Print Report

CEGL002920 Salicornia depressa / Algae Salt Marsh

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Virginia Glasswort / Algae Salt Marsh

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This association is only known from the Santa Monica Mountains region. It is likely to be found on other coastal salt marshes throughout California. This herbaceous association occurs on flat ground at low elevations between 1 and 3 m. It is dominated by algae in the herbaceous layer, and Salicornia depressa is characteristically found as a subdominant to codominant.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This is the more open expression of pickelweed marsh in Magu Lagoon within the Santa Monica Mountains study area and seems to be found in some of the wettest portions of the marsh. It is unclear which species of algae are present, and it is also unclear how ecologically different this association is from other similar local Salicornia associations. There is the possibility that with further detailed analysis of the nonvascular flora this association could be lumped with others of the same alliance. At this point these stands are classed here due to their generally less dense cover of Salicornia depressa and the presence of algal mats, which are visible at low tide. The field crews placed Salicornia spp. in the shrub layer when doing species cover and total shrub cover estimates, while many species in this genus are traditionally considered perennial herbaceous vegetation.

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

Floristics: Stands of this association at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area form an open to intermittent herbaceous layer (15-56%, mean 36.6%) at 0.01-0.5 m tall. The shrub layer is sparse to open (0-8%, mean 1.6%) at 0-0.5 m tall. Total vegetation cover is 15-56%; mean cover is 37.8%. In this association, the herbaceous layer is open to intermittent and is dominated by algae, while Salicornia depressa (= Salicornia virginica) is characteristically abundant and subdominant to codominant. Salicornia bigelovii and Triglochin concinna are infrequently included in this layer at low cover. Suaeda californica and Frankenia salina are infrequently present at low cover in the shrub layer.

Dynamics:  Until further inventory is completed, there is no global information.
Environmental Description:  Until further inventory is completed, there is no global information.
Geographic Range: This association is only known from the Santa Monica Mountains region. Information about its global distribution is not available without additional inventory. It is likely to be found on other coastal salt marshes throughout California.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

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.5 Salt Marsh Formation F035 2.C.5
Division 2.C.5.Nc Temperate & Boreal Pacific Coastal Salt Marsh Division D035 2.C.5.Nc
Macrogroup 2.C.5.Nc.1 North American Pacific Coastal Salt Marsh Macrogroup M081 2.C.5.Nc.1
Group 2.C.5.Nc.1.a Lyngbye''s Sedge - Cosmopolitan Bulrush - Sea-milkwort Salt Marsh Group G499 2.C.5.Nc.1.a
Alliance A3902 Pacific Swampfire - California Cordgrass - Sea-milkwort Salt Marsh Alliance A3902 2.C.5.Nc.1.a
Association CEGL002920 Virginia Glasswort / Algae Salt Marsh CEGL002920 2.C.5.Nc.1.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Salicornia virginica/Algae Herbaceous Association (Keeler-Wolf and Evens 2006)
= Sarcocornia pacifica / algae (Sawyer et al. 2009) [52.215.14]
>< Coastal Brackish Marsh (#52200) (Holland 1986b)
>< Coastal Salt Marsh (#52100) (Holland 1986b)
Concept Author(s): T. Keeler-Wolf and J. Evens (2006)

Author of Description: T. Keeler-Wolf and J. Evens

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 11-10-05
  • Ball, P. W. 2003a. Salicornia. Pages 382-384 in: Flora of North America Editorial Committee, editors. Flora of North America North of Mexico. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, New York.
  • Holland, R. F. 1986b. Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California. Unpublished report prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, Nongame-Heritage Program and Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento. 156 pp.
  • Keeler-Wolf, T., and J. Evens. 2006. Vegetation classification of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and environs in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, California. A report submitted to National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area by California Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch and The California Native Plant Society, Vegetation Program, Sacramento, CA.
  • Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
  • Weakley, A. S. 2012. Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, and surrounding areas. Unpublished working draft. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. [http://www.herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm]
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.
  • Zedler, J. B. 1982. The ecology of southern California coastal salt marshes: A community profile. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Biological Services Program, Washington, D.C. FWS/OBS-81/54. 110 pp.