Print Report
CEGL007042 Cliftonia monophylla / Lyonia lucida - Smilax laurifolia Swamp Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Buckwheat-tree / Shining Fetterbush - Laurel Greenbrier Swamp Forest
Colloquial Name: Buckwheat-tree Baygall Swamp Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: These are extensive wetlands (up to 300 or more hectares in size) characterized by thickets of nearly pure Cliftonia monophylla that often attain exceptional height for this evergreen shrub (10-15 m tall). A sparse supercanopy of Pinus serotina or Pinus elliottii var. elliottii is sometimes present near the transition to wet flatwoods with a longer hydroperiod than other baygall associations, developed over peat at least 1-2 m deep. The open to dense shrub layer may contain Cliftonia monophylla, Cyrilla racemiflora, Eubotrys racemosa, Morella inodora, Gaylussacia mosieri, Lyonia lucida, Ilex coriacea, Nyssa biflora, and Smilax laurifolia. Herbs are infrequent, occurring in small patches, including Peltandra sagittifolia, Sarracenia rubra ssp. gulfensis, Sarracenia flava, Utricularia subulata, Drosera capillaris, Eriocaulon decangulare, Rhynchospora sp., Balduina uniflora, and Cleistes bifaria. Sphagnum spp. are common. Catastrophic fire may have been a rare type of disturbance in the past. This is a naturally occurring vegetation type, though possibly increased in occurrence by logging and subsequent fire suppression. It is found in the outer coastal plains of the southeastern United States from Georgia to Mississippi.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This type was apparently first documented from Eglin Air Force base where it is present in the East Bay Swamp.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The canopy is nearly pure Cliftonia monophylla, 10-15 m tall; a sparse supercanopy of Pinus serotina or Pinus elliottii var. elliottii is sometimes present near the transition to wet flatwoods. The open to dense shrub layer may contain Cliftonia monophylla, Cyrilla racemiflora, Eubotrys racemosa (= Leucothoe racemosa), Morella inodora (= Myrica inodora), Gaylussacia mosieri, Lyonia lucida, Ilex coriacea, Nyssa biflora, and Smilax laurifolia. Herbs are infrequent, occurring in small patches, including Peltandra sagittifolia, Sarracenia rubra ssp. gulfensis, Sarracenia flava, Utricularia subulata, Drosera capillaris, Eriocaulon decangulare, Rhynchospora sp., Balduina uniflora, and Cleistes bifaria. Sphagnum spp. are common.
Dynamics: Catastrophic fire may have been a rare type of disturbance in the past.
Environmental Description: This type occurs over large, low areas associated with floodplains or flatwoods, and can also occur in narrow bands along streams (Kindell et al. 1997). Most examples are developed over peat at least 1-2 m deep. Examples may be up to 300 or more hectares in size, with a longer hydroperiod than other baygall associations. In some areas this type may have invaded flatwoods due to fire suppression.
Geographic Range: This association is found in the outer coastal plains of the southeastern United States from Georgia to Mississippi.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AL, FL, GA, MS
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.687102
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D062 | 1.B.3.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nb.3 Sweetbay - Swamp Bay - Pond Pine Swamp Forest Macrogroup | M032 | 1.B.3.Nb.3 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nb.3.a Sweetbay - Loblolly-bay - Pond Pine Swamp Forest Group | G037 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.a |
| Alliance | A0058 Buckwheat-tree Baygall Swamp Alliance | A0058 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.a |
| Association | CEGL007042 Buckwheat-tree / Shining Fetterbush - Laurel Greenbrier Swamp Forest | CEGL007042 | 1.B.3.Nb.3.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Buckwheat tree association (Kindell et al. 1997)
? Flatwood variant of baygall (Chafin and Shotz 1995)
? Flatwood variant of baygall (Chafin and Shotz 1995)
- Chafin, L. G., and A. R. Shotz. 1995. Rare plant survey of Eglin Air Force Base, 1992-1994: Final report. Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee, FL.
- FNAI [Florida Natural Areas Inventory]. 2010a. Guide to the natural communities of Florida: 2010 edition. Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee, FL. 228 pp. [https://fnai.org/naturalcommguide.cfm]
- GNHP [Georgia Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data. Georgia Natural Heritage Program, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Social Circle.
- Kindell, C. E., B. J. Herring, C. Nordman, J. Jensen, A. R. Schotz, and L. G. Chafin. 1997. Natural community survey of Eglin Air Force Base, 1993-1996: Final report. Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 123 pp. plus appendix.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.