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A1485 Zizania aquatica - Zizaniopsis miliacea Tidal Freshwater Marsh Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: These tidal marshes, dominated by Zizaniopsis miliacea, occur as fringing marshes or tidal river marshes around the east coast of the United States where water levels are stabilized by daily tides or other tidal phenomena.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Annual Wild Rice - Giant Cutgrass Tidal Freshwater Marsh Alliance

Colloquial Name: Southern Wild Rice Tidal Freshwater Marsh

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: These tidal marshes, dominated by Zizaniopsis miliacea, occur as fringing marshes or tidal river marshes around the east coast of the United States where water levels are stabilized by daily tides or other tidal phenomena. Other dominants that may occur include Zizania aquatica, Pontederia cordata, and Peltandra virginica; other common plants are Saccharum giganteum, Rhynchospora corniculata, Cicuta maculata, and Boltonia asteroides. In one association, the herbaceous plants occur with Alnus serrulata.

Diagnostic Characteristics: This vegetation Includes primarily warm-temperate freshwater tidal marsh vegetation dominated by tall graminoids, including Zizaniopsis miliacea and/or Zizania aquatica.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This alliance includes freshwater tidal marsh vegetation dominated by either Zizaniopsis miliacea or Zizania aquatica.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance contains freshwater tidal marshes dominated by tall graminoids, including Zizaniopsis miliacea and Zizania aquatica, possibly with Panicum hemitomon in some cases.

Floristics: This vegetation is dominated by tall graminoids, including Zizaniopsis miliacea and/or Zizania aquatica. Other dominants that may occur include Zizania aquatica, Pontederia cordata, and Peltandra virginica; other common plants are Saccharum giganteum, Rhynchospora corniculata, Cicuta maculata, and Boltonia asteroides. In addition, Panicum hemitomon may occur in some cases. In one association, the herbaceous plants occur with Alnus serrulata.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This vegetation occurs in freshwater tidal situations, such as along tidal rivers or in fringing marshes. Soils are highly variable and are composed of varying amounts of silts, silty mucks, fine peat, to very coarse sands.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida on the Gulf Coast, and from Florida north to Massachusetts and Maine on the Atlantic Coast.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL, CT, DE, FL?, GA, LA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, VA


Confidence Level: Low

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.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation F013 2.C.4
Division 2.C.4.Ne Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D322 2.C.4.Ne
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Ne.1 Annual Wild Rice - Saltmeadow Cordgrass - Pickerelweed Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Macrogroup M066 2.C.4.Ne.1
Group 2.C.4.Ne.1.b <i>Zizaniopsis milacea - Spartina patens - Panicum hemotimon</i> Freshwater Tidal Marsh Group G913 2.C.4.Ne.1.b
Alliance A1485 Annual Wild Rice - Giant Cutgrass Tidal Freshwater Marsh Alliance A1485 2.C.4.Ne.1.b
Association CEGL003887 Annual Wild Rice Gulf Coast Tidal Marsh CEGL003887 2.C.4.Ne.1.b
Association CEGL004627 Hazel Alder / (Annual Wild Rice, Giant Cutgrass) Tidal Shrubland CEGL004627 2.C.4.Ne.1.b
Association CEGL004705 Giant Cutgrass Tidal Marsh CEGL004705 2.C.4.Ne.1.b
Association CEGL007895 Giant Cutgrass - Maidencane Tidal Marsh CEGL007895 2.C.4.Ne.1.b
Concept Lineage: This alliance includes associations which were in old alliances A.1024 (1/4), A.1484 (2/3), and A.1485 (2/2). Of the three, A.1485 most closely resembles this new alliance, and all of its two members are here. (content pasted in verbatim from A.1485).

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Giant Cutgrass Community Type (Odum et al. 1984)
? River Marsh (Wharton 1978)
? Wild Rice Community Type (Odum et al. 1984)
Concept Author(s): C. Nordman, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M. Pyne

Acknowledgements: We have incorporated significant information developed and compiled by L.A. Sneddon and A.S. Weakley.

Version Date: 01-10-18
  • 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.
  • Glitzenstein, J. S., and D. R. Streng. 2004. Evaluating the NatureServe preliminary plant community classification for Francis Marion National Forest. Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee, FL. Plus appendices and data.
  • Odum, W. E., T. J. Smith, III, J. K. Hoover, and C. C. McIvor. 1984. The ecology of tidal freshwater marshes of the United States east coast: A community profile. FWS/OBS-83/17. USDI Fish & Wildlife Service, Office of Biological Services, Washington, DC. 176 pp.
  • Rice, S. K., and R. K. Peet. 1997. Vegetation of the Lower Roanoke River Floodplain. Unpublished report to The Nature Conservancy. 154 pp.
  • 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.
  • Sneddon, L., M. Anderson, and K. Metzler. 1996. Community alliances and elements of the Eastern Region. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Eastern Heritage Task Force, Boston, MA. 235 pp.
  • Swain, P. C., and J. B. Kearsley. 2001. Classification of natural communities of Massachusetts. September 2001 draft. Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Westborough, MA.
  • Wharton, C. H. 1978. The natural environments of Georgia. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Atlanta. 227 pp.