stellata, with Liquidambar styraciflua, Nyssa biflora, Pinus glabra, Quercus lyrata, Quercus michauxii, Quercus nigra, and Ulmus americana. Shrub and understory species include Crataegus marshallii, Crataegus opaca, Crataegus spathulata, Diospyros virginiana, Ilex opaca var. opaca, Magnolia virginiana, Sabal minor, Ditrysinia fruticosa, and Viburnum dentatum. Herbs may include Carex cherokeensis, Carex flaccosperma, Carex glaucescens, Carex intumescens, Chasmanthium laxum, Croton michauxii var. ellipticus, Dichanthelium aciculare, Dichanthelium scoparium, Hymenocallis liriosme, Leersia spp., Rhynchospora spp., Schizachyrium scoparium, and Woodwardia areolata.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Canopy components of this alliance may include Pinus taeda, Quercus laurifolia, Quercus phellos, Quercus pagoda, Quercus similis, and Quercus stellata, with Liquidambar styraciflua, Nyssa biflora, Pinus glabra, Quercus lyrata, Quercus michauxii, Quercus nigra, and Ulmus americana. Shrub and understory species include Crataegus marshallii, Crataegus opaca, Crataegus spathulata, Diospyros virginiana, Ilex opaca var. opaca, Magnolia virginiana, Sabal minor, Ditrysinia fruticosa (= Sebastiania fruticosa), and Viburnum dentatum. Herbs may include Carex cherokeensis, Carex flaccosperma, Carex glaucescens, Carex intumescens, Chasmanthium laxum, Croton michauxii var. ellipticus (= Croton willdenowii), Dichanthelium aciculare, Dichanthelium scoparium, Hymenocallis liriosme, Leersia spp., Rhynchospora spp., Schizachyrium scoparium, and Woodwardia areolata.

Dynamics:  The terraces are typically above current floodplains and often have impermeable layers in the subsoil. This leads to seasonal extremes in moisture, from very wet in the wet season (November-April) and extremely dry in the dry season (July-October). Because of the seasonal dryness, fire is an important process. Frequent fire leads to a woodland condition.
Environmental Description:  The vegetation of this alliance occurs in flat, wet flatwoods environments on Pleistocene terraces, interstream flats over moist to wet soils in the outer coastal plain, broad, low flats in small to large depressional areas, low seepage areas, broad poorly drained flats, seasonally flooded depressions in old meander scars on second terraces, upland interstream divides in slight topographic depressions, and slight topographic depressions or shallow ponds on Pleistocene high terraces in Louisiana. In most examples, the presence of a slowly to very slowly permeable hardpan (fragipan) or soils high in clay content results in a shallow, perched water table during the rainy season and extremely dry conditions during the summer, a moisture regime that is referred to as hydroxeric or xerohydric, to reflect the extreme seasonal variation in moisture.
Geographic Range: The vegetation of this alliance occurs in flat, wet habitats, primarily on Pleistocene terraces across the Gulf Coastal Plain and Mississippi River Alluvial Plain from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas northward to Missouri and Oklahoma.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AR, LA, MO?, MS, OK, 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.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division D062 1.B.3.Nb
Macrogroup 1.B.3.Nb.2 Swamp Tupelo - Swamp Chestnut Oak - Bald-cypress Basin Swamp & Flatwoods Macrogroup M033 1.B.3.Nb.2
Group 1.B.3.Nb.2.b Laurel Oak - Willow Oak - Loblolly Pine Wet Flatwoods Group G130 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Alliance A4190 Loblolly Pine - Laurel Oak - Willow Oak West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Forest Alliance A4190 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Association CEGL004534 Spruce Pine - Laurel Oak / Riverflat Hawthorn / Dwarf Palmetto Wet Forest CEGL004534 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Association CEGL007069 Loblolly Pine - (Shortleaf Pine) - (Cherrybark Oak, Willow Oak) Wet Woodland CEGL007069 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Association CEGL007363 Willow Oak - Bottomland Post Oak / Parsley Hawthorn - Littlehip Hawthorn / Slender Woodoats Wet Forest CEGL007363 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Association CEGL007371 Willow Oak / Slender Woodoats - (Thin-fruit Sedge, Greater Bladder Sedge) - Spring Spiderlily Wet Flatwoods Forest CEGL007371 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Association CEGL007549 Overcup Oak - Willow Oak - American Elm / Beaksedge species Wet Forest CEGL007549 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Association CEGL007715 Swamp Chestnut Oak - (Water Oak, Cherrybark Oak) - Sweetgum - Loblolly Pine Wet Forest CEGL007715 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Association CEGL007871 Laurel Oak - (Water Oak, Swamp Tupelo) / Common Persimmon Wet Forest CEGL007871 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Association CEGL007921 Willow Oak - Bottomland Post Oak - Cedar Elm Wet Forest CEGL007921 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Association CEGL007961 Laurel Oak - Willow Oak / Southern Arrow-wood - (Gulf Sebastian-bush) / Southern Waxy Sedge Upper West Gulf Wet Flatwoods Forest CEGL007961 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Association CEGL008576 Willow Oak / Slender Woodoats Wet Forest CEGL008576 1.B.3.Nb.2.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Willow Oak - Water Oak - Diamondleaf (Laurel) Oak: 88 (Eyre 1980)
Concept Author(s): M. Pyne and T. Foti, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2015)

Author of Description: M. Pyne and T. Foti

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 04-14-15
  • Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 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.
  • LNHP [Louisiana Natural Heritage Program]. 2009. Natural communities of Louisiana. Louisiana Natural Heritage Program, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Baton Rouge. 46 pp. [http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/page_wildlife/6776-Rare%20Natural%20Communities/LA_NAT_COM.pdf]
  • Smith, L. M. 1996b. The rare and sensitive natural wetland plant communities of interior Louisiana. Unpublished document. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Louisiana Natural Heritage Program, Baton Rouge. 38 pp.