• This community occurs on exposed upper slopes and ridgetops at elevations below 920 m (3,000 feet) in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
  
  
• This association represents mixed forests of the southern Appalachian Mountains with Pinus strobus, Quercus prinus, and Quercus coccinea, occurring singly or in combination, each contributing 25-75% of the total canopy coverage.
  
  
• Open subcanopies are composed of Oxydendrum arboreum, Acer rubrum var. rubrum, Nyssa sylvatica, and Cornus florida.
  
  
• The shrub stratum is dominated by deciduous heath species, typically Gaylussacia ursina or Vaccinium stamineum.
  • Other species in the shrub/sapling stratum may include Vaccinium pallidum, Leucothoe recurva, Kalmia latifolia, Castanea dentata, or Acer rubrum var. rubrum.
  • On rocky sites, Deschampsia flexuosa may be common.

• These are forests with a well-developed canopy and subcanopy dominated by Pinus strobus, codominating with Quercus prinus and Acer rubrum.
  • Other species that can have high coverage in the canopy or subcanopy include Quercus coccinea, Pinus rigida, Nyssa sylvatica, Oxydendrum arboreum, and Pinus virginiana.
  • Other trees the can be present include Pinus echinata, Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, Amelanchier laevis, Carya glabra, and Tsuga canadensis.
    
    
• The tall-shrub stratum can be moderate to very dense and typically is dominated by Kalmia latifolia, Acer rubrum, or Rhododendron maximum.
• The short-shrub stratum is dense and dominated by Gaylussacia ursina or Vaccinium pallidum.
  • Other species that can be in the shrub strata include saplings of canopy and subcanopy species and Vaccinium hirsutum, Vaccinium stamineum, Calycanthus floridus, Castanea dentata, Cornus florida, Ilex opaca, Magnolia fraseri, Pyrularia pubera, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Sassafras albidum.
    
    
• The herb stratum is sparse, and the ground is often dominated by leaf litter.
  • Typical herb species include Chimaphila maculata, Dioscorea quaternata, Epigaea repens, Galax urceolata, Gaultheria procumbens, Goodyera pubescens, Lysimachia quadrifolia, Pteridium aquilinum, Uvularia puberula, and Viola hastata.
  • Smilax rotundifolia and Smilax glauca are common vines.

• This community is known from the escarpment region of the Southern Blue Ridge and may extend into Virginia.

• This community was sampled on the Cades Cove quadrangle but was not found on the Mount Le Conte quadrangle.
  • It is likely in other areas of the park.
    
    
• On the Cades Cove quadrangle, it was sampled or observed north of the Cades Cove Loop Road, along the ridgeline of Tater Ridge (2,500 feet); on the steep north-facing slopes off Crooked Arm Ridge (2,400 feet); and on the north-facing slopes above Laurel Creek (2,100 feet).
  • It was also sampled southwest of the Cades Cove Loop Road, on low ridges (2,000 feet) north and south of Abrams Creek, and on gentle, southwest slopes, east of Forge Creek Road (2,000 feet).

• Global Conservation Status Rank: G4 (Last reviewed: 10 23 2003).
  
  
• This community has a restricted range and is uncommon.
  • It is not threatened or particularly vulnerable.
  • Grank changed to G4 on the recommendation of Gary Kauffman, USDA Forest Service.

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.

Patterson, K. D. 1994. Classification of vegetation in Ellicott Rock Wilderness, Southeastern Blue Ridge Escarpment. M.S. thesis, North Carolina State University, Raleigh. 91 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.

Pyne, M. 1994. Tennessee natural communities. Unpublished document. Tennessee Department of Conservation, Ecology Service Division, Nashville. 7 pp.

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.

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