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A3341 Taxodium ascendens / Carex striata Swamp Forest Alliance
Type Concept Sentence: Taxodium ascendens dominates the canopy of this woodland vegetation with Nyssa biflora or Pinus serotina over Hypericum fasciculatum and graminoid wetland herbaceous plants, which can form a thick mat in the soggy substrate of coastal plain swales, limesinks, depression ponds and cypress stringers.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Pond-cypress / Walter''s Sedge Swamp Forest Alliance
Colloquial Name: Pond-cypress / Walter''s Sedge Depression Swamp Forest
Hierarchy Level: Alliance
Type Concept: Taxodium ascendens dominates the canopy of this woodland vegetation with Nyssa biflora and Pinus serotina being fairly common. Acer rubrum and Liquidambar styraciflua may reach the canopy. A well-developed shrub layer is not common, but when fire has been infrequent, Clethra alnifolia, Lyonia lucida, Magnolia virginiana, Persea palustris, Smilax laurifolia, and/or Smilax walteri will be found. More commonly Hypericum fasciculatum will occur as a low shrub even under a frequent burn regime. The most common herbaceous plants are Carex striata, Carex turgescens, and various Rhynchospora species. The sedges Carex striata, Rhynchospora cephalantha, and Rhynchospora careyana tend to form a thick mat in the soggy substrate. This woodland vegetation occurs in coastal plain swales, limesinks, depression ponds and cypress stringers.
Diagnostic Characteristics: The deciduous conifer Taxodium ascendens dominates the canopy. The most common herbaceous plants are Carex striata, Carex turgescens, and various Rhynchospora species. These and other graminoid wetland herbaceous plants can form a thick mat in the soggy substrate of coastal plain swales, limesinks, depression ponds and cypress stringers where this vegetation occurs.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: These are Taxodium ascendens-dominated depressions and stringers which have a significant herbaceous component, especially Carex striata, Carex turgescens, and various Rhynchospora species.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: The deciduous conifer Taxodium ascendens dominates the canopy and graminoid wetland herbaceous plants dominate the herbaceous layer. Some examples may have Taxodium ascendens trees shorter than 5 m (16 feet), especially around the margins of cypress domes in shallower water and thinner soil.
Floristics: Taxodium ascendens dominates the canopy of this woodland vegetation with Nyssa biflora and Pinus serotina being fairly common. Acer rubrum and Liquidambar styraciflua may reach the canopy. A well-developed shrub layer is not common, but when fire has been infrequent, Clethra alnifolia, Lyonia lucida, Magnolia virginiana, Persea palustris, Smilax laurifolia, and/or Smilax walteri will be found. More commonly Hypericum fasciculatum will occur as a low shrub even under a frequent burn regime. The most common herbaceous plants are Carex striata, Carex turgescens, and various Rhynchospora species. The sedges Carex striata, Rhynchospora cephalantha, and Rhynchospora careyana tend to form a thick mat in the soggy substrate. Other prominent herbs may include Eriocaulon compressum, Lachnanthes caroliana, Lobelia boykinii, Panicum hemitomon, Paspalum praecox, Rhexia aristosa, Rhynchospora spp. (Rhynchospora careyana, Rhynchospora cephalantha, Rhynchospora filifolia), Saccharum spp. (Saccharum brevibarbe var. contortum, Saccharum giganteum), and Xyris spp. (Xyris brevifolia, Xyris fimbriata, Xyris smalliana). Scleria baldwinii and Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense can be significant herbaceous components, especially in Florida.
Dynamics: A frequent fire regime will maintain the open herbaceous layer and reduce hardwood trees and shrubs as well. Large year-to-year variations in the amount and duration of flooding serve to promote herbaceous cover and diversity, and limit the survival of tree seedlings, which helps maintain the open woodland physiognomy.
Environmental Description: This alliance consists of Taxodium ascendens woodlands and savannas that have a variable hydroperiod, but flood for most of the winter and generally dry down to a water level below the soil surface by late summer. These sites are found in shallow depressions where woodland structure is favored; deeper ponds tend to have closed canopies. Woodlands in this alliance most often occur in coastal plain swales, limesinks, depression ponds, cypress stringers and other seasonally flooded wetlands.
Geographic Range: Occurs in the Southern Coastal Plain from southeastern North Carolina to Florida and west to southern Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.899465
Confidence Level: Moderate
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 | A3341 Pond-cypress / Walter''s Sedge Swamp Forest Alliance | A3341 | 1.B.3.Nb.1.a |
| Association | CEGL004087 Pond-cypress / Walter''s Sedge - Savanna Iris - (Virginia Chainfern) Swamp Woodland | CEGL004087 | 1.B.3.Nb.1.a |
| Association | CEGL004089 Pond-cypress - Swamp Tupelo / Walter''s Sedge - (Broad-fruit Horned Beaksedge, Bunched Beaksedge) Stringer Swamp Woodland | CEGL004089 | 1.B.3.Nb.1.a |
| Association | CEGL007419 Pond-cypress / Myrtle Dahoon / (Walter''s Sedge, Pine Barren Sedge) Stringer Swamp Forest | CEGL007419 | 1.B.3.Nb.1.a |
Concept Lineage: A.336, A.651 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 Savanna (Schafale and Weakley 1990)
? 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)
>< Small Depression Pond (Schafale and Weakley 1990)
>< Strand Swamp (FNAI 1992a)
? Strand Swamp, Cypress Strand subtype (FNAI 1992b)
? Cypress Dome Forest (Hilsenbeck et al. 1979)
? Cypress Forests (Gunderson and Loftus 1993)
? Cypress Prairie (Gunderson and Loftus 1993)
= Cypress Savanna (Schafale and Weakley 1990)
? 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)
>< Small Depression Pond (Schafale and Weakley 1990)
>< Strand Swamp (FNAI 1992a)
? Strand Swamp, Cypress Strand subtype (FNAI 1992b)
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