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A Preliminary Study of the Shinnery in Oklahoma

1960; Southwestern Association of Naturalists; Volume: 5; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/3669506

1943-6262

V. E. Wiedeman, Wm. T. Penfound,

Seedling growth and survival studies

Shinnery is scattered throughout the western third of Oklahoma principally on coarse soils derived from materials of the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs. It occurs on sandy soils (Brownfield and Nobscott series) throughout the mixed prairie and short grass plains in a region of low precipitation (20 in. to 25 in.). The most common species is Havardi, although Q. stellata, Q. Margaretta and Q. Mohriana are present. The shinnery constitutes an oak population of extreme hybridity with Q. Havardi x Q. stellata being the most common hybrids. Most stands of shinnery are two to four feet high, although the height may vary from one to 40 feet. Since no germination of acorns was observed, it is assumed that reproduction is accomplished largely by rhizomes. Fire is utilized to control the height of the shin oaks and to promote an increase in forage whereas the herbicide, 2,4,5-T, when used for three successive years, eliminates much of the shinnery. Early explorers in western Oklahoma commented on areas of dwarf oaks and several shrubs, variously designated as chaparral, shin oak or shinnery (Gregg, 1839; Marcy, 1853 and others). The term shinnery, which is employed in this discussion, is derived from the French word cheniere. Shinnery does not refer to dwarf oaks which are about shin-high as is generally believed. Shinnery is a vegetation type which comprises diminutive oaks (shin oaks) from two to four feet tall with islands (mottes), of the same shin oak species, up to twenty feet above the general level of the stand (Fig. 1). In his report on 'The Vegetation of Oklahoma', Bruner (1931) states that the chaparral . . is represented in the central part of western Oklahoma by communities of the 'shin oak'. According to Bruner, the shin oaks include Quercus mohriana, Q. stellata palmeri, Q. stellata rufescens, and Q. vaseyana ... In addition, the shinnery often comprises Artemisia filifolia, Rhus trilobata, Celtis reticulata, Cornus drummondii, and Prunus angustifolia. According to Duck and Fletcher (1948) a total of 1173 square miles of the shinnery-grassland type occurs in western Oklahoma, principally in Woodward, Ellis, Roger Mills, Beckham, and Harmon Counties. This study was limited to Oklahoma only. It includes the area from * Nomenclature follows Waterfall's catalogue of the flora of Oklahoma.