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G467 Sesuvium portulacastrum Caribbean Coastal Rocky Shore & Cliff Group
Type Concept Sentence: This group includes sparsely vegetated Caribbean coastal cliffs, rock outcrops, and coastal boulderfields exposed to wind and salt spray.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Shoreline Sea-purslane Caribbean Coastal Rocky Shore & Cliff Group
Colloquial Name: Caribbean Coastal Rocky Shore & Cliff
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This group includes sparsely vegetated Caribbean coastal cliffs, rock outcrops, and coastal boulderfields exposed to wind and salt spray. The vegetation is dominated by low herbaceous plants and low shrubs. There are many areas of bare rock. The characteristic and diagnostic plants in the Greater Antilles are slightly different than those along the coast of Belize, but Sesuvium portulacastrum is characteristic both in the Greater Antilles and in coastal areas of Belize.
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: The vegetation is dominated by low herbaceous plants and low shrubs. There are many chasmophytes, plants which grow in cracks in rock.
Floristics: The vegetation is dominated by low herbaceous plants and low shrubs. There are many areas of bare rock. This group includes sparsely vegetated coastal cliffs, rock outcrops, and coastal boulderfields exposed to wind and salt spray. The following list of species is diagnostic for this group in the Greater Antilles: Borrichia arborescens, Conocarpus erectus, Erithalis fruticosa, Lithophila muscoides, Opuntia dillenii, Rachicallis americana, Sesuvium maritimum, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Strumpfia maritima, and Trianthema portulacastrum. Examples of this group on mainland karst (especially along the coast of Belize, and Quintana Roo, Mexico) include the species Coccoloba uvifera, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Gomphrena spp., Hymenocallis littoralis (= Pancratium littorale), Jacquinia armillaris (= Jacquinia arborea), Neea psychotrioides, Phyla nodiflora (= Lippia nodiflora), Sesuvium portulacastrum, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, and Tridax procumbens.
Dynamics: These sites are prone to sea breezes, salt spray, and in some cases seasonal high tides or storm surge. Many plants grow in cracks in the rock. Limestone areas are well-drained. Plants survive in dry conditions.
Environmental Description: Climate: The climate is subtropical to tropical. These coastal sites have sea breezes. Soil/substrate/hydrology: Rocky shores vary from steep cliffs to gentle slopes. On low, flat islands of the Caribbean the predominant formations are highly dissected platforms of gray rock that transition from being exposed to salt spray to being awash with high tides. This group describes the landward edge of the cliffs or coastal pavement that is only seldomly reached by spring tides. Most rocky shores are the remains of ancient coral reefs filled in by pieces of calcareous material from marine life. The resulting limestone is well-drained and highly soluble, forming a pitted, gouged terrace or pavement exposed to wind and salt-spray.
Geographic Range: This group occurs in coastal areas of the Caribbean.
Nations: BZ,CU,DO,JM,MX,PR,US,VI,XC
States/Provinces: FL, MXQUE
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.860725
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.A Tropical Grassland, Savanna & Shrubland Subclass | S01 | 2.A |
| Formation | 2.A.3 Tropical Scrub & Herb Coastal Vegetation Formation | F024 | 2.A.3 |
| Division | 2.A.3.Ee Caribbean-Mesoamerican Dune & Coastal Grassland & Shrubland Division | D254 | 2.A.3.Ee |
| Macrogroup | 2.A.3.Ee.1 Seashore Dropseed - Bayhops - Bay-cedar Coastal Dune & Beach Vegetation Macrogroup | M700 | 2.A.3.Ee.1 |
| Group | 2.A.3.Ee.1.b Shoreline Sea-purslane Caribbean Coastal Rocky Shore & Cliff Group | G467 | 2.A.3.Ee.1.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Littoral Subzone, Rocky shore (Dansereau 1966)
= Puerto Rico land cover type 57, Rocky cliffs and shelves (Gould et al. 2008)
= Puerto Rico land cover type 57, Rocky cliffs and shelves (Gould et al. 2008)
- Areces-Mallea, A. E., A. S. Weakley, X. Li, R. G. Sayre, J. D. Parrish, C. V. Tipton, and T. Boucher. 1999. A guide to Caribbean vegetation types: Preliminary classification system and descriptions. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. 166 pp.
- Borhidi, A. 1991. Phytogeography and vegetation ecology of Cuba. Akademiai Kiado. Budapest, Hungary. 858 pp. plus color plates and map by A. Borhidi and O. Muniz (1970) inside of back cover.
- Dansereau, P. 1966. Studies on the vegetation of Puerto Rico. Part I. Description and integration of the plant-communities. University of Puerto Rico, Institute of Caribbean Sciences. Special Publication No. 1. Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. 287 pp.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, S. Gawler, M. Hall, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, L. Sneddon, K. Schulz, J. Teague, M. Russo, K. Snow, and P. Comer, editors. 2010-2019a. Divisions, Macrogroups and Groups for the Revised U.S. National Vegetation Classification. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. plus appendices. [in preparation]
- Gould, W. A., C. Alarcón, B. Fevold, M. E. Jiménez, S. Martinuzzi, G. Potts, M. Quiñones, M. Solórzano, and E. Ventosa. 2008. The Puerto Rico Gap Analysis Project. Volume 1: Land cover, vertebrate species distributions, and land stewardship. General Technical Report IITF-GTR-39. USDA Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Río Piedras, PR. 165 pp.
- Josse, C., G. Navarro, P. Comer, R. Evans, D. Faber-Langendoen, M. Fellows, G. Kittel, S. Menard, M. Pyne, M. Reid, K. Schulz, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2003. Ecological systems of Latin America and the Caribbean: A working classification of terrestrial systems. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
- Kaplan, E. H. 1988. A field guide to the southeastern and Caribbean seashores. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.
- Meyrat, A., D. Vreugdenhil, J. Merman, and L. D. Gómez. 2001. Mapa de Ecosistemas de Centro América. Unpublished document. Descripciones de Ecosistemas. Banco Mundial. [http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/MesoAm/UmbpubHP.nsf/917d9f0f503e647e8525677c007e0]