1995 UNC Spring Phytogeographical Excursion

to

South Carolina & Georgia Piedmont

 

March 30-April 2, 1995

 

 

Itinerary

 

Thursday, March 30:

 

Leave Chapel Hill 4:30pm.  US15/501 s to US1 s to NC177 s to SC177 s to SC9 w to US1 s to Cheraw State Park (ignore sign to State Park), Co. 20 1 mile e across Juniper Crk (#1).

 

1.  Hudsonia Island, Chesterfield Co., S.C.

Gradient from turkey oak scrub to pine woodland to bay forest.  Only site for Hudsonia ericoides south of Delaware. One of three known sites for Chrysoma pauci­flosculosa in the Carolinas.

 

Return w to US1, se to US601 (Camden), s 3 mi to I20, sw to US1 Aiken exit, s on US1 8 miles; left on SC118 (at 2nd light and where there are two gas stations and a shopping Center) 0.5 mile to next light; left on Camellia Lane (county road #29) 1.3 miles; right(at church) onto New Bridge Rd (county road #206).  Wild's is the small, unmarked, asphalt driveway, immediately past the church parking lot.  Go straight through the open gate (ignore dog signs) and park in the sandy circular drive (see map inset).  The driveway should be flagged by the time the third vehicle arrives.

 

 

Friday, March 31:

 

Retrace #206 w to #29 sw (lft) to SC118, n (rgt) to SC19, n (rgt) to I20 sw to GA47/US221 (exit 61), n 2.7 mi to GA232, e (rt) 1.7 mi to first crossroads (S2122? Lewisville Rd., long defunct Smitty's Grocery on corner), n (lft) 2.2 mi, park across from chainlink fence (walk e 0.7 mi; #2).

 

2.  Heggie's Rock, Columbia Co., GA

This is the best remaining granite outcrop community left in the Southeast. Contains 21 or the 26 SE granite outcrop endemics

 

S2122 ne to S2123 ne (rt) to GA104 nw (lft) across Kiokee Creek, dirt rd (Petersburg Rd.) n (rt) to Old Middleton Ferry Rd., e (rt) to Burks Mtn (#3).

 

3.  Burk Mountain, Columbia Co., GA

The best example of piedmont serpentine vegetation south of Maryland.

 

W to Pollard's Corner, US221 ne to Clark's Hill, Co.88 ne 1.1 miles to dirt rd, ne 400 yards to Stevens Creek (#4).

 

4.  Steven's Creek,  McCormick Co., SC

Spectacular mesic herb vegetation of circumneutral soils.  One of two known loca­tions for Ribes echinellum.

 

Co.88 sw to SC28/US221 (Clark's Hill), SC28 n to SC81, w (lft) to SC25, s (lft) to end of rd (#5).

 

5.  John de la Howe Forest, McCormick Co, SC

Perhaps the only piedmont pine forest left in the Carolinas that has never been cut.

 

SC81 e to SC28, s to US378, e to US25, s to SC-19, s to Aiken and SC-118, and return to Wild's farm as above.

 

 

Saturday, April 1:

 

Retrace #206 w to #29, sw past SC118 to SC-19, s (lft) to US1 (Richland Rd.), w (rgt) ca 8 blocks to Linden Street, s (lft) one block where jogs and becomes Dribble Rd., follow to Hitchcock Woods (#6).

 

6.  Hitchcock Woods, Aiken Co, SC

Mixture of Longleaf pine types; excellent examples of mixed pine and evergreen heath communities on Vaucluse soils.

 

Retrace to SC19, N of SC19 to I20, e to SC230, se (rt) 0.5 mile to Plantation Rd. sw (rt) 0.2 mi to first rt, 0.3 mi to end of pavement (#7).

 

7.  Savannah River Bluffs, Aiken Co, SC

Classic pleistocene refugial habitat with numerous rare, disjunct species (e.g., Cla­drastis kentukea, Aesculus parviflora, Forestiera ligustrina, Trillium reliquum)

 

Backtrack to I20, ne (rgt) to SC49, n (lft) ca 1 mile, left on first road. Camp Gravatt (#8) is ca 1.5 miles on right.

 

8.  Camp Gravatt, Aiken Co, SC

Disjunct Chamaecyparis thyoides stand.

 

Retrace to I20, ne to SC34, se ca 6 miles to county #279, e ca 3.5 miles to Scouters Creek (#9).

 

9.  Shealy's Pond, Lexington Co., SC

Excellent aquatic habitats, with adjacent seepage slope dominated by South Caroli­na's most extensive stand of white cedar.  Only known site for Vaccinium sempervir­ens.

 

E to SC6, s 2.3 mi to SC635, n 0.3 mi (#10).

 

10. Peach Tree Rock, Lexington Co., SC

Sandhill rock outcrop community that combines coastal plain  (e.g., longleaf pine) and mountain (e.g., Mountain laurel) elements.

 

SC6 n to I20, I20 e to I77, n to SC9, w ca 4 mi to SC909, nw (rt) to SC72, nne (rt) ca 2.5 mi to county #82 (Chappel Rd)(sic), w (lft) 0.7 mi to Alex Miller House (#11), where we will spend the night.

 

 

Sunday, April 2:

 

11. Camassia Flat, York Co., SC

Lowland montmorillonite soils supporting remnant populations of plants from the long-destroyed Charlotte prairies, including one of three populations of Camassia known from the Carolinas.

 

Backtrack to SC72, ne to SC901, s (rt) ca 0.5 mile to Glenarden Rd., e (lf) on Glenarden to end of road (#12).  Walk due east to powerlines.

 

12. Rock Hill Gabbro Barrens, York Co., SC

The best example of xeric gabbro prairie and blackjack woodland in the Carolinas.  Numerous species of prairie or Midwestern affinity nearly restricted to this sight in the Carolinas.

