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CEGL002187 Cornus sericea - Salix (bebbiana, discolor, petiolaris) / Calamagrostis stricta Shrub Swamp

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Red-osier Dogwood - (Bebb''s Willow, Pussy Willow, Meadow Willow) / Slimstem Reedgrass Shrub Swamp

Colloquial Name: Red-osier Dogwood - Mixed Willow Northern Shrub Swamp

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This wet shrub meadow type is found in the northern prairie-forest border area of the midwestern United States. Stands may occur along stream courses or adjacent to lakes or in upland depressions. Soils are wet mineral, muck, or shallow peat (<0.5 m). Standing water is present in the spring and after heavy rains, but the water table draws down by mid-summer. Seepage areas may also occur. Shrub cover is at least 25% but does not become thick. Dominant species include Cornus sericea, Salix bebbiana, Salix discolor, Salix petiolaris, and Spiraea alba. Herbaceous species are typical of wet herbaceous meadows, and include the sedges Carex aquatilis, Carex atherodes, Carex haydenii, Carex lacustris, Carex pellita, Carex rostrata, Carex stricta, or grasses Calamagrostis canadensis and Calamagrostis stricta. Forbs include Asclepias incarnata, Symphyotrichum lanceolatum, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, Symphyotrichum puniceum, Chelone glabra, Eutrochium maculatum, and Mentha arvensis. In northern Illinois prairie meadow species may include Asclepias purpurascens, Coreopsis tripteris, Gentianella quinquefolia, and Heliopsis helianthoides.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: A seepage subtype may be needed. Information in Illinois is taken from a 1998 draft classification document for the Chicago Wilderness area (their wet-mesic fine-textured soil shrubland) (Steffen and Anderson 1997), though stands may better fit under a temporarily flooded hydrology, rather than seasonally flooded. In Wisconsin, this type does occur, but seems intermediate between sedge meadow and shrub swamp, and may result from either fire disruption or hydrologic alteration, rather than forming a natural community (E. Epstein pers. comm. 1999).

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

Floristics: Shrub cover is at least 25% but does not become thick. Dominant species include Cornus sericea, Salix bebbiana, Salix discolor, Salix petiolaris, and Spiraea alba. Herbaceous species are typical of wet herbaceous meadows, and include the sedges Carex aquatilis, Carex atherodes, Carex haydenii, Carex lacustris, Carex pellita (= Carex lanuginosa), Carex rostrata, Carex stricta, or grasses Calamagrostis canadensis and Calamagrostis stricta. Forbs include Asclepias incarnata, Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (= Aster lanceolatus), Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (= Aster lateriflorus), Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (= Aster novae-angliae), Symphyotrichum puniceum (= Aster puniceus), Chelone glabra, Eutrochium maculatum (= Eupatorium maculatum), and Mentha arvensis (MNNHP 1993, E. Epstein pers. comm. 1999). In northern Illinois prairie meadow species may include Asclepias purpurascens, Coreopsis tripteris, Gentianella quinquefolia (= Gentiana quinquefolia), and Heliopsis helianthoides (Steffen and Anderson 1997).

Dynamics:  The wet shrub meadow type described here may succeed to shrub swamps, i.e., ~Cornus sericea - Salix spp. - (Rosa palustris) Shrub Swamp (CEGL002186)$$, particularly in the absence of fire, or if the water table is lowered by drought or ditching.
Environmental Description:  Stands may occur along stream courses or adjacent to lakes or in upland depressions. Soils are wet mineral, muck, or shallow peat (<0.5 m). Standing water is present in the spring and after heavy rains, but the water table draws down by mid-summer. Seepage areas may also occur (MNNHP 1993).
Geographic Range: This wet shrub meadow type is found in the northern prairie-forest border area of the midwestern United States and Canada, extending from Illinois to Manitoba.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  MB, MN, ND, WI


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G3G4

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.e Prairie Cordgrass - Bluejoint - Sedge species Midwest Wet Prairie, Wet Meadow & Shrub Swamp Group G770 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Alliance A4378 Red-osier Dogwood - Gray Alder - Common Buttonbush Midwest Shrub Swamp Alliance A4378 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Association CEGL002187 Red-osier Dogwood - (Bebb''s Willow, Pussy Willow, Meadow Willow) / Slimstem Reedgrass Shrub Swamp CEGL002187 2.C.4.Nd.2.e
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Cornus sericea - Salix (bebbiana, discolor, petiolaris) / Calamagrostis stricta Shrubland (Faber-Langendoen 2001) [Wet Meadow Shrub Subtype]
= Wet Meadow Shrub Subtype (MNNHP 1993)
Concept Author(s): D. Faber-Langendoen (2001)

Author of Description: D. Faber-Langendoen

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-17-98
  • Epstein, Eric. Personal communication. Community Ecologist, Wisconsin Natural Heritage Program, Madison, WI.
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
  • Greenall, J. A. 1996. Manitoba''s terrestrial plant communities. MS Report 96-02. Manitoba Conservation Data Centre, Winnipeg.
  • INAI [Iowa Natural Areas Inventory]. 2017. Vegetation classification of Iowa. Iowa Natural Areas Inventory, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines.
  • MNNHP [Minnesota Natural Heritage Program]. 1993. Minnesota''s native vegetation: A key to natural communities. Version 1.5. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program, St. Paul, MN. 110 pp.
  • Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Minnesota DNR [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]. 2003-2005a. Field guide to the native plant communities of Minnesota. Three volumes: The Laurentian Mixed Forest Province (2003), The Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province (2005c), The Prairie Parkland and Tallgrass Aspen Parklands provinces (2005b). Ecological Land Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul.
  • NDNHI [North Dakota Natural Heritage Inventory]. 2018. Unpublished data. Vegetation classification of North Dakota. North Dakota Natural Heritage Inventory, North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department, Bismarck.
  • Steffen, J., and J. Anderson. 1997. Chicago Wilderness community classification system (draft). Chicago Wilderness Biodiversity Council, Chicago, IL.
  • WDNR [Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources]. 2015. The ecological landscapes of Wisconsin: An assessment of ecological resources and a guide to planning sustainable management. PUB-SS-1131 2015. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison. [http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/landscapes/Book.html]
  • White, J., and M. Madany. 1978. Classification of natural communities in Illinois. Pages 311-405 in: Natural Areas Inventory technical report: Volume I, survey methods and results. Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, Urbana, IL.