• This community occurs on most of the major mountain ranges of the southern Appalachians at elevations of 1,070-1,525 m (3,500-5,000 feet) on ridges and mid to upper slope positions, commonly with southern and southeastern exposures.
  • On exposed sites this community commonly contains, as inclusions, acidic rock outcrop communities and montane shrublands, and may grade into forests dominated by Tsuga caroliniana, Pinus rigida, Pinus pungens, and Quercus prinus.
  • At higher elevations this forest often occurs adjacent to or grades into forests dominated by Picea rubens, Abies fraseri, or northern hardwood species (Betula alleghaniensis, Fagus grandifolia, Aesculus flava).
    
    
• This montane community of the southern Appalachians includes forest vegetation with Quercus rubra making up at least 75% of the tree canopy and with greater than 20% shrub cover, which may be continuous to patchy.
  
  
• More than 50% of the total shrub cover is evergreen, although deciduous shrubs may be present.
  • Typical shrub dominants include Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron catawbiense, and Rhododendron maximum.
    
    
• The herbaceous stratum is not diverse and is typically very sparse with scattered forbs including Galax urceolata, Solidago curtisii, Epigaea repens Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Conopholis americana, Thelypteris noveboracensis, Clintonia umbellulata, Eurybia divaricata, Dioscorea villosa.

• This community has a rather open canopy dominated by Quercus rubra.
  • Other species with minor canopy/subcanopy coverage include Acer rubrum, Betula alleghaniensis, Hamamelis virginiana, Ilex montana, Oxydendrum arboreum, and Prunus serotina.
    
    
• The tall-shrub stratum is extremely dense and dominated by Rhododendron maximum or sometimes Kalmia latifolia.
  • Other shrubs include Rubus canadensis and Leucothoe fontanesiana.
    
    
• Typical species in the sparse herb stratum are Dryopteris intermedia, Galax urceolata, Carex pensylvanica, and Dennstaedtia punctilobula.

• This community occurs on most of the major mountain ranges of the southern Appalachians in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia.
  • This community could possibly range into South Carolina.

• This community was sampled in the central portion of the Cades Cove quadrangle, on the northeast summit of McCampbell Knob (4,400 feet elevation).
  • In addition, it was sampled in the Dellwood quadrangle in 2002.
  • Occurrences of this type intergrade readily with other high-elevation oak community types.

• Global Conservation Status Rank: G4 (Last reviewed: 01 04 2000).
  
  
• This community is uncommon but not rare.
  • It is secure within its range.

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