 

E to I77, s to SC5 (US21), e on SC5 (splitting off from US21) to US521, s to SC903, se (lft) ca 16 mi to US601, ne (lft) ca 1 mi to Flat Creek (#13).

 

13. Flat Creek Dike, Lancaster Co., SC

Mesic forest over basic soils, one of the richest herb communities known from South Carolina.

 

 ca 0.2 mi to SC27, n ca 1.8 mi to dirt rd, w (lft) to end of rd (#14).

 

14. Forty-acre Rock,  Lancaster Co., SC

Classic granite outcrop community

 

N (lft) on SC27 0.3 mi to SC123, e (rt) 1.5 mi to US601, n (lft) to NC200 (at Monroe), n to 0.8 mi n of Rocky River, w on NC1122 ca 1.1 miles to Ridge Rd. (= second rd on left), s (lft) to end of rd (#15).

 

15. Rocky River Bluffs, Stanley Co., NC

Bluff vegetation includes uncommon species like Acer leucoderme, Aster commixtus and Dodecantheon meadii, plus one of two populations of Pellaea wrightiana known east of Oklahoma.

 

E on NC1122 to NC200, n (lft) to US601, n (rt) to NC49, e (rt) to US64, e to US15/501, n to Chapel Hill.

 

 

In all species lists, "*" indicates reported from site but not seen by our group.

 

 

Site descriptions

 

Hudsonia Island

 

Location:  Lexington County, SC; 6 miles south of Cheraw, SC; 34ĝ37'11"N, 79ĝ56'25"W. Cash Quadrangle.

Cross Juniper Creek on Co. 20, and park on roadside.

 

Site:  This site contains a gradient from interstream flat over coarse sand dominated by Quercus laevis, through Pinus palustris woodland to bay forest.  Elevation 140-190', area ca 40 ha. 

 

Significance:  The shrub Chrysoma (=Solidago) pauciflosculosa, a sandhill dominant where it occurs, is known from only three sites in the Carolinas (Raubeson Co. NC, Lexington and Chesterfield Cos. SC), but is locally abundant farther south.  This is the only known sites for Hudsonia ericoides south of Delaware.  Leiophyllum has a somewhat less extreme disjunction in its range with populations in the New Jersey pine barrens, on rock outcrops in the high mountains and on the coastal plain of southeastern North Carolina and adjacent South Carolina (see Strand & Wyatt 1991; Syst. Bot 16:529-545). 

 

Species list

 

Trees

Acer rubrum tridens

Chamaecyparis thyoides

Ilex opaca

Pinus palustris

Pinus serotina

Pinus taeda

Quercus falcata

Quercus laevis

Taxodium ascendens

 

Shrubs and vines

Amelanchier obovalis

Aronia arbutifolia

Arundinaria gigantea tecta

Chrysoma pauciflosculosa

Clethera alnifolia

Cyrilla racemosa

Fothergilla gardenii

Gaylussacia dumosa

Gelsemium sempervirens

Gordonia lasianthus

Hudsonia ericoides

Hypericum hypericoides

Ilex coriacea

Ilex glabra

Kalmia caroliniana

Leiophyllum buxifolium

Leucothoe racemosa

Lonicera japonica

Lyonia lucida

Lyonia mariana

Magnolia virginiana

Opuntia humifusa

Persea palustris

Phorodendron serotinum

Rhododendron viscosum

Rhus copallina

Smilax glauca

Smilax laurifolia

Symplocus tinctoria

Vaccinium attrococcum

Vaccinium crassifolium

Vaccinium formosum

Vaccinium tenellum

Vitis rotundifolia

Zenobia pulverulenta

 

Herbs

Andropogon elliottii

Andropogon tenerius

Andropogon virginicus

Aristida stricta

Aster paternus

Aster tortifolius

Bigelowia nudata

Carex glaucescens

Cnidosculus stimulosus

Dichanthelium spp.

Drosera capillaris                             Pteridium aquilinum pseudocaudatum  

Drosera intermedia                          Pyxidanthera barbulata               

Iris verna verna                                 Rhexia mariana                      

Juncus abortivus                              Rhexia petiolata                    

Juncus canadensis                          Rhyncospora inexpansa               

Juncus calidus                                  Sarracenia rubra                    

Lachnanthes carolinana                 Scirpus cyperinus                   

Lachnocaulon anceps                     Selaginella arenicola               

Lycopodium alopecuroides            Seymeria cassioides                 

Lycopodium appressum                 Solidago odora                      

Minuartia caroliniana                        Sporobolus sp.1 (cf teretifolius)   

Muhlenbergia expansia                  Stipulicida setacea                 

Osmunda cinnamomea                  Trilisia odoratissima        

Pityopsis graminifolia                      Utricularia juncea                  

Polygala lutea                                   Xyris carolinana                    

Polygonella polygama                    Zygadenus densus                    

 

 

 

Heggie's Rock

 

Location:  Columbia County, Georgia.  Appling Quadrangle. 33ĝ32'30"N; 82ĝ15'05"W.  Follow dirt road to ramshackel farm­house.  Trail follows the left (N) side of the field, just inside the woods.

 

Site: Flat granite outcrop of about 92 acres, owned by the Geor­gia Nature Conservancy.  Primarily a porophyritic granite with large phenochrysts.  Be sure to look at the range of habitats on top of the rock, and then follow it to the base to look at the seepage areas. 

 

Significance:  This is perhaps the best remaining example of a piedmont granite flatrock.  This community complex is best known for the numerous endemics.  Extensive research has also been done on the primary succession.  Radford claims 11 of the 19 granite flatrock endemics occur here (Isoetes melanospora, Panicum lithophilum, Cyperus granitophilus, Rhynchospora saxicola, Juncus georgianus, Sedum pusillum, Draba aprica, Oenothera linifolia gladulosa, Oenothera fruticosa subglobosa, Phacelia dubia geor­giana, Amphianthus pusillus, & Viguiera porteri).

