Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This broad-leaved bottomland forest is dominated by Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer rubrum, Ulmus rubra, Quercus phellos, Quercus laurifolia, and Quercus lyrata. Canopy cover ranges from approximately 60-100%, but is most typically fairly open in the 70-80% range. Canopy associates include Carya aquatica, Nyssa biflora, Celtis laevigata, and Fraxinus pennsylvanica. The patchy tall-shrub stratum (2-5 m in height) is dominated by Carpinus caroliniana and Ilex decidua. Crataegus viridis, Vaccinium elliottii, Vaccinium arboreum, Ilex opaca, Halesia diptera, and Rhododendron canescens are also associated with this stratum. In addition to regenerating canopy and tall-shrub species, the patchy short-shrub stratum (0.5-2m tall) contains Ditrysinia fruticosa (= Sebastiania fruticosa), Rubus trivialis, Rubus argutus, Morus rubra, and Hypericum hypericoides. The sparse to patchy herbaceous layer is approximately 10-30% cover and is dominated by Viola spp., Dichanthelium commutatum, Boehmeria cylindrica, Carex intumescens, Oxalis stricta, Lysimachia radicans (which is frequent in the ground layer), Dichanthelium dichotomum var. dichotomum, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (= Aster lateriflorus), and Chasmanthium laxum. Associates include Impatiens capensis, Acalypha rhomboidea (= Acalypha virginica var. rhomboidea), and Mikania scandens (Martin and Smith 1991, Allen 1993b). Based on plots from eastern Texas, Quercus phellos is the single most important canopy species, ranging from strongly dominant to codominant with Liquidambar styraciflua. Other canopy and subcanopy trees include Quercus michauxii, Quercus pagoda, Quercus nigra, Quercus lyrata, Ostrya virginiana, Ulmus americana, and Nyssa sylvatica. The subcanopy is dominated by Carpinus caroliniana, followed closely by Fraxinus caroliniana, Ilex decidua, and individuals of species present in the canopy. The lower strata contain species typical of bottomland habitats in the region. Shrubs and woody vines include Ditrysinia fruticosa, Nekemias arborea (= Ampelopsis arborea), Berchemia scandens, Bignonia capreolata, Brunnichia ovata, Campsis radicans, Smilax bona-nox, Smilax rotundifolia, and Toxicodendron radicans. Herbs may include Chasmanthium laxum, Justicia ovata, Lysimachia lanceolata, Carex louisianica, and Carex tribuloides. Some additional herbs found in a stand assigned here from the Angelina National Forest include Chasmanthium latifolium, Justicia ovata, Ruellia sp., Symphyotrichum sp., Panicum anceps, Phanopyrum gymnocarpon, Dichanthelium sp., Lycopus virginicus, Carex frankii, Carex lupulina, Carex lurida, Elymus virginicus, Geum canadense, Gratiola sp., Oxalis sp., Yeatesia viridiflora, Matelea sp., and Trachelospermum difforme. Exotic species seem to compete very successfully in floodplain environments, likely due to the frequent flooding disturbances and the pulse of nutrients input by alluvial deposition. Ligustrum sinense, Lonicera japonica, and Microstegium vimineum may invade this forest and exclude native species.

Dynamics:  Hydrologic regime is the principle natural disturbance and the main ecological process shaping the composition, structure and distribution of this community. This forest is typically inundated or saturated throughout the winter and early spring, and floods for 1 or 2 months during the growing season, with a 100-year average of at least 51 to 100 years (Smith 1988). Regeneration occurs chiefly in canopy gaps and is dependent on the hydrologic conditions at the time of germination and establishment (Smith 1988, Martin and Smith 1991).

This forest is generally a mature community, although some examples may be in a distributional flux in the sense that a major disturbance happened fairly recently (approximately 40 to 60 years ago) and is indicated by a bimodal canopy stage distribution of larger Liquidambar styraciflua individuals and smaller-diameter specimens of Quercus phellos, Quercus laurifolia, and Quercus lyrata.