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V. HERBACEOUS VEGETATION
V.A.5.N.j. Temporarily flooded temperate or subpolar grassland
V.A.5.N.j.1. ANDROPOGON GERARDII - (SORGHASTRUM NUTANS)
TEMPORARILY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Big Bluestem - (Yellow Indiangrass) Temporarily Flooded Herbaceous Alliance
Concept: This alliance includes scoured riverbank 'prairies' in
northeastern and southeastern United States, which may be called 'riverside
prairies,' 'linear prairies,' 'rivershore grasslands,' or 'scoured riverine
bluff prairie.' In addition to the nominal species, examples may also contain
Schizachyrium scoparium, Chasmanthium latifolium, and/or Panicum virgatum, any
of which could be locally dominant. These grasslands may be associated with dry
cobble riverbanks and lakeshores, as well as flood-scoured, acidic or calcareous
bedrock exposures associated with major rivers. This includes riverine
gravel/cobble bar 'prairies' along the upper Cumberland River in Kentucky and
Tennessee; scour areas along high gradient sections of major rivers, such as in
gorges in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and possibly farther west; and
scoured limestone bluffs along the Duck River in Tennessee's Central Basin.
Comments: On the Daniel Boone National Forest, this vegetation
is found only in the southern part, i.e., Big South Fork and (I believe) Marsh
creek and mainstem of the Cumberland above Cumberland Falls (M. Evans pers.
comm.).
Range: This alliance is found on scoured riverbanks in the
northeastern, southeastern, and midwestern United States from Illinois and Iowa
(?) south to Kentucky and Tennessee, and in the east from New England to
northern Virginia.
States/Provinces: CT? IA? IL IN KY MA MD ME NH NY OH? PA TN VA
VT WV
TNC Ecoregions: 44:C, 50:C, 52:C, 59:C, 60:P, 61:C, 63:C, 64:C
USFS Ecoregions: 212Ba:C??, 212Da:CCC, 212Ea:CCP, 212Ec:CC?,
212Fa:CP?, 212Fc:CPP, 212Ga:CP?, 212Gb:CPP, 221Aa:CCP, 221Af:CCC, 221Ai:CCP,
221Al:CCP, 221Ba:CCP, 221Bc:CCC, 221Bd:CCP, 221Da:CCP, 221Db:CCC, 221Dc:CCC,
221F:C?, 221Hc:CCC, 221Ja:C??, 221Jb:C??, 222Db:CC?, 222Df:CCC, 222Ea:CCP,
222Ec:CCP, 222Ed:CCC, 222Eg:CCP, 222Eh:CCP, 222Ek:CCC, 222Fa:CCP, 222Fb:CCC,
222Fc:CC?, 222Fd:CC?, 222Fe:CCC, 231Ak:CCC, 231Al:CCC, 231Ap:CCP, 231Da:C??,
231Dc:C??, 232Aa:PPP, 232Ac:PPP, M212Bb:CCC, M212Cc:CPP, M212Da:CCP, M212Db:CC?,
M212Dc:CCP, M212De:CCC, M212Eb:CCC, M221Aa:CCC, M221Ab:CCC, M221Ac:CCC,
M221Ad:CCC, M221Bb:CCP, M221Bd:CCC, M221Be:CCC, M221Ca:CP?, M221Cb:CPP,
M221Cc:CP?, M221Cd:CPP, M221Da:CCC, M221Db:CCC
Federal Lands: NPS (Big South Fork, Great Falls); TVA
(Columbia); USFS (Daniel Boone, Jefferson)
Synonymy: Big bluestem - Indian grass river grassland (Fike
1999); River Gravel Community (Smith 1991)
References: Faber-Langendoen et al. 1996, Fike 1999, Pyne and
Withers 1996, Smith 1991
Authors: ECS, JT, East Identifier:
A.1337
ANDROPOGON GERARDII - PANICUM VIRGATUM -
BAPTISIA AUSTRALIS HERBACEOUS VEGETATION
Big Bluestem - Switchgrass - Tall Blue Wild Indigo Herbaceous Vegetation
Fall-Line Riverwash Bedrock Prairie
G2G3
(98-12-14)
Ecological Group (SCS;MCS): Appalachian Highlands Riverscour
Vegetation (457-40; 2.2.3.2)
Concept: This
riverwash grassland community is found in the east-central United States. Stands
occur only along high-gradient sections of major rivers, such as in gorges and
along the Fall Line. They occur within the active channel shelf at an
intermediate level above the low-water level and the bank-full level. Flood
scouring and river ice may become a powerful and ecologically important abrasive
force along the riverbanks. Soils are rapidly drained Psamments. Often, soil
material is restricted to the narrow interstices of tightly packed boulders, or
to small crevices in bedrock exposures. This community is characterized by a
luxuriant growth of the robust grasses Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum
nutans, Panicum virgatum, and Spartina pectinata which resembles
prairie vegetation. Tripsacum dactyloides may also occur. Many of the
forbs are also typical of prairies. Characteristic species include Baptisia
australis, Toxicodendron radicans, Allium cernuum, Cerastium arvense, Clematis
viorna, Coreopsis tripteris, Melica mutica, Phlox divaricata, Pycnanthemum
virginianum, Silphium trifoliatum, Solidago erecta, Solidago rupestris, Solidago
speciosa, Teucrium canadense, Veronicastrum virginicum, Vicia americana, and
Zizia aurea.