 

References:

Burbanck, M.P. and R.G. Platt. 1964.  Granite outcroppings of the Piedmont of Georgia.  Ecology 45:292-306.

McVaugh, R. 1943.  The vegetation of the granitic flatrocks of the southeastern United States.  Ecological Monographs 13:119-166.

Sharitz, R.R. and J.F. mcCormick. 1973.  Population dynamics of two competing annual plant species.  Ecology 54:723-740.

Shure, D.J. and H.J. Ragsdale. 1977.  Ptterns of primary succes­sion on granite outcrop surfaces. Ecology 58:993-1006

 

Species List

 

Trees, Shrubs and vines:

Arundinaria gigantea tecta

Callicarpa americana

Campus radicans

Carya alba

Carya glabra

Chionanthus virginicus

Diospyrus virginiana

Euonymus americana

Forestiera ligustrina

Gelsemium sempervirens

Juniperus virginianus

Liquidambar styraciflua

Lonicera japonica

Mitchella repens

Nyssa sylvatica

Opuntia drummondii

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Pinus taeda

Prunus serotina

Quercus georgiana

Quercus nigra

Quercus phellos

Quercus stellata

Quercus velutina

Rhamnus carolinana

Rhus copallina

Smilax bona-nox

Toxicodendron radicans

Ulmus alata

Vaccinium arboreum

Vitis rotundifolia

 

Herbs:

Agrostis hyemalis

Amphianthus pusillus

Andropogon virginicus

Anemone berlandieri

Arabis laevigatus

Arabis missouriensis

Asplenium platyneuron

Cheilanthes lanosa

Coreopis lanceolata

Crontonopsis elliptica

Danthonia sericea

Delphinium carolinianum

Dichanthelium boscii

Dichanthelium laxiflorum

Dimorpha smallii

Erigeron strigosus

Gnaphalium purpurea

Hedyotis crassifolia

Hypericum gentianoides

Isoetes melanopoda

Juncus georgianus

Krigia virginica

Lindernia monticola

Matelia sp.

Melica mutica

Minuartia uniflora

Nothoscordum bivalve

Nuttalanthus canadensis

Oenothera perennis

Phacelia dubia georgiana

Piptochaetum avenacea

Plantago virginica

Sanicula sp.

Schoenolirion croceum

Scutellaria ovata

Sedum pusillum

Selaginella tortipila

Senecio tomentosus

Senecio anonymus

Talinum teretifolium

Tradescantia rosea rosea

Triodanus specularia

Yucca aloifolia

 

(Other characteristic outcrop specialties to watch for.)

Agrostis elliottiana
Arenaria groenlandica var glabra

Botrychium lunarioides

Commelina erecta

Cyperus granitophilus

Diamorpha cymosa

Draba aprica

Fimbristylis dichotoma

Houstonia pusilla

Isoetes melanopoda

Lepuropetalon spathulatum

Lotus helleri

Nothoscordum bivalve

Oenothera linifolia glandulosa

Oenothera fruticosa subglobosa

Ophioglossum crotalophoroides

Panicum lithophilum

Polygala curtisii

Portulaca coronata

Riccia dictyospora

Rhyncospora saxicola

Scirpus koilolepis

Tradescantia hirsuticaulis

Trifolium carolinianum

Viguiera porteri

 

 

Burks Mountain

 

Location:  Columbia County, Georgia.  Evans Quadrangle.  33ĝ37'10"N, 82ĝ13'00"W. 

 

Site:  Serpentine vegetation with open mixed-pine savanna on the southern exposure.

 

Significance:  Burks Mountain is the only piedmont example of well-developed vegetation over serpentine south of Maryland.  The mix of Pinus palustris, P. echinata and Quercus marilandica is also very unusual for the piedmont.  Elliotia racemosa grows here.

 

References:

Brooks, R.R. 1987.  Serpentine and its vegetation: A multidisci­plinary approach.  Diocorides Press.

 

Species List

Trees

Ilex opaca

Liquidambar styraciflua

Pinus echinata

Pinus palustris

Pinus virginiana

Quercus laevis

Quercus marilandica

Quercus rubra

Quercus stellata

 

Shrubs and vines

Callicarpa americana

*Clematis albicoma

*Elliotia racemosa

Gelsemium sempervirens

Myrica cerifera

Rhus copallinum

Satureja georgiana

Smilax bona-nox

Smilax glauca

Smilax rotundifolia

Vaccinium arboreum

Vaccinium staminium melanocarpum

Vitis rotundifolia

 

Herbs

Agalinis obtusifolia

Agave virginica

Allium bivalue

Andropogon glomeratus

Aristida purpurascens

Aristida sp.

Baptisia bracteata

Baptisia pendula

Carex spp.

Centrosema virginiana

Chimaphila maculata

Clematis ochroluca

Delphinium sp.

Desmodium marilandicum

Dichanthelium depauperatum

Elephantopus tomentosus

Eragrostis ciliaris

Erigeron sp.

Eupatorium aromaticum

Eupatorium compositifolium

Euphorbia sp.

Galium pilosum

Helianthemum

Hieracium venosum

Houstonia longifolia

Hypericum drummondii

Hypericum gentianoides

Hypericum hypericoides

Hypericum perforatum

Hypoxis hirsuta

Lespedeza sp.

Liatris graminifolia

Oenothera

Oxalis acetosella

Pityopsis graminifolia

*Polygonum tenue

Potentialla simplex

Pteridium aquilinum pseudocaudatum

Ranunculus hispidus

Schizachrium scoparium

Scleria oligantha

Scutellaria elliptica

Silene antirrhina

Solidago arguta

Sorghastrum nutans

Spenopholis filiformis           

Sporobolus sp.                  

Stylosanthes biflora            

Talinum teretifolium            

Thaspium trifoliatum                   

Tragia urticifolia

Verbesina sp.    

Viola emarginata 

Viola pedata     

Viola septemloba 

Zizia aptera     

 

 

Stevens Creek

 

Location: McCormick County, SC; Clarks Hill Quadrangle. 33ĝ41'00"N, 82ĝ09'00"W.

 

Site:  Relatively old-growth hardwood forest over circumneutral to basic soils with ph 7-8

 

Significance:  This site and other mesic, nutrient-rich sites like it, such as the Savannah River Bluffs Preserve, probably contained isolated stands mesic hardwood forest throughout the Pleistocene.  Disjunct, rare, and endemic plants form the basis for this interpretation.  Stevens Creek is most famous for its large population of Ribes echinellum which is known only from this site and a couple plants at a second site in the Florida panhandle.  Carex jamesii occurs here, disjunct in the coastal plain and piedmont region from the Roanoke River Bluffs in north­ern North Carolina.  Four other species are (or were) known only from this one site in SC: Dicentra cucullaria, Isopyrum biterna­tum (subsequently found at Savanna River Bluffs), Lithospermum tuberosum and Urtica chamaedryoides.

 

References:

Radford, A.E. 1959.  A relect plant community in South Carolina.  J. Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 75:33-34.

Radford, A.E. and D.L. Martin. 1975.  Potential Ecological Natu­ral Landmarks: Piedmont Region, Eastern United States.  Dept. Botany. Univ. North Carlina, Chapel Hill.

 

Species list

 

Trees:

Acer barbatum

Acer negundo

Bumelia lycioides

Carpinus carolinana

Carya glabra

Celtis laevigata

Cercis candensis

Cornus florida

Fagus grandifolia

Fraxinus americana

Fraxinus pensylvanica

Ilex opaca

Morus rubra

Ostrya virginica

Pinus taeda

Platanus occidentalis

Prunus serotina

Quercus alba

Quercus prinus

Quercus rubra

Tilia heterophylla

Ulnus rubra

 

Shrubs and vines:

Arundinaria gigantea

Bignonia capreolata

Calycanthus floridus

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Chimaphila maculata

Cornus alternifolia

Crataegus

Euonymus americana

Gelsemium sempervirens

Hamamalis virginiana

Lindera benzoin

Liriodendron tulipifera

Lonicera japonica

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Philadelphus inodora

Rhododendron sp.

Ribes echinellum

Sambucus canadensis

Smilax bona-nox

Smilax rotundifolia

Staphylea trifoliata

Toxicodendron radicans

Viburnum prunifolium

Viburnum rufidulum

 

Herbs:

Actaea sp.

Adiantum pedatum

Aesculus sylvatica

Amphicarpa bracteata

Anemonella thalictroides

Antennaria plantiginifolia

Arisaema triphyllum

Aristolochia serpentaria

Asarum canadense

Asplenium platyneuron

*Cardamine angustata

*Carex blanda

Carex jamesii

*Carex retroflexa

Chrysogonum virginianum

Claytonia virginiana

Conopholis virginica

*Corydalis flavula

Cynoglossum virginiana

Cystopteris protrusa

Danthonia spicata

Dicentra cucullaria

Dodecatheon meadia

Dryopteris marginalis

Duchesnea indica

Erythronium americanum

*Euphorbia commutatus

Festuca obtusa

Galium aparine

Geranium maculatum

Goodyera pubescens

Hepatica americana

Heuchera americana

Hexastylis arifolia

Hieracium venosum

Houstonia caerulea

Hybanthus concolor

Impatiens capensis

Isopyrum biternatum

Laportia canadensis

*Lithospermum tuberosum

Luzula echinata

Melica mutica

Nemophyla microcalyx

Nothoscordum bivalve

Obolaria virginica

Orobanche uniflora

Osmorhiza claytoni

Oxalis purpurea

Pedicularis candensis

Phacelia dubia

Phlox amoena

Piptochaetium avenaceum

*Poa sylvestris

Podophyllum peltatum

Polygonatum biflorum

Polystichium acrosticoides

Prenanthes altitissima

Ranunculus abortivus

Ranunculus recurvatus

Rudbeckia laciniata

Sanicula gregaria

Saxifraga virginica

Senecio obovatus elliottii

Sisyrinchium albidum

Smilacina racemosa

Solidago sp.

Stellaria pubera

Thelypteris hexagonoptera

Tiarella cordifolia collina

Tradescantia virginiana

*Trillium catesbaei

Trillium cernuum

*Trillium cuneatum

Trillium discolor

Trillium lanceolatum

Urtica chamaedryoides

Uvularia perfoliata

Viola affinis

*Viola papilionacea

Vitis rotundifolia

 

 

 John de la Howe Forest

 

Location:  McCormack County, SC; 33ĝ56'15", 82ĝ24'35"W.  John de la Howe School.

 

Significance:  This may be the only oldgrowth Pinus echinata stand left anywhere on the piedmont.  Certainly there are very old pines (flat-topped) with no regeneration, except in a few beetle-kill areas.  Most of the other large trees are light-demanding types, like Liriodendron and Liquidambar.  There are relatively few oaks or other potential "climax" species in the canopy.  Thus, it seems that this is not a stable, steady-state forest.  Theory #1:  Disturbance like wind or fire or agriculture provided a site for invasion of light-demanding tree species.  This leads to the prediction that the canopy trees are even-aged.  Theory #2:  This forest is the result of 150 years +/- of fire suppression.  The pines were maintained by fire and the hardwoods were kept out by same.  The leads to the prediction that the old canopy pines should present a broad range of sizes, with a relatively even-aged, post-fire cohort below them.   These two theories have not, to my knowledge, been tested.  Beetle damage has led to some salvage cutting over the past year or two (see map).

