Copyright by Paul Shawn Joseph Marceaux 2011 - Repository ...

ceramics. The presence is likely both intentional, used as a tempering agent, as
well as incidental.
FLORA AND FAUNA
As the name indicates, pine trees are a major component of the vegetation
in most parts of the Pineywoods of east Texas, but the area is rich in biodiversity.
Forested vegetation in the region is home to a large number of tree species in
both the bottomlands and uplands. Many of these trees species and shrubs
produce annually great amounts of mast (the botanical name for the nuts, seeds,
buds, or fruits eaten by wildlife and humans) as well. The fauna supported by
these mast‐producing plants include a large variety of birds, reptiles, and
mammals. The bottomlands also support a range of aquatic species including
fish, shellfish, and amphibians. A recent report on the Historic Caddo farmstead
at the Henry M. site (41NA60) in Nacogdoches County (Perttula et al. 2010)
makes this diverse and abundant biota particularly clear. Although soils in the
region are not typically conducive to preserving organic materials such as animal
bone and plant remains, the Henry M. site is an exception. Excavations at the site
recovered, and subsequent analysis identified, more than 2,300 botanical and
8,400 faunal specimens.
Upland soils in the Pineywoods support the broadleaf deciduous forests
in the more mesic habitats, and shortleaf and loblolly pines are common on the
fine sandy loam soils with adequate moisture (Perttula and Nelson 2006:6).
Besides those mentioned, this mixed pine‐hardwood forest contains trees such as
blackjack oak, bluejack oak, chinquapin oak, red oak, southern red oak, post oak,
white oak, American beech, Allegheny chinquapin, eastern hophornbeam,
hickory, sweetgum, and winged elm (Diggs et al. 2006). Pines tend to be more
28