Print Report

CEGL006153 Typha (angustifolia, latifolia) - (Schoenoplectus spp.) Eastern Marsh

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: (Narrowleaf Cattail, Broadleaf Cattail) - (Bulrush species) Eastern Marsh

Colloquial Name: Eastern Cattail Marsh

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: These tall emergent marshes are common throughout the northeastern United States and adjacent Canadian provinces. They occur in permanently flooded basins, often as part of a larger wetland mosaic and associated with lakes, ponds, or slow-moving streams. The substrate is muck over mineral soil. Lacustrine cattail marshes typically have a muck-bottom zone bordering the shoreline, where cattails are rooted in the bottom substrate, and a floating mat zone, where the roots grow suspended in a buoyant peaty mat. Tall graminoids dominate the vegetation; scattered shrubs are often present (usually totaling less than 25% cover) and are frequently shorter than the graminoids. Trees are absent. Bryophyte cover varies and is rarely extensive; bryophytes are mostly confined to the hummocks. Typha angustifolia, Typha latifolia, or their hybrid Typha x glauca dominate, either alone or in combination with other tall emergent marsh species. Associated species vary widely; sedges, such as Carex aquatilis, Carex lurida, Carex pellita, Carex rostrata, Carex stricta, Scirpus cyperinus, and bulrushes, such as Schoenoplectus americanus and Schoenoplectus acutus, occur along with patchy grasses, such as Calamagrostis canadensis. Broad-leaved herbs include Asclepias incarnata, Calla palustris, Impatiens capensis, Onoclea sensibilis, Sagittaria latifolia, Scutellaria lateriflora, Sparganium eurycarpum, Symplocarpus foetidus, Thelypteris palustris, and Verbena hastata. Floating aquatics, such as Lemna minor, may be common in deeper zones. Shrub species vary across the geographic range of this type; in the northern part of its range, Myrica gale, Ilex verticillata, and Spiraea alba are common. The invasive exotic plants Lythrum salicaria and Phragmites australis may be abundant in parts of some occurrences. This association is distinguished from other northeastern freshwater marshes by the strong dominance of Typha spp.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Typha angustifolia can grow in deeper water compared to Typha latifolia, although both species reach maximum growth at a water depth of 50 cm (Grace and Wetzel 1981). Typha often occurs in pure stands and can colonize areas recently exposed by either natural or human causes.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Tall graminoids dominate the vegetation; scattered shrubs are often present (usually totaling less than 25% cover) and are frequently shorter than the graminoids. Trees are absent. Bryophyte cover varies and is rarely extensive; bryophytes are mostly confined to the hummocks. Typha angustifolia, Typha latifolia, or their hybrid Typha x glauca dominate, either alone or in combination with other tall emergent marsh species. Associated species vary widely; sedges, such as Carex aquatilis, Carex lurida, Carex pellita (= Carex lanuginosa), Carex rostrata, Carex stricta, Scirpus cyperinus, and bulrushes, such as Schoenoplectus americanus (= Scirpus americanus) and Schoenoplectus acutus (= Scirpus acutus), occur along with patchy grasses, such as Calamagrostis canadensis. Broad-leaved herbs include Asclepias incarnata, Calla palustris, Impatiens capensis, Onoclea sensibilis, Sagittaria latifolia, Scutellaria lateriflora, Sparganium eurycarpum, Symplocarpus foetidus, Thelypteris palustris, and Verbena hastata. Floating aquatics, such as Lemna minor, may be common in deeper zones. Shrub species vary across the geographic range of this type; in the northern part of its range, Myrica gale, Ilex verticillata, and Spiraea alba are common. The invasive plants Lythrum salicaria and Phragmites australis may be abundant in parts of some occurrences.

Dynamics:  This association is often found in impounded waters.
Environmental Description:  These tall emergent marshes are common throughout the northeastern United States and adjacent Canadian provinces. They occur in permanently flooded basins, often as part of a larger wetland mosaic and associated with lakes, ponds, or slow-moving streams. The substrate is muck over mineral soil. Lacustrine cattail marshes typically have a muck-bottom zone bordering the shoreline, where cattails are rooted in the bottom substrate, and a floating mat zone, where the roots grow suspended in a buoyant peaty mat. This association is often found in impounded waters.
Geographic Range: This association occurs throughout the northeastern U.S. from Maine to Virginia and possibly North Carolina.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CT, DC?, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VA, VT, WV?


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5

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.Nd Eastern North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D323 2.C.4.Nd
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nd.2 Broadleaf Cattail - White Snakeroot - Rush species Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M069 2.C.4.Nd.2
Group 2.C.4.Nd.2.a Bulrush species - Cattail species Freshwater Marsh Group G125 2.C.4.Nd.2.a
Alliance A1436 Narrowleaf Cattail - Broadleaf Cattail - Bulrush species Deep Marsh Alliance A1436 2.C.4.Nd.2.a
Association CEGL006153 (Narrowleaf Cattail, Broadleaf Cattail) - (Bulrush species) Eastern Marsh CEGL006153 2.C.4.Nd.2.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Typha latifolia semipermanently-flooded grasslands (Metzler and Barrett 2006)
= Typha (angustifolia, latifolia) - (Scirpus spp.) Herbaceous Vegetation (Clancy 1996)
? Cattail marsh (CAP pers. comm. 1998)
? Southern New England nutrient-poor streamside/lakeside marsh (Rawinski 1984a)
? Southern New England nutrient-rich streamside/lakeside marsh (Rawinski 1984a)
Concept Author(s): Eastern Ecology Group/Central Appalachian Planning Team

Author of Description: S.C. Gawler

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 06-22-06
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