 

References:

Batson, W.T. et al. 1958.  The flora of the John de la Howe School Forest. Univ. SC Publications in Biology series III. 2(3), September.

Eyre, F.H. 1960.  Survey of proposed Natural Forest Areas in the Southeast. Soc. Am. Foresters.

Lieth, H. 1980.  Untersuchengen uber den mineralstoffspiegel in De la Howe Forest, McCormick County, South Carolina. Veroff. Geobot. Inst. Rubel 69:162-170.

 

Species List

 

Trees

Acer rubrum

Acer barbatum

Carya cordiformis

Carya glabra

Carya ovalis

Carya ovata

Carya pallida

Carya alba

Celtis occidentalis

Cornus florida

Fagus grandifolia

Fraxinus pensylvanica

Ilex opaca

Juniperus virginiana

Liquidambar styraciflua

Liriodendron tulipifera

Magnolia acuminata

Morus rubra

Nyssa sylvatica

Ostrya virginiana

Pinus echinata

Pinus taeda

Prunus serotina

Quercus alba

Quercus falcata

Quercus rubra

Quercus stellata

Quercus velutina

Ulmus alata

 

Shrubs and vines

Aralia spinosa

Asimina parviflora

Callicarpa americana

Dirca palustris

Euonymus americana

Gelsemium sempervirens

Halesia sp.

Hypericum stans

Ilex decidua

Rhus copallina

Smilax bona-nox

Smilax rotundifolia

Smilax smallii

Toxicodendron radicans

Vaccinium elliotii

Vaccinium stamineum

Viburnum prunifolium

Viburnum rufidulum

Vitis rotundifolia

 

Herbs

Aristolochia serpentaria

Asplenium platyneuron

Aster divaricatus

Aster undulatus

Botrychium virginianum

Chimaphila maculata

Elephantopus tomentosus

Eupatorium purpureum

Euphorbia comutata

Euphorbia sp.

Galium pilosum

Galium uniflorum sp.

Hexastylis arifolia

Mitchella repens

Monotropa uniflora

Obolaria virginica

Polypodium polypodioides

Potentilla canadensis

Reullia carolinensis

Sanicula sp.

Scutellaria elliptica

Tephrosia spicata

Tipularia discolor

Uvularia perfoliata

Uvularia sessifolia

Viola sp.

Hitchcock Woods

 

Savanna River Bluffs

 

Location:  Aiken County, SC; Southeast of I-20 on North bank of the Savannah River. From the intersection of I-20 and SC 230 (Martintown Road): go southeast on 230 (0.5 mi) toward North Augusta; turn at (most likely first) right onto Plantation Rd; go 0.2 mi and takefirst road on right; go 0.3 mi and park before the "private property" signs where the paved road ends, and before the barricade; walk 0.1 mi along the private property road and turn left onto the road; follow the road to powerline right-of-way and go left to the next ridge; track goes on an old road, loops within the property and comes back to the powerline.

 

Site: A 83.84 acre steep ravine adjacent to one of the last remaining Savannah River shoals along the edge of the coastal plain. 

 

Significance:  This site contains several disjunct mesophytic spe­cies that provide support for the hypothesis that mesic forest may have persisted here during the full glacial period and that the river bluffs may have formed a corridor for species migra­tion.

 

There is a population of Aesculus parviflora which is disjunct nearly 300 km from the nearest sites in Alabama and SW Georgia.  This may also be the site for colletion of the type specimen collected by John Fraser and ANdre Michaux in 1787.  Another disjunct tree species is Cladrastis kentukea.  Other rare species present at the sites include Hymenocallis coronaria, Trillium reliquum, Forestiera ligustrina, Acer leucoderme, Delphinium tricorne and Isopyrum biternatum. (See Wyatt, R. 1985. Aesculus parviflora in South Carolina: phytogeographical implications.  Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 112:194-195.)

 

References:

Wyatt, R. 1985.  Aesculus parviflora in South Carolina: phytogeographic implications.  Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 112:194-195.

 

Species list

 

Trees

Acer leucoderme

Acer negundo

Acer rubrum

Aesculus parviflora

Aesculus sylvatica

Amelanchier sp.

Carpinus caroliniana

Carya glabra

Cercis canadensis

Cornus florida

Diospyrus virginicus

Fagus grandifolia

Fraximus americana

Ilex opaca

Juniperus virginiana

Liquidambar styraciflua

Liriodendron tulipifera

Mitchella repens

Ostrya virginiana

Pinus taeda

Platanus occidentalis

Quercus alba

Quercus nigra

Quercus phellos

Quercus rubra

Taxodium distichum

Tilia americana caroliniana

Ulmus alata

 

Shrubs and vines

Arundinaria gigantea tecta

Asimina triloba

Berchemia scandens

Bignonia capreolata

Callicarpa americana

Chionanthus virginicus

Cornus alternifolia

Decumaria barbara

Forestiera ligustria

Hamamalis virginiana

Ilex vomitoria

Lonicera japonica

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Philadelphus inodorus

Rhamnus caroliniana

Rhododendron nudicaulis

Rhus radicans

Sabal minor

Sambucus canadensis

Vaccinium arboreum

 

Herbs

Anemonella thalictroides

Aristolochia serpentaria

Asplenium platyneuron

Aureolaria virginica

Baptisia pendula

Botrichium virginianum

Brachyelytrum erectum

Carex debilis

Carex flaccosperma

Carex gracilescens

Carex oxylepis

Carex willdenowii

Chasmanthium sessiliflorum

Chrysogonum virginicum

Cladrastis kentukea

Conopholus americana

Corydalis flavula

*Delphinium tricorne

Dichanthelium boscii

Dioscorea villosa

Dodecatheon meadia

Erythronium americanum

Galium aparine

Geranium maculatum

Hepatica americana

Heuchera sp.

