The Vegetation of Vertical Rock Faces in Pickens and Greenville Counties, South Carolina

Rock face vegetation, that of ledges and crevices, occurring in the mountains of western South Carolina, was studied during the summer of 1976. Eleven precipitous granitic habitats were sought out and investigated using rappeling techniques. The data accumulated serve as baseline criteria for these lithophytic and chasmophytic communities, as nothing similar to this had been done in the South Carolina mountains and only a few studies have been carried out elsewhere. Fifty-three genera and sixty-three species were recorded. The principal dominants are Selaginella tortipila, Krigia montana, Danthonia spicata, and Panicum tennesseense. Their dominance was determined on the basis of percent frequency and density.