Comments: The
distinctions between this community type and Salix spp. / Andropogon
gerardii - Sorghastrum nutans Gravel Wash Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL005175)
and (Salix caroliniana, Rhododendron arborescens) - Andropogon gerardii -
Baptisia australis - (Solidago simplex var. randii) Herbaceous Vegetation
(CEGL008471) seem quite artificial and further study should be undertaken to
determine whether these merely represent geographic subtypes of a single
association. In the Central Appalachian region, the type
is found predominantly on Western Allegheny Mountains (M221Be + M221Bd, Gauley
M221Ca dammed).
Range: This
riverwash grassland community is found in the east-central United States, from
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia, and possibly Ohio.
States/Provinces:
MD:S?, OH?, PA:S?, TN:S?, VA:S?, WV:S?
TNC Ecoregions:
59:C, 61:C
USFS Ecoregions:
231Ak:CCC, 231Al:CCC, M221Aa:CCC, M221Ab:CCC, M221Ac:CCC,
M221Ad:CCC, M221Bd:CCC, M221Be:CCC, M221C:C?, M221Da:CCC, M221Db:CC?
Federal Lands:
USFS (Jefferson)
Synonymy: Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Andropogon gerardii -
Panicum virgatum - Baptisia australis Wooded Herbaceous Vegetation (Lea
2000), Riverwash Grasslands (Baptisia australis - Lespedeza violacea -
Chasmanthium latifolium Herbaceous Vegetation) (Grossman et al. 1994),
Andropogon gerardii - Panicum virgatum - Rhus radicans - Baptisia australis Association (Rawinski et al. 1996), Cornus amomum / Andropogon gerardii -
Panicum virgatum - Baptisia australis Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation (Fleming
and Coulling 2001)
References: Fike 1999, Fleming and Coulling 2001, Fleming et
al. 2001, Grossman et al. 1994, Lea 2000, Rawinski 1988, Rawinski et al. 1996 Authors: L.A. Sneddon, mod. G. Fleming and P. Coulling, ECS Confidence: 2 Identifier: CEGL006283
ANDROPOGON GERARDII - PHLOX SUBULATA - SOLIDAGO SIMPLEX VAR. RACEMOSA - PACKERA PAUPERCULA HERBACEOUS VEGETATION
Big Bluestem - Moss Phlox - Sticky Goldenrod - Balsam Ragwort Herbaceous
Vegetation
Potomac River Basalt Outcrop Scour Prairie
G2? (97-11-10)
Ecological Group (SCS;MCS): Appalachian Highlands Riverscour
Vegetation (457-40; 2.2.3.2)
Concept: This riverside outcrop vegetation of
the Potomac River in Virginia and Maryland occurs on metamorphic rock ledges
that are catastrophically flood-scoured. The vegetation is generally herbaceous
but may range from sparsely vegetated to herbaceous with sparse shrubs. The
habitat is variable, with small pools interspersed among shaded microhabitats
and exposed xeric microhabitats. Typical species include Phlox subulata,
Solidago simplex var. racemosa (= Solidago racemosa), Solidago rupestris,
Andropogon gerardii, and Leucothoe racemosa. In more shaded
locations, Asplenium platyneuron, Aquilegia canadensis, and Mitchella
repens occur, while Danthonia spicata is more commonly found in
exposed, xeric openings. This association is apparently restricted to the Great
Falls area.
Range: This community is known from
Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. In Virginia, it is confined to
one stretch of the Potomac River, usually pretty high on the river, and is only
scoured in catastrophic floods.
States/Provinces: MD:S?, VA:S?
TNC Ecoregions: 52:C, 61:C
USFS Ecoregions: 221Da:CCP, 221Db:CCC
Federal Lands: NPS (Great Falls)
Synonymy: Oligotrophic Herbaceous Vegetation
(Rawinski 1992) B. in part, Leucothoe racemosa - Gaylussacia baccata /
Solidago simplex ssp. randii var. racemosa Sparse Shrubland (Fleming pers.
comm.)
References: Fleming et al. 2001, Fleming pers.
comm., Grossman et al. 1994, Lea 2000, Rawinski 1992
Authors: ECS Confidence: 2
Identifier: CEGL004284 - Maryland Vegetation Classification Subset Report V.A. Perennial graminoid
vegetation
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