Hieracium venosum

*Hymenocalis coronaria

Isopyrum biternatum

Luzula echinata

Melica mutica

Myosotis verna

Nemophila microcalyx

Osmorhiza claytonii

Osmorhiza longistylis

Oxalis sp.

Oxalis acetosella

Peltandra virginica ?

Piptochaetum avenacea

Polygonatum biflorum

Polypodium polypodioides

Polystichium acrosticoides

Prenanthes sp.

Salvia lyrata

Sanicula canadensis

Satureja georgiana

Saxifraga virginica

Senecio anonymus

Sisyrinchium spp.

Smilacina racemosa

Solidago caesia

Stellaria pubera

Tillandsia usneoides

Tradescantia subaspera

Trillium reliquum

Uvularia sp.

Viola affinus

Viola walteri

Zepheranthes atamasco

Zizia sp.

 

 

 

Shealy Pond

 

Location:  Lexington County, SC; Pelion East Quadrangle; 33ĝ51'40"N, 81ĝ14'00"W.

 

Site:  Shealy Pond was formed in a valley containing seepage slopes by teh damming of a fast moving stream with a road.  An impermeable clay layer creates boggy conditions on the slope and allows Chamaecyparis to grow.  The uplands are covered by fire-suppressed Pinus palustris woodland typical of the region.

 

Significance:  This is the southern limit of Chamaecyparis as an important species until the Florida panhandle, although a few populations occur, such as Camp Gravatt in Aiken County SC and Fort Gordon, Richmond County, GA.  The most interesting plant species here is Vaccinium sempervirens, a close relative of V. crassifolium (and perhaps just a variety of it.)  V. sempervirens is endemic to Lexington County, SC and occurs only within about a two mile radius of Shealy Pond.  The aquatics in the pond are quite diverse.

 

References:

Kirkman, W.B., T.R. Wentworth & J.R. Ballington. 1989.  The ecology and phytosociology of the creeping blueberries, Vaccinium section Herpothamnus.  Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 116:114-133.

Kirkman, W.B. & J.R. Ballington. 1990.  Creeping Blueberries (Ericaceae: Vaccinium sect. Herpothamnus) - a new look at V. crassifolium including V. sempervirens.  Systematic Botany 15:679-699.

Rayner, D.A. and J. Henderson. 1980.  Vaccinium sempervirens (Ericaceae), a new species from Atlantic white cedar bogs in the sandhills of South Carolina.  Rhodora 82:503-507.

 

Species List:

 

Dry, upland sites

 

Trees

Juniperus virginianus

Pinus palustris

Pinus taeda

Quercus laevis

Quercus margaretta

Quercus marilandica

Quercus stellata

Sassafras albidum

 

Shrubs and vines

Ceratiola ericoides

Opuntia humifusa

Vaccinium arboreum

Vaccinium stamineum

Vaccinium tenellum

 

Herbs

Aristida lanosa

Aristida tuberculosa

Aureolata pectinata

Baptisia tincoria

Carex tenax

Chrysopsis gossypina

Krigia biflora

Lespedeza capitata

Minuartia caroliniana

Selaginella arenicola

Stipulicida setacea

 

 

Seepage slope and pond

 

Trees

Acer rubrum tridens

Chamaecyparis thyoides

Gordonia lasianthus

Juniperus virginianus

Magnolia virginiana

Nyssa biflora

Persea palustris

Pinus serotina

 

Shrubs and vines

Alnus serrulata

Aronia arbutifolia

Clethera alnifolia

Cyrilla racemoiflora

Gaylussacia frondosa

Gelsemium sempervirens

Ilex coriacea

Ilex glabra

Lyonia lucida

Myrica heterophylla

Rhododendron viscosum

Smilax rotundifolia

Smilax glauca

Styrax americana

Toxicodendron vernix

Vaccinium sempervirens

Vaccinium atrococcum

Viburnum nudatum

Vitis rotundifolia

 

Herbs

Allium sp.

Andropogon virginicus

Andropogon gyrans

Arundinaria gigantea tecta

Asplenium platyneuron

Aster novi-belgii

Bacopa caroliniana

Bartonia capitata

Brasenia schreberi

Burmannia biflora

Carex glaucescens

Carex leptalea

Carex tenax

Drosera capillaris

Drosera intermedia

Drosera rotundifolia

Dulichium arundinaceum

Eleocharis robbinsii

Erianthus giganteus

Eriocaulon compressum

Eryngium integrifolium

Fuirena squarrosa

Goodyera pubescens

Hypericum canadensis

Hypericum mutilum

Hypericum perforatum

Juncus biflorus

Lachnocaulon anceps

Lobelia pubera

Lobelia sp.

Lycopodium appressum

Lycopodium caroliniana

Lycopus cokeri

Mayaca aubletii

Myriophyllum sp.

Nuphar adventa

Nymphaea odorata

Nymphoides cordata

Onoclea sensibilis

Orontium aquaticum

Osmunda cinnamonea

Osmunda regalis

Peltandra virginica

Platanthera clavellata

Polygala lutea

Proserpinaca pectinata

Pteridium aquilinum pseudocaudatum

Rhyncospora spp.

Sarracenea flava

Sarracenia purpurea

Sarracenia rubra

Sarracenia x catesbyana

Scirpus etuberculatus

Scirpus subterminalis

Solidago patula strictula

Sparganium americanum

Tipularia discolor

Utricularia cornuta

Utricularia juncea

Woodwardia areolata

Xyris sp.

