Sumter National Forest Final Report - NatureServe

High-ranked species: No informationELEMENT DISTRIBUTIONRange: This community occurs in the Southern Blue Ridge of northeastern Georgia, northwestern South Carolina, north througheastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. Its range extends into the upper Piedmont of North Carolina and possibly intoVirginia's Blue Ridge.Subnations: GA, NC, SC, TN, VA?TNC Ecoregions: 51:C, 52:C, 59:?USFS Ecoregions: M221A:C?, M221B:C?, M221C:C?, M221Dc:CCC, M221Dd:CCCFederal Lands: NPS (Blue Ridge Parkway?, Carl Sandburg Home, Great Smoky Mountains); USFS (Chattahoochee, Cherokee,Nantahala, Sumter)ELEMENT SOURCESReferences: Allard 1990, NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern U.S. unpubl. data, Peet et al. unpubl. data 2002, Schafale 1998b,Schafale and Weakley 1990, Schafale pers. comm., Simon pers. comm., Southeastern Ecology Working Group n.d.WHITE OAK - (NORTHERN RED OAK, ROCK CHESTNUT OAK) / FLAME AZALEA - MOUNTAIN LAUREL - (BEARHUCKLEBERRY) FORESTELEMENT IDENTIFIERSNVC association: Quercus alba - Quercus (rubra, prinus) / Rhododendron calendulaceum - Kalmia latifolia - (Gaylussacia ursina)ForestDatabase Code: CEGL007230Formation: Lowland or submontane cold-deciduous forest (I.B.2.N.a)Alliance: Quercus alba - (Quercus rubra, Carya spp.) Forest Alliance (A.239)ELEMENT CONCEPTSummary: These forests occur in a wide elevation range (2000-4500 feet) in the Southern Blue Ridge and in the BlueRidge/Piedmont transition, on protected sites, typically lower slopes, bottoms, and coves. Stands of this deciduous forest associationare dominated or codominated by Quercus alba, occurring with other Quercus species (Quercus rubra, Quercus prinus, Quercuscoccinea). Associated species are characteristically montane, and typical of acidic forests. This association lacks indicators ofcircumneutral soils and also lacks low elevation dry sites species such as Pinus echinata, Quercus falcata, Quercus stellata, andQuercus marilandica. Species other than oaks that can be important in the canopy include Carya alba, Carya glabra, Liriodendrontulipifera, Acer rubrum, and Magnolia fraseri. Common species in the subcanopy/sapling strata include Cornus florida, Acer rubrum,Carya spp., Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnolia fraseri, Nyssa sylvatica, Oxydendrum arboreum, Pinus strobus, and Halesiatetraptera. Shrub cover is sparse to very dense, and is often dominated by deciduous heaths. Kalmia latifolia and Gaylussacia ursinaare usually present, but other shrub species can include Euonymus americana, Rhododendron calendulaceum, Vaccinium stamineum,Vaccinium pallidum, Viburnum acerifolium, Calycanthus floridus, Pyrularia pubera, Ilex montana, Halesia tetraptera, andHamamelis virginiana. Smilax glauca and Vitis rotundifolia are common vines. The herbaceous stratum is sparse to moderate incoverage, but often rich in species, approaching the diversity but not the coverage of rich cove forests. Associated herbaceous speciesvary with elevation. Often there is a dominant fern stratum, with Thelypteris noveboracensis and Polystichum acrostichoides mosttypically dominant.Environment: These forests occur in a wide elevation range (2000-4500 feet) in the Southern Blue Ridge and in the BlueRidge/Piedmont transition, on protected sites, typically lower slopes, bottoms, and coves.Vegetation: The canopies of stands of this association are dominated or codominated by Quercus alba, occurring with other Quercusspecies (Quercus rubra, Quercus prinus, Quercus coccinea). Species other than oaks that can be important in the canopy includeCarya alba, Carya glabra, Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer rubrum, and Magnolia fraseri. Stands lack indicators of circumneutral soilsand also lack low elevation dry sites species such as Pinus echinata, Quercus falcata, Quercus stellata, and Quercus marilandica.Common species in the subcanopy/sapling strata include Cornus florida, Acer rubrum, Carya spp., Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnoliafraseri, Nyssa sylvatica, Oxydendrum arboreum, Pinus strobus, and Halesia tetraptera. Shrub cover is sparse to very dense, and isoften dominated by deciduous heaths, including Kalmia latifolia and Gaylussacia ursina. Other shrub species can include Euonymusamericana, Rhododendron calendulaceum, Vaccinium stamineum, Vaccinium pallidum, Viburnum acerifolium, Calycanthus floridus,Pyrularia pubera, Ilex montana, Halesia tetraptera, and Hamamelis virginiana. Smilax glauca and Vitis rotundifolia are commonvines. The herbaceous stratum is sparse to moderate in coverage, but often rich in species, approaching that of rich cove forests (butwith a different composition). Associated herbaceous species vary with elevation. Some of the more constant species includeParthenocissus quinquefolia, Dioscorea quaternata, Dichanthelium spp., Carex pensylvanica, Chimaphila maculata, Desmodiumnudiflorum, Goodyera pubescens, Maianthemum racemosum ssp. racemosum, and Trillium catesbaei. Other species includeDichanthelium laxiflorum, Oclemena acuminata (= Aster acuminatus), Eurybia divaricata (= Aster divaricatus), Galax urceolata,Galium latifolium, Lysimachia quadrifolia, Mitchella repens, Viola hastata and Melanthium parviflorum. Often there is a dominantVegetation of Sumter National Forest April 30 2004Copyright © 2004 NatureServe81