Sumter National Forest Final Report - NatureServe

elevation environments such as Leiophyllum buxifolium, Menziesia pilosa, and Photinia melanocarpa (= Aronia melanocarpa ).Disjunct populations of Rhododendron maximum are found in Maine and New Hampshire, but these populations may represent adifferent community (Hodgdon and Pike 1961).CONSERVATION RANKING & RARE SPECIESGRank: G3?Q (1998-12-14): This association is of uncertain validity and, even if valid, is of uncertain circumscription.High-ranked species: No informationELEMENT DISTRIBUTIONRange: This community occurs in the Southern Blue Ridge, but may be possible throughout the range of Rhododendron maximum.Subnations: GA, NC, SC, TN, VA?, WVTNC Ecoregions: 49:P, 51:CUSFS Ecoregions: 221E:PP, M221A:CC, M221B:CC, M221C:CC, M221Dc:CCC, M221Dd:CCCFederal Lands: USFS (Chattahoochee?, Cherokee, Nantahala, Pisgah, Sumter)ELEMENT SOURCESReferences: Allard 1990, Core 1966, Gant 1978, Hodgdon and Pike 1961, McGee and Smith 1967, Monk et al. 1985, Nelson 1986,Phillips and Murdy 1985, Plocher and Carvell 1987, Rawinski 1992, Schafale 1998b, Southeastern Ecology Working Group n.d.TULIPTREE - SWEET BIRCH - EASTERN HEMLOCK / GREAT RHODODENDRON FORESTELEMENT IDENTIFIERSNVC association: Liriodendron tulipifera - Betula lenta - Tsuga canadensis / Rhododendron maximum ForestDatabase Code: CEGL007543Formation: Mixed needle-leaved evergreen - cold-deciduous forest (I.C.3.N.a)Alliance: Tsuga canadensis - Liriodendron tulipifera Forest Alliance (A.413)ELEMENT CONCEPTSummary: This association includes hemlock-hardwood forests of lower to intermediate elevations in the Southern Blue Ridge andupper Piedmont, ranging from southwestern Virginia, south and west to northwestern Georgia. These communities occur at low tomiddle elevations (1300-3500 feet) in the mountains and foothills, generally in coves, gorges, or sheltered slopes, over acid soils. Thecanopy is usually dominated by Liriodendron tulipifera or Betula lenta, but substantial portions of this community may be comprisedmainly of Tsuga canadensis and the occasional Acer rubrum. Other deciduous species more typical of "rich" coves may occur asscattered individuals; Tilia americana var. heterophylla, Fraxinus americana, and Fagus grandifolia. Other canopy/subcanopyspecies often include Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, Magnolia fraseri, Ilex opaca var. opaca, Calycanthus floridus, Halesia tetrapteravar. tetraptera, and Pinus strobus. Rhododendron maximum is scattered to dominant in the shrub stratum. Other typical shrubsinclude Kalmia latifolia and Leucothoe fontanesiana. Herbaceous cover is sparse but can be diverse and is composed of acid-lovingspecies. Typical herbs include Polystichum acrostichoides, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Goodyera pubescens, Mitchella repens,Thelypteris noveboracensis, Galax urceolata, Viola rotundifolia, Hexastylis sp., and Tiarella cordifolia.Environment: Over its full geographic range, this association is typically found at lower to intermediate elevations (400-1060 m or1300-3500 feet) in the southern Appalachians and adjacent foothills. Habitats are located on gentle to steep, lower slopes and in covesor gorges with acidic soils. In situations where mid-slopes are in protected north-facing positions, this community can range very highup straight or even convex slopes. The type often occurs in linear patches along stream bottoms and in steep ravines in complexeswith rich cove communities. Although frequently associated with streams, it is not a wetland. Habitats in the Virginia part of the rangeare similar and are mostly situated below 900 m (3000 feet) elevation. Soils collected from plots are extremely acidic (mean pH = 3.9)and infertile, with high iron and aluminum levels and very low total base saturation.Vegetation: This association encompasses hemlock - hardwood forests with canopies dominated by mixtures of Tsuga canadensis,Liriodendron tulipifera, Betula lenta, and Acer rubrum. Other deciduous species more typical of fertile coves, including Tiliaamericana var. heterophylla, Fraxinus americana, and Fagus grandifolia, may occur as scattered individuals. Minor overstory andunderstory species include Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, Magnolia fraseri, Ilex opaca, Calycanthus floridus, Halesia tetraptera, andPinus strobus. Rhododendron maximum is scattered to dominant in the shrub stratum. Other typical shrubs include Kalmia latifoliaand Leucothoe fontanesiana. Herbaceous cover is sparse but can be diverse and is composed of acid-loving species. Typical herbsinclude Polystichum acrostichoides, Goodyera pubescens, Mitchella repens, Thelypteris noveboracensis, Galax urceolata, Hexastylisspp., and Tiarella cordifolia.Virginia examples of this association are similar to those further south but generally lack Ilex opaca, Calycanthus floridus, Halesiatetraptera, and Leucothoe fontanesiana. Presumably because of past logging, Tsuga canadensis is absent or confined to theunderstory in some stands, which have mixed canopies of Liriodendron tulipifera, Betula lenta, Acer rubrum, Magnolia acuminata,Quercus rubra, and/or Nyssa sylvatica. Hamamelis virginiana and Acer pensylvanicum are additional, frequent understory species.The shrub layers of Virginia occurrences are consistently dominated by dense (usually >50% cover), often nearly impenetrablecolonies of Rhododendron maximum. Frequent low-cover species of sparse herb layers include Galax urceolata, ChimaphilaVegetation of Sumter National Forest April 30 2004Copyright © 2004 NatureServe37