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