 

 

Peach Tree Rock

 

Location: Lexington County, SC; Pelion East Quadrangle.

 

Significance:  One of the few preserved longleaf pine areas in the sandhill south of Columbia.  While the site, like all others, has a history of fire suppression, the Nature Conservancy has been aggressively reintroducing growing-season fire.  Nice examples of Vaucluse soils with Kalmia thickets.  Some Ceratiola occurs on the dry sandy uplands.

 

Species List:

 

*Amsonia ciliata

Andropogon sp.

*Aronia arbutifolia

Arundinaria gigantea tecta

Asclepias sp.

Asplenium platyneuron

Aster sp.

Baptisia sp.

*Bonamia sp.

*Carphephorus

Carya palida

Calycanthus florida

Carex debilis

Carex folliculata australis

Carex nigromarginata

Carya pallida

*Ceanothus sp.

Ceratiola ericoides

Cheilanthes tomentosa

Chimaphila maculata

Chionanthus virginicus

Clethera alnifolia

Coreopsis verticillata

*Crataegus sp.

*Cuscata sp.

Danthonia sericea

*Desmodium sp.

Diospyrus virginicus

*Epigaea repens

*Eriogonum tomentosum

*Eupatorium sp.

Euphorbia corollata

*Galactia sp.

*Galax aphylla

*Gaylussacia sp.

*Gelsemium sempervirens

*Gnaphalium sp.

*Gordonia lasianthus

*Gymnopogon sp.

*Hamamelis virginiana

Hexastylis sp.

Hieracium cenosum

Hypericum lloydii

Iris verna verna

Kalmia latifolia

*Leiophyllum buxifolium

*Liatris sp.

*Liquidambar styraciflua

*Lespedeza sp.

Liquidambar styraciflua

Lupinus diffusus

Lysimachia quadrifolia

Magnolia virginiana

Marshallia sp.

Mitchella repens

Minuartia caroliniana

Monotropa uniflora

*Nyssa sylvatica

Opuntia humifusa

Passiflora lutea

Penstemon sp.

*Persea palustris

Pinus palustris

Pleopeltis polypodioides

Polygonella polygama

Prunus serotina alabamense

Pteridium aquilinum pseudocaudata

Quercus falcata

Quercus hemispherica

Quercus laevis

Quercus incana

Quercus marilandica

Quercus velutina

Satureja georgia

*Schrankia sp.

*Scutellaria sp.

Selaginella rupestris

Silphium compositum

Smilax ecirrhata hugeri

*Solidago sp.

Sporobolus junceus

Symplocos tinctoria

*Tephrosa sp.

Toxicodendron pubescens

*Tradescantia sp.

Vaccinium stamineum

Vaccinium tenellum

Viburnum acerifolium

Woodsia obtusa

*Yucca sp.

 

 

Camassia Flat

 

Location: York County, SC; Lowrys and Edgemoor Quadrangles; 34ĝ50'00"N, 81ĝ07'30"W.

 

Significance:  Camassia flats is in the center of a region underlain by Gabbro which has weathered to calcareous shink-swell clays.  The entire region was keep as open grassy savanna in presettlement times, but grew up to woodland by 1800 as a consequence of fire suppression.  Camassia flats is the best example of the moist or meadow flats of this prairie or savanna region and still contains many species of midwestern prairie affinities.  In the wet seasons the soils become very sticky and hard to work; they belong ot the Iredell or Elbert series (Hapludalfs) in theory, but seem much more like vertisols than the more "normal" Iredell soils of mafic piedmont sites.  Camassia scilloides is the most famous species present and is known from only two other sites in the Carolinas (the best known being Camassia slopes on the Roanoke bluffs).  Camassia and Zephyranthes atamasco can dominate the aspect in the spring months.  Another rare prairie herb present is Ranunculus fascicularis, which is not presently known to occur elsewhere in the Carolinas.  This is the only site in SC for Scutellaria parvula and the second site for Carex laxiculmis.  The abundance of Quercus bicolor and Q. palustris is also peculiar to wettish mafic soils that probably supported oak savannas in presettlement landscape.

 

Species List:

 

Trees

Acer barbatum

Acer negundo

Carya carolinae-septentrionalis

Carya ovata

Celtis canadensis

Cornus florida

Fraxinus pensylvanica

Gleditsia tricanthos

Juniperus virginiana

Liquidambar styraciflua

Morus rubra

Prunus serotina

Quercus bicolor

Quercus michauxii

Quercus palustris

Quercus phellos

Quercus shumardii

Quercus stellata

Ulmus alata

Ulmus americana

Ulmus rubra

 

Shrubs and vines

Campsis radicans

Clematis viorna

Euonymous americana

Hypericum hypericoides

Lonicera japonica

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Rhamnus caroliniana

Rubus sp.

Symphoricarpos orbiculatus

Toxicodendron radicans

Viburnum prunifolium

Vitis sp.

 

Herbs

Agrimonia parviflora

Schoenolirion bivalve

Allium canadense

Aspenium platyneuron

*Aster dumosus

Aster sp.

Botrychium sp.

*Callitriche heterophylla

Camassia scilloides

Cardamine rhomboidea

Cardamine douglassii

Carex blanda

Carex caroliniana/complanata

Carex cephalophora

Carex debilis

Carex flaccosperma

Carex oxylepis

Casmanthium latifolium

*Cinna sp.

