Mainly Natural Azonal Mapped Types
Azonal types are those types that are widespread and not particularly characteristic of any region or naturally occurring vegetation type. This may be due to disturbance, where wide ranging species adapted to disturbed conditions predominate. In other areas, land management may have resulted in invasion of widespread species such as juniper or mesquite. Azonal types may also be used to refer to general physiognomic types that are not ascribable to particular naturally occurring systems.
Ecological Mapping Systems
Barren
This type includes areas where little or no vegetative cover existed at the time of image data collection. Large areas cleared for development are included, as well as rural roads and buildings and associated clearing in primarily rural areas. Stream beds with exposed gravel or bedrock, rock outcrops, quarries, and mines may be mapped as this type. Fallow fields or areas within cropland blocks that remain barren throughout one growing season or heavily grazed pastures where bare soils are dominant may also be mapped as barren.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
Invasive: Evergreen Shrubland
A variety of mainly disturbance shrublands with species such as Acacia farnesiana (huisache), Baccharis spp. (baccharis), Rosa bracteata (Macartney rose), Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow)(north), Ilex vomitoria (yaupon), Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), Ziziphus obtusifolia (lotebush), Zanthoxylum fagara (colima)(south), Celtis ehrenbergiana (granjeno)(south), and Condalia hookeri (brasil)(south) characterize this type. Sparse tree cover with species such as Quercus fusiformis (plateau live oak), Quercus virginiana (coastal live oak), Quercus nigra (water oak)(north), Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry), and Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm) may also occur.
Distribution Map
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Marsh
Areas mapped as marsh are small, and consist of wet or alternately wet and dry soils with herbaceous vegetation. These are often near tanks or ponds, and may contain Typha spp. (cattails), Eleocharis spp. (spikerushes), Schoenoplectus spp. (bulrushes), other sedges, Polygonum spp. (smartweeds) and grasses such as Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass) or Cynodon dactylon (bermudagrass) as important species. Some shrubs such as Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush) and Salix nigra (black willow) may be important in this mapped type.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Copper Breaks State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Arrowhead State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife
- Possum Kingdom State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Twin Butte Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Mud Flat
This mapped type is essentially unvegetated at the time of data collection, but annual variation in storm events and precipitation influence the ability of these low areas to support vegetation.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Native Invasive: Baccharis Shrubland
This type is mapped on salty or sandy soils and Baccharis spp. (baccharis), Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), Tamarix spp. (salt cedars), and Iva frutescens (shrubby sumpweed) are the most common dominants. Other shrubs may include Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow), Borrichia frutescens (sea ox-eye daisy), Rosa bracteata (Macartney rose), Forestiera acuminata (swamp privet), and Zanthoxylum fagara (colima), and grasses may include Spartina spartinae (Gulf cordgrass), Distichlis spicata (saltgrass), Cynodon dactylon (bermudagrass), and Sporobolus indicus (rat-tail smutgrass).
Distribution Map
Photos
Native Invasive: Catclaw Shrubland
Invasive shrublands often dominated by Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera (catclaw mimosa), Acacia constricta (whitethorn acacia), and/or Parthenium incanum (mariola).
Distribution Map
Photos
Native Invasive: Common Reed
Areas mapped within this type are often dominated by nearly pure stands of Phragmites australis (common reed) on formerly disturbed soils.
Distribution Map
Public Land Occurrence
- Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife Service
- J. D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lower Neches Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Tony Houseman Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Native Invasive: Deciduous - Juniper Woodland
Woodlands, typically of disturbed sites, sharing dominance between Juniperus spp. (junipers) and deciduous species such as Celtis laevigata var. reticulata (netleaf hackberry), Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii (western soapberry), Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), and the non-native Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm).
Distribution Map
Native Invasive: Deciduous Shrubland
A variety of shrubs and generally small or sparse deciduous trees may be important in this successional type that was mapped on non-prairie soils. Important species may include Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry), Quercus nigra (water oak), Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow, south), Ilex vomitoria (yaupon), Baccharis spp. (baccharis), Rubus trivialis (southern dewberry), Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), Quercus falcata (southern red oak), Ulmus alata (winged elm), or Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm). Small pine trees may be present in young, managed plantations.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Native Invasive: Deciduous Woodland
This broadly-defined type may have Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry), Quercus nigra (water oak), Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm), Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), Ulmus alata (winged elm), Ilex vomitoria (yaupon), Acacia farnesiana (huisache), Fraxinus spp. (ashes), or Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite) among the dominants. To the south and west, species such as Celtis ehrenbergiana (granjeno), Zanthoxylum fagara (colima), and Diospyros texana (Texas persimmon) are more common. Quercus stellata (post oak), Quercus virginiana (coastal live oak), and Quercus fusiformis (plateau live oak) may be important. Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar) and Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) may also be present.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Aquilla Lake: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Cedar Hill State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Copper Breaks State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- E.V. Spence Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Fort Griffin State Historic Site: Texas Historical Commission
- Fort Richardson State Park and Historical Site: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Granger Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Lake Casa Blanca State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Colorado City State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Corpus Christi State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Lewisville Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Lake Whitney State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lavon Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Lipantitlan State Historic Site: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Matador Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- McKinney Roughs: Lower Colorado River Authority
- Navarro Mills Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- O.C. Fisher Reservoir: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Ray Roberts Lake State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- San Angelo State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Twin Butte Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Native Invasive: Huisache Woodland Or Shrubland
s broadly-defined type often has invasive shrubs or small tress such as Acacia farnesiana (huisache), Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry), Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm), Sideroxylon lanuginosum (gum bumelia), Quercus nigra (water oak), or Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow) among the dominants. Quercus fusiformis (plateau live oak) or Quercus virginiana (coastal live oak) may be present in the tree layer and other common species include Celtis ehrenbergiana (granjeno), Forestiera angustifolia (elbow bush), Acacia berlandieri (guajillo), Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri (Lindheimer pricklypear), Diospyros texana (Texas persimmon), and Rosa bracteata (Macartney rose).
