Print Report
A0378 Magnolia virginiana - Nyssa biflora - Quercus laurifolia Southeast Swamp Forest Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: This alliance consists of forests of floodplain flats and small blackwater stream headwaters, in the Southern Coastal Plain, with combinations of deciduous and evergreen broad-leaved trees. Magnolia virginiana, Nyssa biflora, and Quercus laurifolia dominate the canopy.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Magnolia virginiana - Nyssa biflora - Quercus laurifolia Southeast Swamp Forest Alliance
Colloquial Name: Southeast Gulf Coastal Plain Sweetbay - Mixed Hardwood Swamp Forest
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: Canopies are diverse, but various combinations of Magnolia virginiana, Nyssa biflora, and Quercus laurifolia often strongly dominate the canopy stratum. In the East Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana and Mississippi, this alliance includes Quercus laurifolia bayheads over sticky clay soils, which are less acidic and shrubby than most other bayhead types, as well as small ravine-bottom bayheads with seepage. In the former, the canopy is dominated by Quercus laurifolia, Nyssa biflora, Magnolia virginiana, and Acer rubrum var. rubrum. In the southern parts of the alliance''s range, some stands may contain Pinus elliottii var. elliottii and/or Taxodium ascendens. In addition, the subcanopy contains Fraxinus caroliniana. The open shrub stratum may contain Chionanthus virginicus, Cyrilla racemiflora, Eubotrys racemosa, Lyonia lucida, Rhododendron viscosum, Toxicodendron radicans, Vaccinium elliottii, and Viburnum nudum var. nudum. In the latter case, the canopy is dominated by Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia virginiana, and Nyssa biflora. The shrub layer is dominated by Ilex coriacea and Viburnum nudum var. nudum, as well as Illicium floridanum, Eubotrys racemosa, Lyonia lucida, Morella caroliniensis, and Morella cerifera. In the West Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana and Texas (and possibly Arkansas and Oklahoma), this alliance is expressed in at least two broad types which vary geographically along a north-south gradient. These broad-leaved mixed evergreen-deciduous forests are dominated by Magnolia virginiana and Nyssa biflora, with Liquidambar styraciflua codominant in some occurrences. Associated canopy species may include Fagus grandifolia, Magnolia grandiflora, Pinus palustris, Pinus taeda, Quercus alba, Quercus laurifolia, Quercus nigra, and Taxodium distichum. The subcanopy may include Acer rubrum, Ilex opaca var. opaca, Persea palustris, and occasionally Chionanthus virginicus and Fraxinus pennsylvanica. Tall shrubs include Alnus serrulata, Ilex coriacea, Morella caroliniensis, Morella cerifera, Persea palustris, Aronia arbutifolia, Rhododendron canescens, Rhododendron oblongifolium, Styrax americanus, and Viburnum nudum var. nudum. The short-shrub stratum includes seedlings of overstory and tall-shrub species, plus Berchemia scandens, Hypericum spp., Itea virginica, and Rubus spp. This alliance comprises forests of floodplain flats and small blackwater stream headwaters, primarily in the southern coastal plains from Georgia and the northern Florida peninsula west to Texas. In the West Gulf Coastal Plain, this alliance occurs on deep, very acidic silt loams, fine sandy loam, and loamy fine sand soils with high organic content, primarily on floodplain flats and along small blackwater streams of low velocity.
Diagnostic Characteristics: Various combinations of Acer rubrum, Magnolia virginiana, Nyssa biflora, and Quercus laurifolia often strongly dominate the canopy stratum. Liriodendron tulipifera can also be an important canopy tree.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This alliance could be split into a riverine and a flats alliance, based on HGM wetlands classification. Compare to "Swamp Tupelo-Sweetbay Type" of Beckett and Golden (1982) of the Reed Brake RNA, Talladega National Forest, Alabama. Vegetation related to this alliance (with Pinus elliottii) is reported from the Osceola RNA of the Osceola National Forest (classification comment on old alliance A.378, which this alliance is derived from).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Combinations of deciduous and evergreen broad-leaved trees Magnolia virginiana, Nyssa biflora, and Quercus laurifolia dominate the canopy.
