LOCATION CITRONELLE FLEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Hyperthermic, coated Lithic Quartzipsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Citronelle fine sand--on a nearly level crest of a forested flatwoods area (Colors are for moist soil).
A--0 to 2 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) fine sand; weak medium granular structure; very friable; few fine and medium roots; many fine interstitial pores; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--2 to 9 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/8) fine sand; weak medium granular structure; very friable; few fine and medium roots; many fine interstitial pores; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 14 inches thick)
R--9+ inches; hard limestone bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Citrus County, Florida; approximately 1.3 miles north of junction of U.S. Highway 19 and County Road 495, about 0.3 miles west of County Road 495 in Crystal River. SE 1/4, SW 1/4, Sec. 9, T. 18 S., R. 17 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness and depth to limestone bedrock ranges from 5 to 20 inches. Solution holes up to 50 inches deep and spaced at intervals of 1 to 3 meters may be present. Cobbles or stones, up to 15 percent, by volume, are present in some pedons. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to moderately alkaline in the A and Bw horizons.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5, and chroma of 3 to 6. Texture is sand or fine sand.
The Bw horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8. Texture is sand or fine sand.
A thin layer, commonly 2 inches thick and composed of soft limestone mixed with fine sand, is present in some pedons.
The R horizon is composed of limestone bedrock.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no known series in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Citronelle soils are on slightly elevated limestone ridges on young marine terraces and on the better drained crests of flats of the Gulf coastal lowlands. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. They formed in sandy marine deposits over limestone. The climate is humid subtropical. The average annual precipitation ranges from 52 to 60 inches and the average annual temperature ranges from 71 to 73 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Adamsville, Boca, Broward, Hallandale, and Redlevel soils. Adamsville, Broward, and Redlevel are on similar positions. In addition, Adamsville soils very deep and are uncoated in the control section. Broward soils are moderately deep to limestone and are uncoated. Redlevel soils are deep to limestone and are coated. The very poorly or poorly drained Boca and Hallandale soils are on adjacent lower flats and depressions. In addition, Boca soils have sandy surface and subsurface layers 20 to 40 inches in thickness, are moderately deep to limestone, and have argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; moderate to moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Citronelle soils are forested and used for wildlife habitat. Some areas have been developed for single family dwellings. The vegetation consists of cabbage palm and scattered slash pine and the understory is composed of pineland threeawn, fetterbush, grassleaf goldaster, chalky bluestem, creeping bluestem, panicum, lopsided indiangrass, switchgrass, and saw palmetto.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Citronelle soils are of small known extent and known to occur only along the Gulf coast of northern peninsular Florida.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Citrus County, Florida; 1985.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 2 inches (A horizon).
Bw horizon - the zone from 2 to 9 inches (Bw horizon).
Lithic contact - at a depth of 9 inches (R horizon).
These soils may be flooded during high storm surges of violent hurricanes.