Print Report
CEGL003840 Morella cerifera / Hydrocotyle verticillata Wet Shrubland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Wax-myrtle / Whorled Marsh-pennywort Wet Shrubland
Colloquial Name: Wax-myrtle Wet Shrubland
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This tall wet shrubland of sheltered maritime backdunes is restricted to the mid-Atlantic states. Although the hydrologic regime of this shrubland is somewhat variable, it is influenced by a shallow water table and surface water may be present in pools. A shallow to moderately deep layer of muck usually characterizes the soil profile. This community can form dense wet thickets, particularly in more protected areas. The vegetation is strongly dominated by tall, treelike shrub growth of Morella cerifera, with associates including Baccharis halimifolia, Rosa palustris, and Acer rubrum saplings occurring at very low cover. Shrubs may reach heights of 6 m and appear tree-like in their growth form. Herbaceous vegetation can be quite lush and diverse. Common herbs include Hydrocotyle verticillata, Hydrocotyle umbellata, Chasmanthium laxum, Woodwardia areolata, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Carex longii, Leersia virginica, Polygonum pensylvanicum, Boehmeria cylindrica, Calystegia sepium, Ludwigia palustris, Juncus canadensis, Ptilimnium capillaceum, Lycopus americanus, Galium obtusum, Samolus valerandi ssp. parviflorus, Pluchea odorata, Mikania scandens, Vitis rotundifolia, and Polygonum pensylvanicum. Toxicodendron radicans can be very common and constitutes a large portion of the understory cover. This community can be prone to invasion by Phragmites australis.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: The classification of maritime shrublands dominated by Morella cerifera is murky and requires further data for clarification.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: This community is a dense wet thicket, particularly in more protected areas. The vegetation is strongly dominated by tall, tree-like shrub growth of Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera), with associates including Baccharis halimifolia, Rosa palustris, and Acer rubrum saplings occurring at very low cover. Shrubs may reach heights of 6 m and appear treelike in their growth form. Herbaceous vegetation can be quite lush and diverse. Common herbs include Hydrocotyle verticillata, Hydrocotyle umbellata, Chasmanthium laxum, Woodwardia areolata, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Carex longii, Leersia virginica, Polygonum pensylvanicum, Boehmeria cylindrica, Calystegia sepium, Ludwigia palustris, Juncus canadensis, Ptilimnium capillaceum, Lycopus americanus, Galium obtusum, Samolus valerandi ssp. parviflorus (= Samolus parviflorus), Pluchea odorata, Mikania scandens, Vitis rotundifolia, and Polygonum pensylvanicum. Toxicodendron radicans can be very common and constitutes a large portion of the understory cover. This community can be prone to invasion by Phragmites australis.
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: This association occurs on sheltered maritime backdunes where there is a shallow water table or surface water. Soils are shallow to moderately deep muck.
Geographic Range: Currently this association is described from Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: DE, MD, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.685112
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass | S44 | 2.C |
| Formation | 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation | F013 | 2.C.4 |
| Division | 2.C.4.Ne Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division | D322 | 2.C.4.Ne |
| Macrogroup | 2.C.4.Ne.2 Beaksedge species - Spikerush species - Panicgrass species Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Prairie & Marsh Macrogroup | M067 | 2.C.4.Ne.2 |
| Group | 2.C.4.Ne.2.f Northern & Mid-Atlantic Coastal Wetland Group | G752 | 2.C.4.Ne.2.f |
| Alliance | A3649 <i>Morella cerifera - Persea palustris - Salix caroliniana</i> Maritime Scrub Swamp Alliance | A3649 | 2.C.4.Ne.2.f |
| Association | CEGL003840 Wax-myrtle / Whorled Marsh-pennywort Wet Shrubland | CEGL003840 | 2.C.4.Ne.2.f |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Mesic shrub zone (Higgins et al. 1971) [Assateague Island.]
< Shrub succession community (Hill 1986) [Assateague Island.]
< Swamp thicket (Klotz 1986) [Virginia.]
< Thicket community (Boule 1979) [Virginia.]
< Shrub succession community (Hill 1986) [Assateague Island.]
< Swamp thicket (Klotz 1986) [Virginia.]
< Thicket community (Boule 1979) [Virginia.]
- Bartgis, R. 1986. Natural community descriptions. Unpublished draft. Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis.
- Berdine, M. A. 1998. Maryland vegetation classification. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis, MD.
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- Coxe, R. 2009. Guide to Delaware vegetation communities. Spring 2009 edition. State of Delaware, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Delaware Natural Heritage Program, Smyrna.
- Eastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boston, MA.
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- Harrison, J. W., compiler. 2004. Classification of vegetation communities of Maryland: First iteration. A subset of the International Classification of Ecological Communities: Terrestrial Vegetation of the United States, NatureServe. Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis. 243 pp.
- Higgins, E. A. T., R. D. Rappleye, and R. G. Brown. 1971. The flora and ecology of Assateague Island. University of Maryland Experiment Station Bulletin A-172. 70 pp.
- Hill, S. R. 1986. An annotated checklist of the vascular flora of Assateague Island (Maryland and Virginia). Castanea 5:265-305.
- Klotz, L. H. 1986. The vascular flora of Wallops Island and Wallops Mainland, Virginia. Castanea 51:306-326.
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- Sneddon, L., J. Menke, A. Berdine, E. Largay, and S. Gawler. 2017. Vegetation classification and mapping of Assateague Island National Seashore. Natural Resource Report NPS/ASIS/NRR--2017/1422. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 512 pp.
- TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. 1995c. NBS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program: Vegetation classification of Assateague Island National Seashore. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Eastern Regional Office, Boston, MA.
- TNC [The Nature Conservancy]. 1997a. Vegetation classification of Assateague Island National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Report to the NBS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. The Nature Conservancy. Eastern Regional Office, Boston, MA.