Floristics: The canopies of most associations are dominated by Magnolia virginiana and Nyssa biflora, but Nyssa sylvatica may occur in some stands. Quercus laurifolia is a codominant in some stands. In addition, canopy species may include Acer rubrum, Fagus grandifolia, Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnolia grandiflora, Pinus palustris, Pinus taeda, Quercus alba, Quercus nigra, and Taxodium distichum. In the southern parts of the alliance''s range, some stands may contain Pinus elliottii var. elliottii and/or Taxodium ascendens. In addition, the subcanopy may contain Acer rubrum, Fraxinus caroliniana, Ilex opaca var. opaca, Liquidambar styraciflua, Persea palustris, and occasionally Chionanthus virginicus and Fraxinus pennsylvanica. The open to dense shrub stratum may contain Alnus serrulata, Chionanthus virginicus, Cyrilla racemiflora, Ilex cassine, Ilex coriacea, Ilex glabra, Ilex opaca, Eubotrys racemosa (= Leucothoe racemosa), Lyonia lucida, Lyonia lucida, Morella caroliniensis (= Myrica heterophylla), Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera), Persea palustris, Aronia arbutifolia, Rhododendron canescens, Rhododendron viscosum, Styrax americanus, Toxicodendron radicans ssp. radicans, Vaccinium elliottii, Viburnum nudum var. nudum, and Rhododendron oblongifolium or Illicium floridanum (within their ranges). The short-shrub stratum includes seedlings of overstory and tall-shrub species, plus Berchemia scandens, Hypericum spp. (including Hypericum galioides), Itea virginica, and Rubus spp. Smilax laurifolia and Decumaria barbara are conspicuous vines. Herb species (which may be sparse) may include Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides, Boehmeria cylindrica, Carex atlantica, Carex glaucescens, Carex leptalea, Carex lonchocarpa (= Carex folliculata var. australis), Chasmanthium latifolium, Chasmanthium laxum, Eleocharis tortilis, Elephantopus carolinianus, Eriocaulon compressum, Fimbristylis spp., Juncus spp., Onoclea sensibilis, Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis, Polygala cymosa, Saururus cernuus, Viola x primulifolia, Woodwardia areolata, Woodwardia virginica, and Xyris fimbriata. In the southern parts of the alliance''s range, some stands may contain Arundinaria tecta (= Arundinaria gigantea ssp. tecta), Gaylussacia mosieri, Gelsemium rankinii, and Gordonia lasianthus. In addition, Sphagnum spp. are abundant.
Dynamics: Some occurrences may develop from disturbed stands of Chamaecyparis thyoides-dominated forests.
Environmental Description: These communities occur in fire-protected situations in a pine flatwoods landscape. They have saturated hydrology, with infrequent ponding of water following heavy rains. They are forests of floodplain flats and small blackwater stream headwaters. In the Southeastern Coastal Plain soils are generally organic, such as Typic Medisaprists and Terric Medisaprists. Forests in this alliance are apparently shallowly inundated during the winter by high water table. In the West Gulf Coastal Plain, the alliance occurs on deep, very acidic silt loams, fine sandy loam, and loamy fine sand soils with high organic content, primarily on floodplain flats and along small blackwater streams of low velocity. In the East Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana and Mississippi, this alliance includes Quercus laurifolia bayheads, over sticky clay soils, which are less acidic and shrubby than most other bayhead types; as well as small ravine-bottom bayheads with seepage. Examples are also known from the northern Florida Peninsula and the Piedmont of Alabama.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the southeastern United States, primarily in the southern coastal plains from southeastern Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia and the northern Florida peninsula west to Texas, but also in the Piedmont of Alabama.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TX, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.898988
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
Concept Lineage: This is the same as old alliance A.378, but other associations have been added in from A.348, A.351, A.355, and A.377. no edits
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< IIA2a. Bay Forest (Allard 1990)
? Mill Creek Bayhead (Martin and Smith 1991)
? Semi-Evergreen Broad-leaved Acid Seep Forest (Bridges and Orzell 1989a)
= Small stream floodplain forests (Edwards et al. 2013)
>< Sweetbay - Swamp Tupelo - Redbay: 104 (Eyre 1980)
? Sweetbay - Swamp Tupelo / Osmunda Loamy Wet Forested Seeps (Turner et al. 1999)
? Upper Prairie Creek/Upper Wet Community (Nixon et al. 1983a)
? Mill Creek Bayhead (Martin and Smith 1991)
? Semi-Evergreen Broad-leaved Acid Seep Forest (Bridges and Orzell 1989a)
= Small stream floodplain forests (Edwards et al. 2013)
>< Sweetbay - Swamp Tupelo - Redbay: 104 (Eyre 1980)
? Sweetbay - Swamp Tupelo / Osmunda Loamy Wet Forested Seeps (Turner et al. 1999)
? Upper Prairie Creek/Upper Wet Community (Nixon et al. 1983a)
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- Bridges, E. L., and S. L. Orzell. 1989a. Longleaf pine communities of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. Natural Areas Journal 9:246-263.
- Clewell, A. F. 1985. Guide to the vascular plants of the Florida Panhandle. University Presses of Florida, Florida State University Press, Tallahassee. 605 pp.
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- Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
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