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CEGL004073 Platanus occidentalis - Acer negundo - Juglans nigra / Asimina triloba / Mertensia virginica Floodplain Forest

Type Concept Sentence: This rich floodplain forest of the Piedmont and Central Appalachians is found on the higher terraces of floodplains along large rivers, and main floodplains of medium-sized rivers; examples are dominated by the trees Platanus occidentalis, Juglans nigra, Carya cordiformis, Celtis occidentalis, and Ulmus americana, with a diverse herb layer.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: American Sycamore - Box-elder - Black Walnut / Pawpaw / Virginia Bluebells Floodplain Forest

Colloquial Name: Piedmont-Central Appalachian Rich Floodplain Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This association occupies the higher elevations of floodplains, floodplain berms, and low terraces of major Mid-Atlantic rivers (e.g., Potomac, Shenandoah, Monocacy, James) and as the main floodplain vegetation on medium-sized rivers draining areas of nutrient-rich substrates (e.g., Antietam Creek, Bull Run). Soil texture is variable, ranging from silty-clay loams to loams over much of the range, and samples collected from plots had high base status. This vegetation type is a closed forest with mixed overstory dominance by Platanus occidentalis, Juglans nigra, Carya cordiformis, Celtis occidentalis, Ulmus americana, and, locally, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Quercus shumardii. Acer saccharinum is codominant in a minority of stands but absent or unimportant in many others. Acer negundo is strongly dominant in the subcanopy. Asimina triloba and/or Lindera benzoin dominate a moderately dense to dense shrub layer. The herb layer is rich in spring ephemerals and other nutrient-demanding species, including Mertensia virginica, Asarum canadense, Chaerophyllum procumbens, Hydrophyllum canadense, Viola striata, Phlox divaricata, Podophyllum peltatum, Erythronium americanum, Dicentra canadensis, Sanicula odorata, Packera aurea, Claytonia virginica, Festuca subverticillata, Carex jamesii, Carex grisea, Floerkea proserpinacoides, Osmorhiza longistylis, and Ranunculus abortivus. Invasive exotics, especially Alliaria petiolata, Veronica hederifolia, Duchesnea indica, Urtica dioica ssp. dioica, Microstegium vimineum, and Glechoma hederacea, are usually abundant.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This type was defined to cover rich large-stream floodplain forests of the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont and Central Appalachians. It was split off from the more broadly defined ~Platanus occidentalis - Acer saccharinum - Juglans nigra - Ulmus rubra Floodplain Forest (CEGL007334)$$. This type was classified through analysis of 36 plot samples from Virginia and Maryland and through consultation with ecologists from those states and West Virginia. It has also been confirmed for Pennsylvania.

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

Floristics: This vegetation type is a closed forest with mixed overstory dominance by Platanus occidentalis, Juglans nigra, Carya cordiformis, Celtis occidentalis, Ulmus americana, and, locally, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Quercus shumardii. Acer saccharinum is codominant in a minority of stands but absent or unimportant in many others. Acer negundo is strongly dominant in the subcanopy. Asimina triloba (usually on sites with coarser soil textures) and /or Lindera benzoin (on finer-textured substrates) dominate a moderately dense to dense shrub layer. Vines are common, with Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Vitis vulpina, and Toxicodendron radicans most frequent. The herb layer is rich in spring ephemerals and other nutrient-demanding species, including Mertensia virginica, Asarum canadense, Chaerophyllum procumbens, Hydrophyllum canadense, Viola striata, Phlox divaricata, Podophyllum peltatum, Erythronium americanum, Dicentra canadensis, Sanicula odorata (= Sanicula gregaria), Packera aurea (= Senecio aureus), Claytonia virginica, Festuca subverticillata, Carex jamesii, Carex grisea, Floerkea proserpinacoides, Osmorhiza longistylis, and Ranunculus abortivus. Invasive exotics may be abundant and are represented by Alliaria petiolata, Veronica hederifolia, Duchesnea indica, Urtica dioica ssp. dioica, Microstegium vimineum, and Glechoma hederacea.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This association occupies the higher elevations of floodplains, floodplain berms, and low terraces of major Mid-Atlantic rivers (Potomac, Shenandoah, Monocacy) and as main floodplain vegetation on medium-sized rivers draining areas of nutrient-rich substrates (e.g., Antietam Creek, Bull Run). In the Potomac Gorge, average flood-return interval was from about 3 to 15 years. Soil texture is variable, ranging from silty-clay loams to loams over much of the range, but it can be sandy loams or sands along high-gradient reaches. Soil samples collected from plots have a mean pH of 6.1, high calcium content (mean about 2200 ppm), and 80-100% total base saturation.
Geographic Range: This community occurs on floodplains of large and medium-sized Mid-Atlantic rivers, including the Potomac, Shenandoah, James, Rappahannock, Monocacy, Clinch, and possibly others northward.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  MD, PA, VA, WV


Confidence Level: Moderate

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.Na Eastern North American-Great Plains Flooded & Swamp Forest Division D011 1.B.3.Na
Macrogroup 1.B.3.Na.1 Silver Maple - American Sycamore - Hackberry species Floodplain Forest Macrogroup M029 1.B.3.Na.1
Group 1.B.3.Na.1.b <i>Acer saccharinum - Platanus occidentalis - Liquidambar styraciflua</i> Floodplain Forest Group G673 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Alliance A3701 American Sycamore - Green Ash - Tuliptree Central Appalachian-Piedmont Floodplain Forest Alliance A3701 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Association CEGL004073 American Sycamore - Box-elder - Black Walnut / Pawpaw / Virginia Bluebells Floodplain Forest CEGL004073 1.B.3.Na.1.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Acer saccharinum - Acer negundo / Mertensia virginica Association (Rawinski et al. 1996)
= Platanus occidentalis - Acer negundo - Juglans nigra - Celtis occidentalis / Asimina triloba / Mertensia virginica Forest (Fleming and Patterson 2003)
= Platanus occidentalis - Acer negundo - Juglans nigra / Asimina triloba / Mertensia virginica Forest (Fleming and Taverna 2006)
= Platanus occidentalis - Acer negundo / Asarum canadense Forest (Thomson et al. 1999)
= Platanus occidentalis - Acer negundo / Asimina triloba - Lindera benzoin / Mertensia virginica - Asarum canadense Forest (Fleming and Coulling 2001)
> Platanus occidentalis - Acer negundo / Asimina triloba / Asarum canadense Forest (Lea 2000)
> Platanus occidentalis - Acer negundo / Asimina triloba / Carex jamesii Forest (Lea 2000)
> Platanus occidentalis - Acer negundo / Asimina triloba / Mertensia virginica Forest (Lea 2000)
> Platanus occidentalis - Acer negundo / Hydrophyllum canadense - Laportea canadensis Forest (Lea 2000)
= Platanus occidentalis - Fraxinus pennsylvanica Floodplain Forest (Vanderhorst 2000b)
= Ulmus americana - Acer negundo - (Platanus occidentalis) / Asimina triloba - Lindera benzoin / Asarum canadense Forest (Fleming and Weber 2003)
Concept Author(s): G. Fleming, C. Lea, and J. Vanderhorst

Author of Description: G.P. Fleming and K.D. Patterson

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 10-02-06
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