Sumter National Forest Final Report - NatureServe

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, Chimaphilamaculata, Eurybia divaricata (= Aster divaricatus), Arisaema triphyllum, Monotropa uniflora, Mitchella repens, and Medeolavirginiana. The spectacular sedge Cymophyllus fraserianus is often associated with this forest.Dynamics: No informationSimilar Associations:• Acer rubrum var. rubrum - Betula (alleghaniensis, lenta) - Magnolia fraseri / (Rhododendron maximum, Kalmia latifolia) Forest(CEGL008558)• Betula alleghaniensis - (Tsuga canadensis) / Rhododendron maximum / Leucothoe fontanesiana Forest (CEGL007861)• Tsuga canadensis - (Fagus grandifolia, Tilia americana var. heterophylla) / Magnolia tripetala Forest (CEGL008407)Related Concepts:• Liriodendron tulipifera - Betula lenta - Tsuga canadensis / Rhododendron maximum Forest (Fleming and Coulling 2001) ?• Acidic Cove Forest (Typic Subtype) (Schafale 1998b) ?• Cove Forest (Patterson et al. 1994) B• IA5b. Southern Appalachian Hemlock Cove Forest (Allard 1990) B• Mixed Mesophytic Coves (Gettman 1974) ?• Type 5 (Newell and Peet 1995) ?• Yellow-poplar - Eastern Hemlock: 58 (Eyre 1980) BClassification Comments: Deciduous trees more typical of 'rich' coves, such as Aesculus flava, Tilia americana var. heterophylla,and Acer saccharum, are present in this forest only as minor components, if at all. Likewise, rich-site herbs, such as Actaea racemosa(= Cimicifuga racemosa), Caulophyllum thalictroides, Actaea pachypoda, and Adiantum pedatum, are absent or nearly so. This forestis distinguished from "northern hardwood forests" by the lack of or near absence of Fagus grandifolia, Betula alleghaniensis,Aesculus flava, and the presence of low-elevation species, such as Betula lenta and Liriodendron tulipifera, and generally by a moredepauperate herb layer. An interesting example from the Piedmont/Blue Ridge transition of Georgia (Cedar Creek Canyon,Chattahoochee National Forest) has high coverage of Rhododendron minus and other foothills/Piedmont species such as Liquidambarstyraciflua and Aesculus sylvatica.This community type is grossly under-represented by plot data considering its extensive distribution in southwestern Virginia. In the900-1060 m (3000-3500 feet) elevation range, the type becomes transitional to Betula alleghaniensis - (Tsuga canadensis) /Rhododendron maximum / Leucothoe fontanesiana Forest (CEGL007861), which lacks lower-elevation species such as Liriodendrontulipifera and Galax urceolata, and contains many species characteristic of higher elevations and northern latitudes.Similar vegetation has been observed in coves of the Cumberland Mountains of southwestern Virginia (e.g., Clinch Ranger District:Dark Hollow, Roaring Branch, Pick Breeches and Flannery Ridges,) but comprehensive data are needed to determine whether thesestands are part of this forest types or transitional to Tsuga canadensis - (Fagus grandifolia, Tilia americana var. heterophylla) /Magnolia tripetala Forest (CEGL008407). The latter unit apparently has an extensive distribution in the Cumberland Plateau ofKentucky and Tennessee, the Southern Ridge and Valley of Tennessee, and the Central Appalachians of West Virginia andsouthwestern Pennsylvania.CONSERVATION RANKING & RARE SPECIESGRank: G5 (2001-9-28): Within its range, this community type occurs extensively in suitable mesic habitats. Occurrences aresubject to compositional modification by outbreaks of hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae), an exotic insect pest that causesdecline and eventual mortality of Tsuga canadensis.High-ranked species: Betula uber (G1Q), Botrychium jenmanii (G3G4), Diervilla rivularis (G3), Hexastylis contracta (G3),Hexastylis naniflora (G3), Hexastylis rhombiformis (G2), Isotria medeoloides (G2), Malaxis bayardii (G2), Monotropsis odorata(G3), Trillium persistens (G1), Waldsteinia lobata (G2)Vegetation of Sumter National Forest April 30 2004Copyright © 2004 NatureServe71