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CEGL003887 Zizania aquatica Gulf Coast Tidal Marsh

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Annual Wild Rice Gulf Coast Tidal Marsh

Colloquial Name: Gulf Coast Wild Rice Tidal Marsh

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This type includes freshwater tidal marshes of the Gulf of Mexico characterized by Zizania aquatica. This vegetation may occur in tidal rivers along the Gulf Coast. This association occurs in the lower reaches of freshwater tidal marshes, in fresh to slightly brackish areas that are low within the marsh and are infrequently exposed at lowest tides. It occurs on alluvial soils that are commonly silts or silty clays, although occasionally have a greater sand component. Zizania aquatica is dominant in stands of this type, although only conspicuously so in mid to late summer, when it overtops the early season vegetation. This community can be codominated by species such as Pontederia cordata, Peltandra virginica, Polygonum spp., and/or Bidens spp. Common associates are generally a mixture of freshwater and brackish species. Nuphar advena is a common associate.

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: Zizania aquatica is dominant in stands of this type, although only conspicuously so in mid to late summer, when it overtops the early season vegetation. This community can be codominated by species such as Pontederia cordata, Peltandra virginica, Polygonum spp., and/or Bidens spp. Common associates are generally a mixture of freshwater and brackish species. Nuphar advena (= Nuphar lutea ssp. advena) is a common associate.

Dynamics:  Plant composition of freshwater tidal marshes generally occurs as a mosaic of patches dominated by a few or a single species. Species composition is determined by species life history characteristics, especially lifeform, phenology and mode of regeneration in response to microhabitat conditions, and the frequency and duration of flooding. This plant association shows extreme seasonal variability with Zizania aquatica becoming a conspicuous component only in mid to late summer and generally senescing by mid to late autumn. This vegetation provides an important food source for migratory birds.

Environmental Description:  This association occurs in the lower reaches of freshwater tidal marshes, in fresh to slightly brackish areas that are low within the marsh and are infrequently exposed at lowest tides. It occurs on alluvial soils that are commonly silts or silty clays, although occasionally have a greater sand component.

Geographic Range: This community is known from coastal Louisiana and Alabama; more information is needed to confirm its occurrence in Mississippi and Florida.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL, FL?, LA, MS?




Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: G4?

Greasons: No Data Available


Concept Lineage: The Gulf Coast part of CEGL004202 was split out to form CEGL003887.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available

Synonomy: No Data Available

Concept Author(s): R.E. Evans and J. Teague

Author of Description: R.E. Evans

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 07-29-02

  • Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.