Distribution Map
Photos
Native Invasive: Juniper Shrubland
Various species of Juniperus (juniper) dominate these shrublands. Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar) is the primary dominant of these shrublands or low woodlands in the Blackland Prairie, Post Oak Savanna, and far northern Crosstimbers ecoregions. To the west, on the Rolling Plains, Juniperus pinchotii (redberry juniper) may be the dominant. In other areas, Juniperus ashei (Ashe juniper) may dominate these shrublands. Other sites mapped as this type may be dominated by Ilex vomitoria (yaupon). A variety of deciduous species may also be present, including Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm), Ulmus alata (winged elm), Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry), Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), Quercus nigra (water oak), and Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite). To the east, sites dominated by young Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) may be mapped as this type.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Abilene State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Bastrop State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Big Bend Ranch State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Copper Breaks State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Devil's River State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- E.V. Spence Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Fort Griffin State Historic Site: Texas Historical Commission
- Garner State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Lake Colorado City State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Lewisville Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Lake Witney Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Matador Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Navarro Mills Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Possum Kingdom State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- San Angelo State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Twin Butte Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Native Invasive: Mesquite - Creosotebush Shrubland
Invasive shrublands dominated by Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite) and/or Larrea tridentata (creosotebush). Other species such as Flourensia cernua (tarbush), Parthenium incanum (mariola), Acacia constricta (whitethorn acacia), and Atriplex canescens (four-wing saltbush) are commonly encountered.
Distribution Map
Native Invasive: Juniper Woodland
This type may be dominated either by Juniperus ashei (Ashe juniper) in the northwest, over Edwards Plateau limestones, or by Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar) in the northeast and east, or Juniperus pinchotii (redberry juniper) to the northwest. Quercus fusiformis (plateau live oak) is a common component, and species such as Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry) and Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm) occur throughout. Quercus stellata (post oak) and Ilex vomitoria (yaupon) are commonly associated with Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar).
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Abilene State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Caddo National Grasslands Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Canyon Of The Eagles - A Calibre Resort
- Fort Griffin State Historic Site: Texas Historical Commission
- Garner State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park: US National Park Service
- Inks Lake State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Whitney Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Lavon Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Matador Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- McKinney Falls State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- San Angelo State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Native Invasive: Mesquite Shrubland
Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite) is often the dominant species of this broadly-defined type, but species such as Acacia farnesiana (huisache), Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry), Juniperus ashei (Ashe juniper), Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm), Ziziphus obtusifolia (lotebush), Mahonia trifoliolata (agarito), Ulmus alata (winged elm), Rhus spp. (sumacs), Condalia hookeri (brasil), Diospyros virginiana (common persimmon), Diospyros texana (Texas persimmon), Celtis ehrenbergiana (granjeno), and Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri (Lindheimer pricklypear) may also be important. Trees such as Quercus fusiformis (plateau live oak), Quercus virginiana (coastal live oak), or Quercus stellata (post oak) may form a sparse canopy.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Abilene State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Amistad National Recreation Area: US National Park Service
- Aquilla Lake: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Belton Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Big Bend National Park: US National Park Service
- Copper Breaks State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Davis Mountains State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- E.V. Spence Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Fort Griffin State Historic Site: Texas Historical Commission
- Fort Richardson State Park and Historical Site: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Garner State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Granger Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park: US National Park Service
- Hords Creek Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Independence Creek Preserve: The Nature Conservancy
- Kerr Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Arrowhead State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Brownwood State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Casa Blanca State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Colorado City State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Corpus Christi State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife
- Matador Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Navarro Mills Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Possum Kingdom State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Ray Roberts Lake State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- San Angelo State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Twin Butte Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Native Invasive: Mesquite Woodland
Areas where Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite) has invaded and grown to tree stature to dominate the canopy.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
Native Invasive: Pricklypear
This type is only mapped on disturbed soils and may contain species such as Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), Acacia farnesiana (huisache), Celtis ehrenbergiana (granjeno), and Zanthoxylum fagara (colima) as well as Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri (Lindheimer pricklypear) among the dominants.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Native Invasive: Sand Sagebrush Shrubland
Shrublands dominated by Artemisia filifolia (sand sagebrush), usually in overgrazed and/or fire suppressed prairie soils. This species occupying deep sands would likely be mapped as Western Great Plains Sandhill Steppe (CES303.671).
