Print Report
G421 Scaevola sericea - Sida fallax / Fimbristylis spp. Coastal Strand Group
Type Concept Sentence: This Hawaiian strand group is restricted to the shoreline and the zone immediately back of it where sites are strongly influenced by surf, wind and salt spray and where the vegetation tends to be sparse and patchy. Vegetation includes succulent herbs, low wind-sheared shrubs, grasslands, mixtures of drier shrub and grasses or taller shrublands. Characteristic species include Fimbristylis cymosa, Heliotropium anomalum, Jacquemontia ovalifolia ssp. sandwicensis, Lipochaeta spp., Myoporum sandwicense, Nama sandwicense, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Scaevola sericea, and Sida fallax.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Naupaka Kahakai - Yellow `Ilima / Fimbry species Coastal Strand Group
Colloquial Name: Hawaiian Scrub & Herb Coastal Strand
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This group occurs along the coasts of the Hawaiian Islands including the smaller, arid islands and atolls that are widespread in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Vegetation varies largely with substrate and rainfall. Dry, leeward coast stands tend to be sparse and patchy and include succulent herbs, low wind-sheared shrubs, grasslands, mixtures of drier shrub and grasses or taller shrublands. The wetter, windward coasts of larger islands are more often vegetated with mesic-wet graminoids and shrubs with scattered trees. However, there is considerable overlap of ubiquitous and mesic coastal species. Dry strand species include graminoids Fimbristylis cymosa, Eragrostis variabilis, Sporobolus virginicus, forbs Boerhavia acutifolia, Boerhavia repens, Nama sandwicense, Sesuvium portulacastrum, and shrubs Chamaesyce celastroides, Chenopodium oahuense, Gossypium tomentosum, Heliotropium anomalum, Jacquemontia ovalifolia ssp. sandwicensis, Lipochaeta spp., Myoporum sandwicense, Scaevola coriacea, Scaevola sericea, Sida fallax, Tetramolopium rockii, Tribulus cistoides, and Vitex rotundifolia. Characteristic species of the wet strand are Deschampsia nubigena, Machaerina angustifolia, Pilea peploides, Scleria testacea, Selaginella arbuscula, Thelypteris interrupta, and Wikstroemia oahuensis. Species characteristic of mesic or seasonally moist strand are Artemisia australis, Bacopa monnieri, Bidens hillebrandiana, Bidens molokaiensis, Chenopodium oahuense, Cyperus javanicus, Cyperus phleoides, Diospyros sandwicensis, Eragrostis variabilis, Ischaemum byrone, Lipochaeta succulenta, Lysimachia mauritiana, Osteomeles anthyllidifolia, Pandanus tectorius, Plectranthus parviflorus, Sadleria cyatheoides, Schiedea globosa, and Solanum americanum. Stands are restricted to the shoreline and the zone immediately back of it where sites are strongly influenced by surf, wind and salt spray. Elevation is generally below 30 m. Sites may be rocky shorelines or sandy beaches, some with adjacent dunes or low alkaline flats above the saturated zone and behind the high-tide mark. Annual precipitation ranges from over 3500 mm for wet strand, down to 1200 mm on seasonally mesic sites, and less than 1200 mm for dry strand. Substrates are variable, ranging from sandy beaches to cobbly shores, derived from volcanic tuff, recent lava flows or old disintegrating lava (basalt), or raised coral beds (limestone), some with adjacent dunes or low alkaline flats above the saturated zone and behind the high-tide mark.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This group is restricted to the shoreline and the zone immediately back of it where sites are strongly influenced by surf, wind and salt spray. Characteristic species include Chamaesyce celastroides, Chenopodium oahuense, Gossypium tomentosum, Fimbristylis cymosa, Heliotropium anomalum, Jacquemontia ovalifolia ssp. sandwicensis, Lipochaeta spp., Myoporum sandwicense, Nama sandwicense, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Scaevola sericea, and Sida fallax.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Several groups are adjacent along the coasts and may overlap, including wet salt marshes belonging to ~Polynesian Coastal Salt Marsh Group (G431)$$. Strand with native tree canopy is classified as ~Hawaiian Lowland-Coastal Seasonal Rainforest Group (G388)$$, non-native species-dominated strand as ~Polynesian Ruderal Scrub & Herb Coastal Strand Group (G423)$$, and salt marsh as ~Hawaiian Ruderal Coastal Salt Marsh Group (G433)$$.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This group tends to be sparse and patchy and includes succulent herbs, low wind-sheared shrubs, grasslands, mixtures of drier shrub and grasses or taller shrublands.
