LOCATION MATILO TXEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, siliceous, active, thermic Grossarenic Paleustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Matilo sand--on a 4 percent slope in a coastal bermudagrass pasture. The elevation is 1765 feet at latitude 30 degrees, 47 minutes, 40 seconds N and longitude 99 degrees, 11 minutes, 10 seconds W. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; loose; common fine and medium roots; few siliceous pebbles less than 1 inch in diameter; medium acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 13 inches thick)
A--5 to 13 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; loose; few fine and medium roots; few siliceous pebbles less than 1 inch in diameter; medium acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 18 inches thick)
Ab--13 to 22 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; few fine and medium roots; few fine and medium pores; one 2-4 mm thick lamella near the surface, truncated in spots by the A horizon; common faint very thin lamellae throughout horizon; few siliceous pebbles less than 1 inch in diameter; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. ( 0 to 12 inches thick)
Eb1--22 to 37 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; few fine roots; few fine and medium pores; common faint very thin lamella and one distinct 4 to 10mm thick lamella; few angular sandstone fragments from 2-3 cm across; few siliceous pebbles less than 1 inch in diameter; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)
Eb2--37 to 46 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) loamy sand, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; few fine roots; few fine and medium pores; common faint very thin lamellae throughout horizon; few angular sandstone fragments from 1/2 to 2 inches across; few siliceous pebbles less than 1 inch in diameter; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
Btcb1--46 to 57 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; few medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/8) and common coarse distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable; few fine roots; many fine and medium pores; common patchy clay films on faces of prism; vertical prism faces have a 2 to 3 mm coating of light gray (10YR 7/2) sand grains; common coarse and very coarse iron manganese nodules; few siliceous pebbles less than 1 inch in diameter; neutral; clear irregular boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
Btcb2--57 to 62 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist, many coarse prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) vertically oriented mottles that make up 30 percent of matrix; mottles are somewhat harder than matrix; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable; few fine roots; many fine and medium pores; common patchy clay films on faces of prism; vertical prism faces have a 2 to 3 mm coating of light gray (10YR 7/2) sand grains; about 5 percent iron manganese nodules that are 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter; few siliceous pebbles less than 1 inch in diameter; neutral; clear irregular boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
BCtcb--62 to 73 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist, many coarse prominent light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) and many coarse distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) vertically oriented mottles that make up 30 percent of matrix; mottles are somewhat harder than matrix; weak very coarse prismatic parting to weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable; few fine roots; few fine pores; few patchy clay films on surface of ped and in pores; vertical prism faces have a 2 to 3 mm coating of light gray (10YR 7/2) sand grains; about 5 percent iron manganese nodules that are 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter; few siliceous pebbles less than 1 inch in diameter; neutral; clear irregular boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)
Cr--73 to 84 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) fractured weakly cemented sandstone with weakly consolidated spots which make up about 20 percent of the layer; many coarse prominent light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) and many coarse distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) streaks and mottles; few fine roots in the gray material; few black concretions from 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter.
TYPE LOCATION: Mason County, Texas; from intersection of Texas Highway 29 and Ranch Road 386 in Mason, 3.8 miles northeast on Ranch Road 386, 1.0 mile east and 0.9 mile northeast on county road to farmstead, 2400 feet north northeast of farmstead in coastal bermuda pasture.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum and depth to sandstone ranges from 60 to about 80 inches. The clay content of the control section ranges from 20 to 30 percent. Siliceous pebbles range from none to few throughout. The combined thickness of the A and E horizons ranges from 40 to 65 inches.
The A horizon has colors in hue of 7.5YR or 10YR with value of 5 to 7 and chroma of 3 or 4. The texture is loamy sand or sand. Reaction is medium acid or slightly acid unless limed. Some pedons have an Ab horizon with colors in hue of 7.5YR or 10YR with value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 3 or 4.
The E or Eb horizon have colors in hue of 7.5YR or 10YR with value of 6 to 8 and chroma of 2 to 4. The texture is loamy sand or sand. The reaction is medium acid or slightly acid unless limed.
The Bt or Btb horizon has colors in hue of 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR with value of 5 to 7 and chroma of 2 to 6. Mottles with colors in shades of red, yellow, brown or gray range from few to many. The texture is sandy clay loam or sandy loam. The reaction ranges from medium acid to neutral.
The BCt horizon has colors in hue of 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR with value of 5 to 7 and chroma of 2 to 6. Mottles with colors in shades of red, yellow, brown or gray range from few to many. Some pedons have a mottled matrix. The texture is sandy loam, or sandy clay loam. The reaction ranges from medium acid to neutral.
The Cr layer has colors mainly in shades of red, brown or yellow with hue of 5YR or 7.5YR with value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 2 to 6. It is weakly cemented sandstone bedrock with mottles, streaks and spots of weakly consolidated loamy material that make up 5 to 35 percent by volume.
COMPETING SERIES: These include the Catilla, Desan, Padina and Patilo series of the same family. These soils do not have paralithic contact of sandstone within 80 inches of the surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Matilo soils are on gently sloping uplands with plain or concave surfaces. Areas are along footslopes and narrow valleys below sandstone hills and ridges. Slope gradients are commonly 1 to 3 percent but range from 1 to 5 percent. The soil formed mainly in sandstone of the Hickory Formation. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 22 to 28 inches. Mean annual temperature ranges from 65 to 67 degrees F. Frost free period is 215 to 230 days and elevation ranges from 1,100 to 1,700 feet. Thornthwaite P-E Index ranges from 38 to about 44.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Campair, Loneoak, Nebgen and Oben soils. Campair soils have surfaces less than 20 inches thick and have convex surfaces. Loneoak soils have sandy surfaces 20 to 30 inches thick and low chroma mottles within 30 inches of the surface. They are on similar positions. Nebgen soils are very shallow and are above on hills and ridges. Oben soils are shallow and are above on hills and ridges.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, slow runoff, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for improved pasture and irrigated cropland. Peanuts is the main crop grown. Native vegetation consists mainly of blackjack oak and post oak with an understory of little bluestem, purpletop, sand lovegrass, red lovegrass, scribner panicum, fringeleaf panicum and greenbriar.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In the Central Basin of Texas. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES PROPOSED: Mason County Texas, 1989.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Llano County, Texas, 1991.
REMARKS: This soil was previously included with the Patilo series. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 13 inches.
Argillic horizon - 46 to 73 inches
Grossarenic features - Sand and loamy sand textures from a depth of 0 to 46 inches.
Paralithic contact - sandstone at depth of 73 inches
ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil Characterization Laboratory TAMU, Mason County, S89TX-319-01; Soil Mechanics Laboratory, 89TX-319-1-3.