Print Report

CEGL007741 Spartina cynosuroides - Panicum virgatum - Phyla lanceolata Salt Marsh

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Big Cordgrass - Switchgrass - Lanceleaf Fogfruit Salt Marsh

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This association occurs adjacent to channels in wind-tidal oligohaline marshes of Virginia and North Carolina. Spartina cynosuroides is the characteristic species in these marshes dominated by tall, coarse graminoids. Species composition varies from nearly monospecific to strongly mixed with high species richness. Common associates include Eleocharis fallax, Schoenoplectus americanus, and Sagittaria lancifolia ssp. media. Locally, Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense, Bolboschoenus robustus, and Spartina alterniflora are dominant or codominant in this type. The physiognomy of this vegetation is markedly bi-stratal, supporting tall or mid-height associates such as Amaranthus cannabinus, Bidens coronata, Symphyotrichum subulatum, Decodon verticillatus, Hibiscus moscheutos, Panicum virgatum, Rhynchospora macrostachya, Sium suave, Typha spp., and the herbaceous vine Mikania scandens. In most stands of this type, vegetation of low to mid-height marshes, e.g., Eleocharis fallax, Cyperus haspan, Pontederia cordata, Sagittaria lancifolia, Polygonum spp., etc., occurs as a lower stratum beneath the taller species. Phyla lanceolata is another short-statured plant that is apparently much more constant and abundant in these tall marshes than elsewhere. Plants that are particularly common in channel edge microhabitats are Asclepias incarnata, Cladium mariscoides, Lobelia elongata, Lythrum lineare, Stachys aspera, and Teucrium canadense. The importance of Polygonum hydropiperoides and the relative lack of Polygonum punctatum distinguish this vegetation from other wind-tidal marshes.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available

Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Spartina cynosuroides is the characteristic species in these marshes dominated by tall, coarse graminoids. Species composition varies from nearly monospecific to strongly mixed with high species richness. Common associates include Eleocharis fallax, Schoenoplectus americanus, and Sagittaria lancifolia ssp. media. Locally, Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense, Bolboschoenus robustus (= Scirpus robustus), and Spartina alterniflora are dominant or codominant in this type. The physiognomy of this vegetation is markedly bi-stratal, supporting tall or mid-height associates such as Amaranthus cannabinus, Bidens coronata, Symphyotrichum subulatum (= Aster subulatus), Decodon verticillatus, Hibiscus moscheutos, Panicum virgatum, Rhynchospora macrostachya (= var. colpophila), Sium suave, Typha spp., and the herbaceous vine Mikania scandens. In most stands of this type, vegetation of low to mid-height marshes, e.g., Eleocharis fallax, Cyperus haspan, Pontederia cordata, Sagittaria lancifolia, Polygonum spp., etc., occurs as a lower stratum beneath the taller species. Phyla lanceolata is another short-statured plant that is apparently much more constant and abundant in these tall marshes than elsewhere. Plants that are particularly common in channel edge microhabitats are Asclepias incarnata, Cladium mariscoides, Lobelia elongata, Lythrum lineare, Stachys aspera, and Teucrium canadense. The importance of Polygonum hydropiperoides and the relative lack of Polygonum punctatum distinguish this vegetation from other wind-tidal marshes.

Dynamics:  No Data Available

Environmental Description:  This association occurs in wind-tidal oligohaline marshes along channel edges, especially along levees adjacent to channel margins, in flats, and in hummock-and-hollow microtopography on smaller guts.

Geographic Range: This association is limited to wind-tidal oligohaline marshes in Virginia and perhaps North Carolina.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  NC?, VA




Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: G2G3

Greasons: No Data Available


Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available

Synonomy: = Spartina cynosuroides - Panicum virgatum - Phyla lanceolata Tidally Flooded Herbaceous Vegetation (Fleming 1998)
= Spartina cynosuroides - Panicum virgatum - Phyla lanceolata Tidally Flooded Herbaceous Vegetation (Fleming and Moorhead 1998)
= Spartina cynosuroides - Schoenoplectus americanus - Polygonum hydropiperoides Tidal Herbaceous Vegetation (Coulling 2002)

Concept Author(s): G.P. Fleming (1998)

Author of Description: G.P. Fleming and L.A. Sneddon

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 06-01-07

  • Coulling, P. P. 2002. A preliminary classification of tidal marsh, shrub swamp, and hardwood swamp vegetation and assorted non-tidal, chiefly non-maritime, herbaceous wetland communities of the Virginia Coastal Plain. October 2002. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage. Natural Heritage Technical Report 02-18. 30 pp.
  • Fleming, G. P. 1998. Virginia natural community framework, version January 30, 1998. Unpublished document. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond. 6 pp.
  • Fleming, G. P., K. D. Patterson, and K. Taverna. 2017. The natural communities of Virginia: A classification of ecological community groups and community types. Third approximation. Version 3.0. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA. [http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-communities/]
  • Fleming, G. P., K. Taverna, and P. P. Coulling. 2007b. Vegetation classification for the National Capitol Region parks, eastern region. Regional (VA-MD-DC) analysis prepared for NatureServe and USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, March 2007. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond.
  • Fleming, G. P., and W. H. Moorhead, III. 1998. Comparative wetlands ecology study of the Great Dismal Swamp, Northwest River, and North Landing River in Virginia. Natural Heritage Technical Report 98-9. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond. Unpublished report submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 181 pp. plus appendices.
  • Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.