Floristics: Vegetation varies largely with substrate and rainfall. Dry, leeward coastal stands tend to be sparse and patchy and include succulent herbs, low wind-sheared shrubs, grasslands, mixtures of drier shrub and grasses or taller shrublands. The wetter, windward coasts of larger islands are more often vegetated with mesic-wet graminoids and shrubs with scattered trees. However, there is considerable overlap of ubiquitous and mesic coastal species. Dry strand species include graminoids Fimbristylis cymosa, Eragrostis variabilis, Sporobolus virginicus, forbs Boerhavia acutifolia, Boerhavia repens, Nama sandwicense, Sesuvium portulacastrum, and shrubs Chamaesyce celastroides, Chenopodium oahuense, Gossypium tomentosum, Heliotropium anomalum, Jacquemontia ovalifolia ssp. sandwicensis, Lipochaeta spp., Myoporum sandwicense, Scaevola coriacea, Scaevola sericea, Sida fallax, Tetramolopium rockii, Tribulus cistoides, and Vitex rotundifolia (Warshauer et al. 2008). Characteristic species of the wet strand are Deschampsia nubigena, Machaerina angustifolia, Pilea peploides, Scleria testacea, Selaginella arbuscula, Thelypteris interrupta (= Cyclosorus interruptus), and Wikstroemia oahuensis (Warshauer et al. 2008). Species characteristic of mesic or seasonally moist strand are Artemisia australis, Bacopa monnieri, Bidens hillebrandiana, Bidens molokaiensis, Chenopodium oahuense, Cyperus javanicus, Cyperus phleoides, Diospyros sandwicensis, Eragrostis variabilis, Ischaemum byrone, Lipochaeta succulenta, Lysimachia mauritiana, Osteomeles anthyllidifolia, Pandanus tectorius, Plectranthus parviflorus, Sadleria cyatheoides, Schiedea globosa, and Solanum americanum (Warshauer et al. 2008). Disturbed stands are often weedy, being invaded by several introduced species such as Atriplex semibaccata, Vachellia farnesiana (= Acacia farnesiana), Batis maritima, Lantana camara, Leucaena leucocephala, Melinis repens, Pluchea indica, and Prosopis pallida. If a stand is strongly dominated by non-native species then it should be classified to a ruderal group.
Dynamics: Coastal processes such as surf, wind and salt spray define this group. Wave action from occasional strong storms maintains seral vegetation on many sites.
Environmental Description: This group occurs along the coasts of the Hawaiian Islands including the smaller, arid islands and atolls that are widespread in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Stands are restricted to the shoreline and the zone immediately back of it where sites are strongly influenced by surf, wind and salt spray. Elevation is generally below 30 m. Sites may be rocky shorelines or sandy beaches, some with adjacent dunes or low alkaline flats above the saturated zone and behind the high-tide mark.
Climate: Climate is warm, tropical. Annual precipitation ranges from over 3500 mm for wet strand, down to 1200 mm on seasonally mesic sites, and less than 1200 mm for dry strand. The wet to mesic strand occurs within the seasonally mesic, moist mesic, and moderately wet zones (Zones 4, 5 and 6) and the arid to moderately dry coastal strand occurs within the arid, very dry, and moderately dry zones (Zones 1, 2 and 3) of the 7 Moisture Zones developed for the Hawaiian Islands by Price et al. (2007).
Soil/substrate/hydrology: Substrates are variable, ranging from sandy beaches to cobbly shores, derived from volcanic tuff, recent lava flows or old disintegrating lava (basalt), or raised coral beds (limestone).
Climate: Climate is warm, tropical. Annual precipitation ranges from over 3500 mm for wet strand, down to 1200 mm on seasonally mesic sites, and less than 1200 mm for dry strand. The wet to mesic strand occurs within the seasonally mesic, moist mesic, and moderately wet zones (Zones 4, 5 and 6) and the arid to moderately dry coastal strand occurs within the arid, very dry, and moderately dry zones (Zones 1, 2 and 3) of the 7 Moisture Zones developed for the Hawaiian Islands by Price et al. (2007).
Soil/substrate/hydrology: Substrates are variable, ranging from sandy beaches to cobbly shores, derived from volcanic tuff, recent lava flows or old disintegrating lava (basalt), or raised coral beds (limestone).
Geographic Range: This group occurs along the coasts of the Hawaiian Islands including the smaller, arid islands and atolls that are widespread in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and is restricted to the shoreline and the zone immediately back of it where sites are strongly influenced by surf, wind and salt spray.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: HI
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.860862
Confidence Level: High
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.Ob Polynesian Scrub & Herb Coastal Vegetation Division | D078 | 2.A.3.Ob |
| Macrogroup | 2.A.3.Ob.1 Hawaiian Scrub & Herb Coastal Vegetation Macrogroup | M231 | 2.A.3.Ob.1 |
| Group | 2.A.3.Ob.1.a Naupaka Kahakai - Yellow `Ilima / Fimbry species Coastal Strand Group | G421 | 2.A.3.Ob.1.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: < Coastal Communities (Gagne and Cuddihy 1990)
> Coastal Dry Grassland (Gagne and Cuddihy 1990)
> Coastal Dry Herbland (Gagne and Cuddihy 1990)
> Coastal Dry Shrubland (Gagne and Cuddihy 1990)
> Coastal Dry Grassland (Gagne and Cuddihy 1990)
> Coastal Dry Herbland (Gagne and Cuddihy 1990)
> Coastal Dry Shrubland (Gagne and Cuddihy 1990)
- 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]
- Gagne, W. C., and L. W. Cuddihy. 1990. Vegetation. Pages 45-114 in: W. L. Wagner, D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer, editors. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii. 2 volumes. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
- Mueller-Dombois, D., and F. R. Fosberg. 1998. Vegetation of the tropical Pacific islands. Springer-Verlag, New York. 733 pp.
- Price, J. P., S. M. Gon, III, J. D. Jacobi, and D. Matsuwaki. 2007. Mapping plant species ranges in the Hawaiian Islands: Developing a methodology and associated GIS layers. Hawai''i Cooperative Studies Unit. Technical Report HCSU-008. Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center (PACRC), University of Hawai''i, Hilo. 58 pp., includes 16 figures and 6 tables.
- Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Volumes 1 and 2. University of Hawaii Press and Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp.
- Warshauer, F. R., J. D. Jacobi, and J. P. Price. 2008. Native coastal flora and plant communities in Hawai`i: Their composition, distribution and status. Technical Report HCSU-014, USGS Hawai`i Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai`i at Hilo.