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Native Invasive: Yucca - Succulent Shrubland
Canopy dominated by shrub or succulent species such as Yucca glauca (narrowleaf yucca), Cylindropuntia imbricata (tree cholla), or Opuntia spp. (pricklypear).
Distribution Map
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Non-Native Invasive: Chinese Tallow Forest, Woodland, and Shrubland
More or less dense stands of Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow) characterize this type, which is generally mapped over prairie soils, but a diversity of mainly invasive deciduous shrublands and sparse woodlands are circumscribed. Other component species may include Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), Acacia farnesiana (huisache), Baccharis spp. (baccharis), Rosa bracteata (Macartney rose), Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm), Quercus nigra (water oak), Ligustrum sinense (Chinese privet), and Ilex vomitoria (yaupon). Sparse tree cover with Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry), Quercus nigra (water oak), Quercus phellos (willow oak), Quercus fusiformis (plateau live oak), Quercus virginiana (coastal live oak), Pinus taeda (loblolly pine), and Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum) may be present.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Non-Native Invasive: Elm - Olive Woodland
This woodland typically occupies sites that do not naturally support woodland, but they may occur in floodplains or riparian sites as well. This type is often found on fence rows, home sites, and shelterbelt plantings typically of the High Plains and Rolling Plains. It is often dominated by Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) and Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive), though Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite) and Celtis spp. (hackberries) may also be present.
Distribution Map
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Non-Native Invasive: Rose Shrubland
Rosa bracteata (Macartney rose) is the most common dominant of this type, but a variety of mainly invasive shrub types may occur, including species such as Acacia farnesiana (huisache), Baccharis spp. (baccharis), Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow), Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry), Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm), and Ilex vomitoria (yaupon). Sparse tree cover with species such as Quercus fusiformis (plateau live oak), Quercus virginiana (coastal live oak), Quercus nigra (water oak), Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry), and Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) may also occur.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
Non-Native Invasive: Salt Cedar Shrubland
Mainly invasive shrublands are characteristic of this type and Tamarix spp. (salt cedars) is the most common dominant. Species such as Iva frutescens (shrubby sumpweed), Baccharis spp. (baccharis), Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), Acacia farnesiana (huisache), Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry), and Borrichia frutescens (sea ox-eye daisy) may also be present.
Distribution Map
Photos
Open Water
In addition to large lakes, rivers, and marine water, ephemeral ponds may be mapped as open water. Some mapped areas may support vegetation with pioneering species such as Salix nigra (black willow), Populus deltoides (eastern cottonwood), Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow), Suaeda spp. (seepweeds), Borrichia frutescens (sea ox-eye daisy), Batis maritima (saltwort), Juncus spp. (rushes), sedges, Typha spp. (cattails), and Eleocharis spp. (spikerushes).
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Big Bend National Park: US National Park Service
- Big Bend Ranch State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Black Gap Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Copper Breaks State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Davis Mountains State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Fort Richardson State Park and Historical Site: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park: US National Park Service
- Lake Arrowhead State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lake Colorado City State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Possum Kingdom State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Sierra Diablo Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Twin Butte Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Pineywoods: Disturbance Or Tame Grassland
This grass dominated vegetation type occurs within a landscape that would naturally be dominated by forest or woodland. Natural occurrences would be short-lived following natural disturbances, such as fire. The predominant cover often consists of non-native grass species such as Cynodon dactylon (bermudagrass), Paspalum notatum (Bahia grass), Lolium perenne (Italian ryegrass), Schedonorus phoenix (tall fescue), and/or Bromus catharticus (rescuegrass). However, native grasses such as Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) and Andropogon virginicus (broomsedge bluestem) may also have significant cover. Various forbs and some woody species may also be present. These sites will develop significant woody cover in the absence of active management.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- None.
South Texas: Disturbance Grassland
A variety of mainly heavily grazed grasslands, including managed exotic pastures, are circumscribed within this type. Common dominant species include Cynodon dactylon (bermudagrass), Dichanthium annulatum (Kleberg bluestem), Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica (King Ranch bluestem), Pennisetum ciliare (buffelgrass), Panicum coloratum (kleingrass), Aristida spp. (threeawns), and Urochloa maxima (guineagrass). Shrubs and small trees such as Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite), Acacia farnesiana (huisache), Ziziphus obtusifolia (lotebush), and Celtis ehrenbergiana (granjeno) are common components.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
Swamp (Or Non-Riverine Swamp)
Typically forested, wet or alternately wet and dry soils at the upper ends of reservoirs, or on stock tanks or ponds. A variety of species, including Taxodium distichum (baldcypress), Ulmus americana (American elm), Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm), Salix nigra (black willow), Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak), and Quercus nigra (water oak), Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), or Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush) may be present.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Caddo National Grasslands Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Fort Worth Nature Center: Tarrant County
- Grapevine Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge: US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Lake Lewisville Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Lavon Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Ray Roberts Lake State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department