Claytonia virginica

Eleocharis flavescens/olivacea

Galium aparine

Galium obtusum filifolium

Galium tinctorium

Galium triflorum

Geum canadense

Geum laciniata

Houstonia caerulea

Hypericum hypericoides

Isoetes engelmannii/melanopoda

Lysimachia ciliata

Melanthium virginicum

Melica mutica

Oxalis acetosella

Phlox nivalis hentzii

Polygonatum biflorum

Potentilla simplex

Prunella vulgaris

Ranunculus abortivus

*Ranunculus fascicularis

*Ruellia carolinensis

Sanicula sp.

Saxifraga virginiensis

Scutellaria parvula

Sisyrinchium mucronatum

Smilax herbacea

Solidago sp.

*Taenidia integerrima

*Viola septemloba

Viola sororia/papilionacea

Zephyranthes atamasco

 

 

Rock Hill Barrens

 

Location: York County, SC; Rock Hill West Quadrangle; 34ĝ55'N, 91ĝ01'W.

 

Significance:  Little is left of the once extensive upland prairies that covered the gabbro soils of much of York County SC and adjacent Mechlenberg Co, NC.  By 1800 most of these prairies had grown up to blackjack woodlands owing to fire suppression; the only places where the prairie flora could persist were characterized by extremely shallow soils.  Today, the best remaining examples are at Rocky Hill, SC.  Much of the "hill" has been quarried away for the gabbro, but the state of SC has within the past year purchased a large tract of the remaining land.  Numerous rarities occur in the open glades over these calcareous soils.  During the summer one sees vast populations of Silphium terebinthinaceum, and rarities like Lobelia siphilitica which is not currently known from any other sites in the Carolinas (though there is one historical record from Rockingham County).  No species list is currently available to us, though John Nelson has collected extensively at the site and can be consulted for further information.

 

 

 

Flat Creek Dike

 

Location: Lancaster County, SC; Taxahaw Quadrangle; 34ĝ39'20"N, 80ĝ31'10"W.

 

Significance:  An exceptionally rich mesic forest occurs along a diabase dike.  Radford described it as the most impressive in the Carolinas before it was logged in 1957.   Rarities include Caulophylum thalictroides (only site in SC), Euonymous atropurpureus (only site in SC), Trillium cernuum (only here and Stevens Creek in SC) and Phlox stolonifera (three sites in the Carolina piedmont.

 

Species List:

 

Trees:

Acer leucoderme

Acer negundo

Cornus florida

Fraxinus americana

Liquidambar styraciflua

Platanus occidentalis

Quercus muehlenbergii

Ulmus american

 

Shrubs and Vines:

Aesculus sylvatica

Arundinaria gigantea tecta

Bignonia capreolata

Euonymous atropurpureus

Lonicera japonica

Parthenocissus quiquefolia

Sambucus canadensis

Staphylea trifolia

 

Herbs:

Actaea sp.

Amsonia tabernaemontana

Arisaema triphyllum triphyllum

Asarum canadense

Botrychium virginianum

Carex blanda

Caulophyllum thalictroides

Clematis cirginiana

Collinsonia canadensis

Corydalis flavula

Cynoglossum virginianum

Dentaria lacinata

Duchesnia indica

Erythronium americanum

Festuca obtusa

Fragaria virginiana

Galium aparine

Galium triflorum

Geranium maculatum

Geum canadense

Hexastylis sp.

Hybanthus concolor

Osmorhiza longistylis

Panax quiquefolium

Phacelia maculata

Phlox stolonifera

Podophyllum peltatum

Polygonatum biflorum

Polystichium acrostichoides

Rudbeckia laciniata

Sanguinaria canadensis

Sanicula gregaria

Senecio glabellus

Smilax herbacea

Stellaria pubera

Tiarella cordifolia

Tovaria virginiana

Trillium cernuum

Valerianella sp.

Viola tripartita

 

 

Forty Acre Rock

 

Location: Lancaster County, SC; Taxahaw Quadrangle; 34ĝ40'05"N, 80ĝ31'40"W.

 

Significance:  Forty Acre Rock is the most extensive flatrock exposure in the eastern piedmont of South Carolina.  The outcrop covers 5.6 ha and is part of the 581 ha Flat Creek Heritage Preserve.  A number of the classic flatrock endemics are present, though the area has been damaged by decades of recreational activity.

 

References:

Huntley, D. 1939.  A survey of vegetation of Forty-acre Rock, Lancaster County, South Carolina.  Master's Thesis, Duke University.

 

Species List:

 

Agrostis hyemalis

Amsonia tabernaemontana

Arabis missouriensis

Carex styloflexa

Desmodium rotundifolium

Diamorpha smallii

Erythronium americanum

Fragaria virginiana

Heuchera sp.

Hypericum lloydii?

Juncus georgiana?

Luzula echinata

Minuartia uniflora

Minuartia glabra

Nothoscordium bivalve

Phacelia maculata

Phlox nivalis hentzii

Prunus serotina

Quercus prinus

Scirpus koilolepis

Scleria triglomerata

Sedum pusillum

Senecio tomentosus

Silene caroliniana

Piptochaetium avenacea

Trillium catesbaei

Viburnum prunifolium

Viola pedata

 

 

 

Rocky River Bluffs

 

Location:  Stanley County, NC; 35ĝ10'00"N, 80ĝ24'20"W

 

Site: Calcareous steep bluffs and cliffs of argillite (Carolina slate) along the Rocky River support an unusual cliff flora.  The nearby Rock Hole Creek area is a sandly alluvial community with a rich herb community. 

 

Significance:  The most interesting plant is Pellaea wrightiana which occurs here and at Little Joe Mountain in Alexander County, and is otherwise disjunct from Oklahoma and point farther west. Also on the cliff are more common ferns like Cheilanthes lanosa and C. tomentosa.  Several large specimens of Acer leucoderme occur along the cliff.  Among other interesting plants found in the Rock Hole Creek bottoms are Dodecatheon meadia, Anemone lanceifolia and Ophioglossum virginiana.