Print Report

CEGL006371 Vaccinium corymbosum - Rhododendron viscosum - Clethra alnifolia Acidic Peatland

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Highbush Blueberry - Swamp Azalea - Coastal Sweet-pepperbush Acidic Peatland

Colloquial Name: Highbush Blueberry - Winterberry Shrub Thicket

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This is a tall-shrub swamp of seasonally flooded basins in the eastern United States. It occurs in small open basins, closed sandplain basins, and seasonally flooded zones within larger wetlands. It may also form as a result of beaver activity. This vegetation can occur on the margins of Coastal Plain ponds. This community is influenced by a strongly fluctuating water table with flooded conditions in spring and early summer followed by a drop in the water table below soil surface usually by late summer. There is usually a shallow organic layer often over sand. Dominant shrubs include Vaccinium corymbosum, Ilex verticillata, and Rhododendron viscosum. Scattered Acer rubrum are not uncommon. Lyonia ligustrina and Cephalanthus occidentalis are characteristic although not necessarily dominant. Associated shrub species may include Clethra alnifolia, Spiraea tomentosa, Chamaedaphne calyculata, Ilex glabra, Leucothoe racemosa, Decodon verticillatus, Kalmia angustifolia, Alnus serrulata, Myrica gale, and Aronia spp. Herbaceous composition is variable; some of the more typical species include Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis, Thelypteris palustris, Onoclea sensibilis, Calla palustris, Lycopus uniflorus, Triadenum virginicum, Glyceria striata, Leersia oryzoides, Dulichium arundinaceum, Juncus effusus, and Woodwardia virginica. A layer of peatmoss is common and varies in cover; species include Sphagnum fimbriatum, Sphagnum rubellum, Sphagnum magellanicum, Sphagnum fallax, and Sphagnum viridum.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: More inland examples of this association may lack some characteristically Coastal Plain species such as Clethra alnifolia and Ilex glabra.

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

Floristics: This association is a tall-shrub swamp where the dominant shrubs include Vaccinium corymbosum, Ilex verticillata, and Rhododendron viscosum. Scattered Acer rubrum are not uncommon. Lyonia ligustrina and Cephalanthus occidentalis are characteristic although not necessarily dominant. Associated shrub species may include Clethra alnifolia, Spiraea tomentosa, Chamaedaphne calyculata, Ilex glabra, Leucothoe racemosa, Decodon verticillatus, Kalmia angustifolia, Alnus serrulata, Myrica gale, and Aronia spp. Herbaceous composition is variable; some of the more typical species include Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis, Thelypteris palustris, Onoclea sensibilis, Calla palustris, Lycopus uniflorus, Triadenum virginicum, Glyceria striata, Leersia oryzoides, Dulichium arundinaceum, Juncus effusus, and Woodwardia virginica. A layer of peatmoss is common and varies in cover; species include Sphagnum fimbriatum, Sphagnum rubellum, Sphagnum magellanicum, Sphagnum fallax, and Sphagnum viridum.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This community is influenced by a strongly fluctuating water table with flooded conditions in spring and early summer, often followed by a drop in the water table below soil surface usually by late summer. There is usually a shallow organic layer often over mineral soil.
Geographic Range: This type occurs from New Hampshire south to New Jersey and possibly Delaware over an estimated range of 388,000 square km (total acreage of subsections of occurrence).

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CT, DE, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3

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.2 Temperate to Polar Bog & Fen Formation F016 2.C.2
Division 2.C.2.Na North American Bog & Fen Division D029 2.C.2.Na
Macrogroup 2.C.2.Na.1 Leatherleaf - Small Cranberry - Few-seed Sedge Bog & Acidic Fen Macrogroup M876 2.C.2.Na.1
Group 2.C.2.Na.1.e Chamaedaphne - Dwarf Huckleberry / Walter''s Sedge Bog & Fen Group G1171 2.C.2.Na.1.e
Alliance A4478 Chamaedaphne - Dwarf Huckleberry / Walter''s Sedge Open Bog A4478 2.C.2.Na.1.e
Association CEGL006371 Highbush Blueberry - Swamp Azalea - Coastal Sweet-pepperbush Acidic Peatland CEGL006371 2.C.2.Na.1.e
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Vaccinium corymbosum - Rhododendron viscosum community (Metzler and Barrett 2006)
= Tall Shrub Thicket (Johnson 1981b)
Concept Author(s): L. Sneddon and K. Metzler

Author of Description: L.A. Sneddon, S.L. Neid, S.C. Gawler

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 06-21-06
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