LOCATION FLO TX+LAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, siliceous, thermic Lamellic Paleudalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Flo loamy fine sand on a convex 1 percent slope in woodland.
(Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy fine sand; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable; many fine and medium roots; medium acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 21 inches thick)
E--6 to 17 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loamy fine sand; single grained; soft, very friable; many fine and medium roots; strongly acid; diffuse smooth boundary. (11 to 43 inches thick)
Bw--17 to 36 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loamy fine sand that contains common small spots of strong brown (7.5YR 5/6); single grained; soft, very friable; few fine and medium roots; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
Bt--36 to 53 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loamy fine sand with common strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) lamellae 5 to 15 mm thick and spaced 2 to 4 inches apart; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; lamellae have coated sand grains and some clay bridging; few fine roots; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
E and B--53 to 84 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/4) loamy fine sand (E), that contains common yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam (Bt) lamellae 5 to 20 mm thick; single grained; lamellae are massive; soft, very friable; lamellae have coated sand grains and some clay bridging; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Leon County, Texas; from intersection of U.S. Highway 79 and Farm Road 542 in Oakwood, 4.5 miles west on U.S. Highway 79; 1.5 miles south on county road; 350 feet east on trail; 15 feet north in woodland.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum is more than 60 inches thick. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid through medium acid throughout the profile. Base saturation at 72 inches ranges from 35 to 75 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 10YR, value of 3 to 6 and chroma of 2 to 6. Where value is less than 3.5, it is less than 10 inches thick. The texture of the A and E horizon is typically loamy fine sand, but includes fine sand. The E horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 10YR, value of 5 to 7 and chroma of 2 to 4.
The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 10YR, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 3 to 6. Randomly distributed pockets of uncoated sand grains range from few to common.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 10YR, value of 5 to 8 and chroma of 3 to 8. The texture is a loamy fine sand with a clay increase of 3 to 8 percent greater than the overlying E horizon. The horizon typically contains few to common lamella that have redder or browner colors.
The E portion of the E and B horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 10YR, value of 5 through 8 and chroma of 3 through 8. The B portion (lamellae) has hue of 5YR through 10YR, value of 4 through 6 and chroma of 4 through 8. The lamellae are loamy fine sand, or fine sandy loam. The composite thickness of individual lamella thicker than 1 cm ranges from 10 to 15 cm within a depth of 2 meters. The lamella are typically spaced from 2 to 10 inches apart.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bienville and Glenpool series in the same family and the similar Aquilla, Betis, Depcor, Eufaula, Larue, Pickton, Tonkawa and Wolfpen. Bienville soils have a seasonal water table at a depth of 4 to 6 feet, and are on stream terraces. Glenpool soils have cooler soil temperatures, have hues 5YR or redder, and have developed in Quarternary terrace deposits. Aquilla and Eufaula soils are drier for longer periods of time in the moisture control section. Betis soils have less than 35 percent base saturation. Depcor, Larue, and Wolfpen soils have sandy A horizons 20 to 40 inches thick overlying fine-loamy Bt horizons. Pickton soils have sandy A horizons more than 40 inches thick overlying fine-loamy Bt horizons. Tonkawa soils are sandy throughout and lack argillic horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Flo soils occupy broad gently sloping to sloping broad ridges in dissected uplands of the Coastal Plain. Slopes range from 1 to 8 percent but are mainly 2 to 5 percent. The soil formed in thick beds of sandy Coastal Plain sediments. Geology at the type location is Sparta Sand of the Tertiary age. The mean annual temperature ranges from about 64 to 68 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 38 to 50 inches, and Thornthwaite P-E indices range from 64 to 80. A summer rainfall ranges from 25 to 30 inches and the summer moisture deficit ranges from 4 to 6 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Larue, Pickton, Tonkawa and Wolfpen series and the Cuthbert series. Larue soils are on sideslopes. Pickton, Tonkawa and Wolfpen soils are on similar landscape positions. Cuthbert soils have clayey Bt horizons and are on slopes along drainageways.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; very slow runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for improved pastures and woodland. The principal trees are shortleaf pine, loblolly pine, southern red oak and post oak with an understory of grasses and shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Coastal Plains of East Texas, and possibly Louisiana. The series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Leon County, Texas 1985. The name is from a small community near the type location.
REMARKS: This soil was formerly included with the Betis series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 6 inches.
Argillic horizon - 36 to 53 inches.
ADDITIONAL: DATA: Base saturation at the type location was 75 percent by Hach Kit. Particle size data from type location is:
Horizons Inches Sand Silt Clay
E 6 - 17" 86.0 12.4 1.6
Bw 17 - 36" 84.0 11.4 3.6
Bt 36 - 53" 81.0 11.4 7.6