Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: Vegetation is a closed-canopy forest usually dominated by Nyssa biflora, but often with significant associates of Liquidambar styraciflua and Acer rubrum. Although absent from many stands, Taxodium distichum is occasionally important or codominant in the canopy. Other inconstant overstory trees that can be important in some stands include Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Quercus laurifolia, Quercus nigra, and Quercus phellos. Nyssa biflora, Acer rubrum, Ilex opaca var. opaca, and Magnolia virginiana are the most typical subcanopy trees. The shrub layer varies from sparse to more often dense and consists of acidophilic, ericaceous and non-ericaceous species such as Eubotrys racemosa (= Leucothoe racemosa), Vaccinium formosum, Vaccinium fuscatum, Rhododendron viscosum, Clethra alnifolia, Viburnum nudum, Itea virginica, Ilex verticillata, and Arundinaria tecta (= Arundinaria gigantea ssp. tecta). Smilax rotundifolia and Smilax walteri are common scrambling vines. The herb layer varies from sparse to well-developed. The most constant herbs in 20 Virginia and Maryland plots are Woodwardia areolata, Mitchella repens, Saururus cernuus, Carex seorsa, Osmunda cinnamomea, Triadenum walteri, Boehmeria cylindrica, and Carex crinita. Less constant herbs that attain moderately high cover in some stands include Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Carex intumescens, Eutrochium dubium (= Eupatorium dubium), Carex lonchocarpa, and Bidens discoidea. Mean species richness was 38 taxa per 400 m2. Stands on the Delmarva Peninsula of Virginia and Maryland lack some of the southern species (e.g., Arundinaria tecta, Quercus laurifolia) that are frequent in southeastern Virginia. In Tiner and Burke''s (1995) study of Maryland wetlands, this community was described as the non-tidal swamp blackgum dominance type, with associated trees of Acer rubrum, Magnolia virginiana, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Liquidambar styraciflua; characteristic shrubs and vines of Clethra alnifolia, Eubotrys racemosa, Viburnum nudum, and Smilax rotundifolia; and characteristic herbs of Carex intumescens, Boehmeria cylindrica, Woodwardia areolata, Glyceria striata, Bidens sp., Lycopus sp., Carex folliculata, Cinna arundinacea, Saururus cernuus, and Eutrochium dubium. More recent field investigations in Maryland have found Ilex opaca var. opaca, Smilax laurifolia, and Phoradendron leucarpum (= Phoradendron serotinum) to be frequent or common in the type.

Dynamics:  The streams along which this community type occurs carry limited clay and silt sediments. Consequently, nutrient inputs by flooding are limited. Tree growth appears to be notably slow in the wet, infertile soils and only very old trees attain large size.