Print Report

A0804 Arundinaria tecta Wet Shrubland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance includes dense stands of Arundinaria tecta, in peat wetlands of the Southeastern Coastal Plain, including pocosins, coastal plain peat domes, along stream flats, or on saturated slopes.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Switch Cane Wet Shrubland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Switch Cane Wet Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance includes dense stands of Arundinaria tecta, either without an overstory, or with scattered Pinus serotina, Nyssa biflora, or Liriodendron tulipifera. Physiognomy and structure vary with fire-return interval. In areas that burn every 3-5 years, the vegetation will be very dominated by Arundinaria tecta, perhaps with scattered Pinus serotina. Cover of pocosin shrubs, such as Cyrilla racemiflora, Ilex coriacea, Ilex glabra, Lyonia ligustrina var. foliosiflora, Lyonia lucida, Magnolia virginiana, Aronia arbutifolia, Zenobia pulverulenta, and the tree Acer rubrum var. trilobum increases with lack of fire. Without fire for greater than 15 years, these species will overtake the Arundinaria tecta. Vegetation of this alliance is found in peat wetlands, including pocosins, coastal plain peat domes, along stream flats, or on saturated slopes of the Southeastern Coastal Plain. This alliance occurs on shallow organic soils (10-100 cm deep), in areas which burn every 3-12 or more years. Typically it is found around the periphery of deep peat deposits where peat feathers out onto mineral soil, in peat-filled depressions and sloughs in pine barrens, or on upland flats where drainage is poor enough to permit accumulation of an organic layer deep enough to support the Arundinaria tecta rhizome mat. It is likely that the soil is saturated throughout most of the winter and spring, and probably dries out in the summer and fall. Organic matter depth, fire frequency, and nutrient availability are the primary factors controlling vegetation structure and composition in this vegetation. This alliance is thought to have been common in presettlement times, existing as large, open tracts. Most of the presettlement acreage has succeeded to pocosin vegetation because of fire exclusion or has been drained and cleared for agriculture.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Open saturated wetlands which are dominated by Arundinaria tecta. These can be associated with pocosins and large peat domes, but also along stream flats and on saturated slopes.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This vegetation has only very sparse trees of Pinus serotina. Examples which have higher cover of Pinus serotina are classified as ~Pinus serotina Swamp Woodland Alliance (A0581)$$ in ~Coastal Plain Mixed Evergreen Swamp Group (G037)$$. All of the associations within this alliance are thought to be maintained by frequent fire.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Stands of this alliance are dominated by the woody grass Arundinaria tecta, a North American member of the bamboo tribe (Bambuseae) of grasses. Physiognomy and structure vary with fire-return interval. In areas that burn every 3-5 years, the appearance of the vegetation will be that of nearly pure Arundinaria tecta, perhaps with scattered Pinus serotina. Cover of pocosin shrubs increases with lack of fire, and with fire suppression greater than 15 years, these species may overtake the cane.

Floristics: Stands of this alliance are dominated by Arundinaria tecta (= Arundinaria gigantea ssp. tecta), either without an overstory, or with very widely scattered trees such as Liriodendron tulipifera, Nyssa biflora, Pinus serotina, and others. Herbs and other shrubs may be found mixed with Arundinaria tecta or in openings in stands, particularly after episodes of fire. These may include Calopogon tuberosus, Eupatorium rotundifolium, Ilex coriacea, Itea virginica, Lycopodiella alopecuroides, Lyonia lucida, Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Rhexia virginica, Sarracenia rubra ssp. rubra, Smilax laurifolia, Solidago sp., and the moss Sphagnum sp. Cover of pocosin shrubs, such as such as Cyrilla racemiflora, Ilex coriacea, Ilex glabra, Lyonia ligustrina var. foliosiflora, Lyonia lucida, Magnolia virginiana, Aronia arbutifolia, Zenobia pulverulenta, and also the tree Acer rubrum var. trilobum increases with lack of fire, and with fire suppression greater than 15 years, these species may overtake the cane.

Dynamics:  This alliance is thought to have been common in presettlement times, existing as large, open tracts. Most of the presettlement acreage has succeeded to pocosin vegetation because of fire exclusion or has been drained and cleared for agriculture.
Environmental Description:  This alliance occurs on shallow organic soils (10-100 cm deep), in areas which burn every 3-12 years. Typically it is found around the periphery of deep peat deposits where peat feathers out onto mineral soil, in peat-filled depressions and sloughs in pine barrens, saturated slopes, or on upland flats where drainage is poor enough to permit accumulation of an organic layer deep enough to support the Arundinaria tecta rhizome mat. It is likely that the soil is saturated throughout most of the winter and spring, and probably dries out in the summer and fall. Organic matter depth, fire frequency, and nutrient availability are the primary factors controlling vegetation structure and composition in this vegetation. At Fort Benning, Georgia (locally at the northern edge of the range of Pinus serotina), this vegetation occurs on gentle slopes and in flats; the soils are mapped as Vaucluse Sandy Loam, 5-8% slopes, Bibb Sandy Loam, frequently flooded, and Troup, Vaucluse, and Pelion loamy sands, 8-15% slopes.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found on the Southeastern Coastal Plain from Virginia to Georgia and perhaps also in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL?, FL?, GA, MS?, NC, SC, VA


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.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass S44 2.C
Formation 2.C.2 Temperate to Polar Bog & Fen Formation F016 2.C.2
Division 2.C.2.Nb Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Plain Pocosin Division D324 2.C.2.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.2.Nb.1 Shining Fetterbush - Inkberry - Swamp Titi Bog & Fen Macrogroup M065 2.C.2.Nb.1
Group 2.C.2.Nb.1.a Shining Fetterbush - Inkberry - Swamp Titi Pocosin & Shrub Bog Group G186 2.C.2.Nb.1.a
Alliance A0804 Switch Cane Wet Shrubland Alliance A0804 2.C.2.Nb.1.a
Association CEGL003843 Switch Cane Wet Shrubland CEGL003843 2.C.2.Nb.1.a
Association CEGL003851 Pond Pine / Switch Cane Wooded Wet Shrubland CEGL003851 2.C.2.Nb.1.a
Concept Lineage: From old alliances A.801 and A.804. (pasted in from A.804 with edits in track changes)

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< IIB2c. Peatland Canebrake (Allard 1990)
>< Pond Pine: 98 (Eyre 1980)
Concept Author(s): C. Nordman, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: C. Nordman

Acknowledgements: The past work of D. Allard, M. Schafale and A. Weakley is acknowledged.

Version Date: 09-26-14
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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.
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, M. Hall, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, L. Sneddon, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2013-2019b. Screening alliances for induction into the U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Part 1 - Alliance concept review. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
  • Frost, C. C. 1989. History and status of remnant pocosin, canebrake and white cedar wetlands in Virginia. Unpublished report. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond.
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  • Meanley, B. 1972. Swamps, river bottoms and canebrakes. Barre Publishing, Barre, MA. 142 pp.
  • Platt, S. G., and C. G. Brantley. 1997. Canebrakes: An ecological and historical perspective. Castanea 62:8-21.
  • Schafale, M. P., and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina. Third approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 325 pp.