Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Vegetation is a diverse mix of large herbs that includes abundant forbs as well as graminoids, and including species intolerant of oligohaline conditions. Dominant or abundant species include Carex stricta, Peltandra virginica, Sagittaria lancifolia ssp. media, Sagittaria latifolia (= var. latifolia), or, less frequently, Carex hyalinolepis, Carex alata, Spartina pectinata, Polygonum arifolium, or Typha angustifolia. Other species with high or medium frequency include Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Impatiens capensis, Thelypteris palustris, Typha latifolia, Boehmeria cylindrica, Triadenum walteri, Zizania aquatica, Spartina cynosuroides, Panicum virgatum, and Lilium superbum.

Dynamics:  These marshes are irregularly flooded by wind tides. Saltwater penetration is rare or absent in most examples, but may possibly occur during unusual storm surges. Rare saltwater disturbance may be important in keeping trees out of these marshes. Most examples are located at the mouths of tributary creeks at larger tidal rivers. It is possible these sites are geologically young surfaces and that this association is a primary successional community that may naturally succeed to tidal swamp. Rising sea level affects these communities, and this effect may accelerate in the future. This may involve migration of the marsh into adjacent swamps, may lead to the loss of the marshes, or may possibly create new marshes in other places.