• This community is known from low to intermediate elevations of the Southern Blue Ridge escarpment and Piedmont transition areas.
  • It occurs on relatively exposed landforms below 3,000 feet elevation (1,200-2,900 feet), on moderately steep to steep, convex, middle to upper slopes and ridges, with mostly northern to southwestern aspects.
  • Some occurrences may have areas of exposed rock.
    
    
• Canopies are dominated by Quercus prinus, with Acer rubrum often codominating.
  • Other species that can have significant canopy coverage include Carya glabra, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Quercus rubra.
    
    
• The subcanopy is commonly dominated by Cornus florida.
  • Additional canopy and subcanopy species can include Quercus velutina, Carya alba, Halesia tetraptera var. monticola, Nyssa sylvatica, Robinia pseudoacacia, Magnolia fraseri, and Oxydendrum arboreum.
    
    
• The shrub stratum is sparse with no clear dominant.
  • Some typical shrub species include Gaylussacia ursina, Hydrangea arborescens, Hydrangea radiata, Kalmia latifolia, Magnolia fraseri, Sassafras albidum, and, Vaccinium pallidum.
    
    
• Herb cover is sparse, but diversity and species composition vary among occurrences.
  • Some of the more typical species include Eurybia divaricata, Chimaphila maculata, Desmodium nudiflorum, Dichanthelium spp. (e.g., Dichanthelium boscii, Dichanthelium commutatum, Dichanthelium dichotomum), Dioscorea quaternata, Galium latifolium, Houstonia purpurea, Lysimachia quadrifolia, Maianthemum racemosum, Polystichum acrostichoides, Prenanthes spp., Thalictrum thalictroides, Thelypteris noveboracensis, Uvularia perfoliata, Uvularia puberula, Uvularia sessilifolia, and Viola spp. (e.g., Viola blanda, Viola hastata, Viola X palmata, Viola tripartita).
  • Common vines are Smilax rotundifolia, Smilax glauca, Vitis aestivalis, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina.

• The canopy is dominated by Quercus prinus and Acer rubrum.
  • Other species that can have significant canopy coverage include Carya glabra and Liriodendron tulipifera.
    
    
• The subcanopy is dominated by Cornus florida.
  • Additional canopy and subcanopy species can include Quercus rubra, Quercus velutina, Carya alba, Halesia tetraptera var. monticola, Nyssa sylvatica, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Oxydendrum arboreum.
    
    
• The shrub stratum is sparse with no clear dominant.
  • Some typical shrub species include Gaylussacia ursina, Sassafras albidum, Nyssa sylvatica, Oxydendrum arboreum, Cornus florida, and Magnolia fraseri. Pinus strobus and Tsuga canadensis saplings are commonly in the shrub stratum.
    
    
• Herbaceous cover is sparse to moderate but species rich.
  • Species with the highest coverage and constancy are Desmodium nudiflorum, Polystichum acrostichoides, and Thelypteris noveboracensis.
  • Other species with high constancy include Eurybia divaricata, Chimaphila maculata, Dichanthelium spp. (e.g., Dichanthelium commutatum, Dichanthelium dichotomum), Dioscorea quaternata, Maianthemum racemosum, Prenanthes spp., Thalictrum thalictroides, Uvularia perfoliata, Uvularia puberula, Uvularia sessilifolia, and Viola spp. (e.g., Viola blanda, Viola hastata, Viola X palmata, Viola tripartita), but other species may occur.
    
    
• Common vines are Smilax rotundifolia, Smilax glauca, Vitis aestivalis, and Vitis vulpina.

• This community occurs in the Southern Blue Ridge and Piedmont transition areas of western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, northwestern South Carolina, and northeastern Georgia.
  • It may possibly extend into Virginia.

• This community was sampled on the Cades Cove quadrangle, Mount Le Conte quadrangle, and Noland Creek quadrangle.
  • Historic samples also exist for the Calderwood quadrangle, and the community is likely in other areas of the Park.
    
    
• On the Cades Cove quadrangle, recent and historic samples representing this community come from elevations ranging from 2,000 to 2,600 feet.
  • In the northwestern portion of the quadrangle, this community was sampled from the southern and western slopes Arbutus Ridge; the northwest slopes of Stony Ridge; a north-facing draw north of Coon Butt; and from a north-facing upper slope of Boring Ridge.
  • It was also sampled from the northwest slopes above Licklog Creek, west of Mollies Butt.
    
    
• This community was sampled from the eastern half of the Mount Le Conte quadrangle, at elevations ranging from 1,400 to 2,200 feet.
  • Samples representing this community come from the lower east slope of Potato Ridge; north-facing slopes above the lower Little Pigeon River, north of Grapeyard Ridge; and from the southwest-facing sideridge and upper slopes of Copeland Divide.

• Global Conservation Status Rank: G4G5 (Last reviewed: 08 15 1997).

Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.

Ambrose, J. 1990a. Georgia's natural communities--A preliminary list. Unpublished document. Georgia Natural Heritage Inventory. 5 pp.

NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern United States. No date. Unpublished data. NatureServe, Durham, NC.

Nelson, J. B. 1986. The natural communities of South Carolina: Initial classification and description. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Columbia, SC. 55 pp.

Peet, R. K., T. R. Wentworth, M. P. Schafale, and A.S. Weakley. 2002. Unpublished data of the North Carolina Vegetation Survey. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Schafale, M. 1998b. Fourth approximation guide. High mountain communities. March 1998 draft. North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh.

Schafale, M. P., and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina. Third approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 325 pp.

Simon, Steve. Personal communication.

Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.