LOCATION PELLEJAS PREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, subactive, isohyperthermic Typic Dystrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Pellejas clay loam - native pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam; moderate fine granular structure; firm, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many fine roots; many fine quartz grains; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
Bw1--5 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm, slightly sticky, plastic; many fine roots; common fine and few medium quartz grains; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bw2--11 to 15 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic, common fine roots; many fine quartz grains; many fine black (10YR 2/1) and white (10YR 8/1) specks; common medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) streaks and splotches; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizons range from 7 to 14 inches in thickness)
C--15 to 65 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loamy sand; single grained; very friable; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Sur SCD, Puerto Rico. Approximately 100 meters north of kilometer marker 44.5 of P.R. Highway No. 10.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 11 to 20 inches. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid throughout except where the surface has been limed.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is sandy clay loam or clay loam.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 3 or 4. Steaks and splotches in shades of brown range from none to common in the lower Bw horizons. Texture of the upper Bw horizons is loam or clay loam and loamy sand or sandy loam in the lower Bw horizons.
The BC horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. Steaks and splotches in shades of brown range from none to common. Texture is loamy sand or sandy loam.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. Steaks and splotches in shades of brown range from none to common. Texture is loamy sand or sandy loam.
COMPETING SERIES: There no other known series in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pellejas soils are on side slopes and narrow ridges. They formed in coarse textured residuum that weathered from plutonic rocks. The climate is humid tropical. Slopes range from 40 to 60 percent. The average annual temperature ranges from 76 to 78 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation ranges from 70 to 90 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Lirios soils. The well drained Lirios soils are on similar positions but have clayey argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for coffee and pasture. Vegetation consists of native and introduced species.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Humid uplands of Puerto Rico. The series is of large extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Raleigh, North Carolina.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ponce Survey Area, Puerto Rico; 1971.
REMARKS: The Pellejas soils were formerly classified in the Gray Brown Podzolic great soil group.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 5 inches (Ap horizon).
Cambic horizon - the zone from 5 to 15 inches (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons).