Print Report

A3340 Taxodium ascendens / Cyrilla racemiflora Swamp Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: Woodland or forest vegetation of depression ponds, Carolina bays, and other non-alluvial wetlands of the Southeastern Coastal Plain with stands dominated by an open to closed canopy of Taxodium ascendens or sometimes Nyssa biflora, with a dense shrub layer of Cyrilla racemiflora, Ilex myrtifolia, and other shrubs (especially of the heath family), and the herbaceous flora dominated by graminoids, such as Rhynchospora spp.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Pond-cypress / Swamp Titi Swamp Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Pond-cypress Mixed Shrub Depression Swamp Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: Woodland or forest vegetation dominated by an open to closed canopy of Taxodium ascendens (or sometimes Nyssa biflora), with a dense shrub layer of Cyrilla racemiflora, Ilex myrtifolia, and other shrubs. Many of these shrubs are of the heath family (Ericaceae), such as Clethra alnifolia, Cliftonia monophylla, Ilex amelanchier, Persea palustris, Vaccinium formosum, Vaccinium fuscatum, and Zenobia pulverulenta. Herbaceous flora is dominated by graminoids, such as Bacopa caroliniana, Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense, Ludwigia pilosa, and Rhynchospora spp. This vegetation occurs in depression ponds, Carolina bays, and other non-alluvial wetlands of the Southeastern Coastal Plain.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Taxodium ascendens woodland with a dense shrub layer of Cyrilla racemiflora, Ilex myrtifolia, and other shrubs, which occurs in coastal plain depressions.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Taxodium ascendens woodland with a dense shrub layer of Cyrilla racemiflora, Ilex myrtifolia, and other shrubs.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Taxodium ascendens woodland with a dense shrub layer of Cyrilla racemiflora, Ilex myrtifolia, and other shrubs, The evergreen shrub stratum makes this vegetation easily distinguished from similar alliances.

Floristics: Woodland or forest vegetation dominated by an open to closed canopy of Taxodium ascendens (or sometimes Nyssa biflora), with a dense shrub layer of Cyrilla racemiflora, Ilex myrtifolia, and other shrubs. Many of these shrubs are of the heath family (Ericaceae), such as Clethra alnifolia, Cliftonia monophylla, Ilex amelanchier, Persea palustris, Vaccinium formosum, Vaccinium fuscatum, and Zenobia pulverulenta. Herbaceous flora is dominated by graminoids, such as Bacopa caroliniana, Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense, Ludwigia pilosa, and Rhynchospora spp.

Dynamics:  These wetlands flood for most of the winter and generally dry down to a water level below the soil surface by late summer.
Environmental Description:  This vegetation occurs in depression ponds, Carolina bays, and other non-alluvial wetlands of the Southeastern Coastal Plain. These wetlands flood for most of the winter and generally dry down to a water level below the soil surface by late summer.
Geographic Range: Woodlands in this alliance are distributed in the Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, as well as in the East Gulf Coastal Plain of Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi. They extend southwards into subtropical Florida.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 1 Forest & Woodland Class C01 1
Subclass 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass S15 1.B
Formation 1.B.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation F026 1.B.3
Division 1.B.3.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division D062 1.B.3.Nb
Macrogroup 1.B.3.Nb.1 Pond-cypress - Slash Pine Swamp Macrogroup M161 1.B.3.Nb.1
Group 1.B.3.Nb.1.a Pond-cypress / Holly species Basin Swamp Group G036 1.B.3.Nb.1.a
Alliance A3340 Pond-cypress / Swamp Titi Swamp Forest Alliance A3340 1.B.3.Nb.1.a
Association CEGL003734 Pond-cypress / Swamp Titi - Honeycup Swamp Woodland CEGL003734 1.B.3.Nb.1.a
Association CEGL003735 Swamp Tupelo - Pond-cypress / Hairy Primrose-willow - Blue Water-hyssop Swamp Woodland CEGL003735 1.B.3.Nb.1.a
Association CEGL004441 Pond-cypress / Virginia Chainfern Swamp Woodland CEGL004441 1.B.3.Nb.1.a
Association CEGL004914 Pond-cypress / Sweetbay / Swamp Sawgrass Swamp Forest CEGL004914 1.B.3.Nb.1.a
Association CEGL007418 Pond-cypress / Myrtle Dahoon Swamp Forest CEGL007418 1.B.3.Nb.1.a
Association CEGL007420 Pond-cypress / (Swamp Tupelo) / Swamp Doghobble - Shining Fetterbush - Wax-myrtle Swamp Forest CEGL007420 1.B.3.Nb.1.a
Association CEGL007725 Pond-cypress / Apalachicola St. John''s-wort / Harper''s Beaksedge Swamp Dwarf Woodland CEGL007725 1.B.3.Nb.1.a
Concept Lineage: A.336, A.651, A.655 in part

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Cypress Dome (Olmsted et al. 1980b)
? Cypress Dome Forest (Hilsenbeck et al. 1979)
? Cypress Forests (Gunderson and Loftus 1993)
? Cypress Prairie (Gunderson and Loftus 1993)
? Cypress Strand Forest (Hilsenbeck et al. 1979)
>< Dome Swamp (FNAI 1992a)
? Dome Swamp, Cypress Dome subtype (FNAI 1992b)
? Dwarf Cypress (Gunderson and Loftus 1993)
? Hatrack Cypress (Gunderson and Loftus 1993)
>< IIA10a. Pond Cypress Forest (Allard 1990)
? IIA5b. Coastal Plain Small Stream Swamp Forest (Allard 1990)
? IIB2a. Pond Cypress Savanna (Allard 1990)
? Open-canopy ("Hatrack") Cypress Forest (Hilsenbeck et al. 1979)
>< Pondcypress: 100 (Eyre 1980)
>< Strand Swamp (FNAI 1992a)
? Strand Swamp, Cypress Strand subtype (FNAI 1992b)
Concept Author(s): C. Nordman, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: C. Nordman and A.S. Weakley

Acknowledgements: We have incorporated significant descriptive information previously compiled by J.E. Mohan.

Version Date: 01-08-14
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