Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: The canopy stratum ranges from scattered to closed, but is generally open (and even when closed, Taxodium ascendens canopy casts only moderate shade). Taxodium ascendens is the dominant, usually strongly so, but Nyssa biflora and Liquidambar styraciflua may also be present in the canopy or subcanopy. Pinus taeda has sometimes invaded, because of adjacent seed source and fire suppression, but was probably not a typical component of the community under pre-settlement conditions. The shrub layer is usually sparse, though occasionally Ilex amelanchier can be common. Most shrubs are restricted to rooting in cypress knotholes, stumps, and knees, and can include Vaccinium formosum, Vaccinium fuscatum, Ilex glabra, Acer rubrum var. trilobum, Diospyros virginiana, Liquidambar styraciflua, Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans ssp. radicans, Cyrilla racemiflora, Gaylussacia frondosa, Ilex opaca var. opaca, Morella cerifera, Rubus argutus, and Vitis rotundifolia var. rotundifolia. The herbaceous stratum is normally dense, and extremely variable in dominance from site to site, spatially within each site, and from year to year (depending on hydrologic conditions). Typical dominants include Panicum hemitomon, Panicum verrucosum, Panicum rigidulum var. combsii, Leersia hexandra, Rhynchospora filifolia, Rhynchospora perplexa, Rhynchospora careyana, Dichanthelium erectifolium, Dichanthelium wrightianum, Scleria georgiana, Scleria reticularis, Polygala cymosa, Boltonia asteroides, Eriocaulon compressum, Lachnanthes caroliana, Eupatorium leucolepis, Pluchea rosea, Euthamia caroliniana, Rhexia aristosa, and Coelorachis rugosa. Other species include Agalinis linifolia, Bartonia paniculata, Centella erecta, Echinodorus tenellus, Eleocharis melanocarpa, Eleocharis tricostata, Gratiola ramosa, Hypericum denticulatum (= var. denticulatum), Hypericum gymnanthum, Lobelia boykinii, Lobelia nuttallii, Lycopus amplectens, Oxypolis canbyi, Pluchea camphorata, Proserpinaca pectinata, Saccharum giganteum, Saccharum spp., Sabatia difformis, Sagittaria isoetiformis, Sclerolepis uniflora, Symphyotrichum dumosum, Viola lanceolata ssp. vittata, and Xyris spp.

Dynamics:  These communities were historically burned on an occasional basis, by fires which traveled through the matrix longleaf pine uplands and burned into and across the Carolina bays when conditions permitted (dry seasons).