Natural Communities of North Georgia
  • Home
  • Piedmont
    • Piedmont Overview
    • Piedmont Mesic (Moist) Forests
    • PIedmont Oak-Pine-Hickory Forests
    • Piedmont Bottomland/Floodplain Forest
    • PIedmont Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Piedmont Prairies and Savannas (Upland)
    • Piedmont Wet Meadows and Marshes
    • Granite Outcrops
    • Piedmont Glades and Barrens
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Flatwoods (Upland Depression Swamps)
  • Blue Ridge
    • Blue Ridge Overview
    • Northern Hardwoods
    • Montane Oak Forests
    • Fertile Cove Forests
    • Acidic Cove Forests
    • Oak Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • High Elevation Outcrops
    • Mafic Dome Rock Outcrops
    • Rock Outcrops, Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Mountain Bogs
    • Seepage Wetlands
    • Spray Cliffs
    • Montane Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Cumberland Ridge & Valley
    • Cumberland Ridge & Valley Overview
    • Mesic Forests
    • Dry Calcareous Forests
    • Acidic Oak-Pine Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Calcareous (Cedar) Glades
    • Calcareous Cliffs
    • Calcareous Prairies and Barrens
    • Acidic Glades and Barrens
    • Acidic Cliffs and Outcrops
    • Flatwoods
    • Acidic Seepage Wetlands
    • Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Plant Adaptations to Deciduous Forests
  • Plant Adaptations to Rock Outcrops
  • Impact of Rock Type on Plant Composition

Mafic Dome Rock Outcrops

Mafic Domes are rock outcrops below 4,000 feet, on or or perhaps near mafic (high in magnesium, iron,and often calcium) rocks, such as amphibolite or hornblende gneiss.   There is usually in a mosaic of glades, barrens, and woodlands scattered over an expanse of rock. These outcrops will host many species not found on more acidic rock, and can harbor rare plants. 
Indicator species: An abundance of eastern red cedar, white ash, wafer-ash, and/or hickories is a good indication of mafic conditions.


What's special: The rock outcrops provide openings that offer great views of receding mountain ridges.  The additional nutrients in the bedrock, combined with the harsh conditions of the exposed rock enable interesting plant communities to develop.

Related communities:  At close to 4,000 feet, this natural community grades into and overlaps High Elevation Outcrops.  As nutrients decline, this community grades into Low to Mid Elevation Acidic Cliffs and Outcrops, and Pine-Oak Woodlands.  ​

​​
Learn MORE HERE about plant adaptations to rocky places.
  
​
​
Learn MORE HERE about rock types and their affect on plants.

Plants

Click on the highlighted plant names below for images.


​Trees
Pignut hickory  Carya glabra
White ash  Fraxinus americana
Eastern red cedar  Juniperus virginana
Shortleaf pine  Pinus echinata 
Virginia pine  Pinus virginiana
Rock chestnut oak  Quercus montana


Shrubs
Black chokeberry  Aronia melanocarpa
Fringe-tree  Chionanthus virginicus
Smooth hydrangea  Hydrangea arborescens
Shrubby St.-John's-wort  Hypericum prolificum
St. Andrew's cross  Hypericum stragulum
Wafer ash  Ptelea trifoliata
Smooth sumac  Rhus glabra
Coralberry  Symphoricarpos orbiculatus
Sparkleberry  Vaccinium arboreum
Deerberry 
Vaccinium stamineum

Ground Layer
Wildflowers
Harebell  Campanula divaricata
Hairy coreopsis Coreopsis pubescens
Creeping aster Eurybia surculosa
Narrowleaf sunflower Helianthus angustifolius
​
Appalachian sunflower Helianthus atrorubens
Hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
Roughleaf sunflower Helianthus strumosus 
Rock alumroot  Heuchera villosa
Cliff saxifrage  Hydatica petiolaris
Pineweed  Hypericum gentianoides
Mountain dwarf-dandelion  Krigia montana
Appalachian ragwort  Packera anonyma
Appalachian rock-pink  Phemeranthus teretifolius
​
Appalachian milkwort  Polygala curtissii
Glade knotweed  Polygonum tenue
Narrow-leaf white-topped aster  Sericocarpus linifolius
Licorice goldenrod  Solidago odora
Common clasping aster  
Symphyotrichum patens
​

Grasses
Big bluestem  Andropogon gerardii 
Common hairsedge  Bulbostylis capillaris
Common bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
Poverty oat-grass  Danthonia spicata
Little bluestem  Schizachyrium scoparium
Yellow Indiangrass  
Sorghastrum nutans
​

Ferns and Fern Allies
Hairy lipfern  Cheilanthes lanosa
Marginal woodfern  Dryopteris marginalis
Rock spikemoss  Selaginella rupestris
Blunt-lobed cliff fern  
Woodsia obtusa



Representative Trees in order by scientific name
Representative Shrubs in order by scientific name

Representative Ground Layer plants in order by scientific name

Picture

​Contents of this site are based on the book The Natural Communities of Georgia,

This site is a work in progress: comments and suggestions are welcome.  Email: ​[email protected]

  • Home
  • Piedmont
    • Piedmont Overview
    • Piedmont Mesic (Moist) Forests
    • PIedmont Oak-Pine-Hickory Forests
    • Piedmont Bottomland/Floodplain Forest
    • PIedmont Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Piedmont Prairies and Savannas (Upland)
    • Piedmont Wet Meadows and Marshes
    • Granite Outcrops
    • Piedmont Glades and Barrens
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Flatwoods (Upland Depression Swamps)
  • Blue Ridge
    • Blue Ridge Overview
    • Northern Hardwoods
    • Montane Oak Forests
    • Fertile Cove Forests
    • Acidic Cove Forests
    • Oak Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • High Elevation Outcrops
    • Mafic Dome Rock Outcrops
    • Rock Outcrops, Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Mountain Bogs
    • Seepage Wetlands
    • Spray Cliffs
    • Montane Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Cumberland Ridge & Valley
    • Cumberland Ridge & Valley Overview
    • Mesic Forests
    • Dry Calcareous Forests
    • Acidic Oak-Pine Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Calcareous (Cedar) Glades
    • Calcareous Cliffs
    • Calcareous Prairies and Barrens
    • Acidic Glades and Barrens
    • Acidic Cliffs and Outcrops
    • Flatwoods
    • Acidic Seepage Wetlands
    • Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Plant Adaptations to Deciduous Forests
  • Plant Adaptations to Rock Outcrops
  • Impact of Rock Type on Plant Composition