Print Report

A3388 Hypericum chapmanii - Hypericum lissophloeus Pondshore Shrubland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance consists of seasonally flooded depression shrublands which are dominated by Hypericum lissophloeus or Hypericum chapmanii which are endemic to the Florida Panhandle.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Chapman''s St. John''s-wort - Smoothbark St. John''s-wort Pondshore Shrubland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Florida Panhandle Tall St. John''s-wort Pondshore Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance consists of seasonally flooded shrublands which are dominated by Hypericum lissophloeus or Hypericum chapmanii; both species are endemic to the Florida Panhandle. Hypericum lissophloeus forms a dense tall-shrub layer 3-5 m tall on the outer margins of steeply sloping pond margins. Other associated species include Andropogon capillipes, Andropogon glaucopsis, Centella erecta, Chrysoma pauciflosculosa, Dichanthelium spp., Eleocharis spp., Hypericum fasciculatum, Hypericum tenuifolium, Lachnocaulon minus, Ludwigia suffruticosa, Lupinus westianus var. westianus, Panicum hemitomon, and Panicum virgatum. Hypericum lissophloeus is limited to sinkhole ponds in Bay and Washington counties, Florida. These sinkhole ponds are unusually large, steep-sided, and deep, with as much as 30 m elevational change from rim (sandhill) to center. Hypericum chapmanii may be found in flatwoods ponds and dome swamps or along the ecotones of larger ponds and domes in the region, generally closer to the coast than Hypericum lissophloeus. The vegetation is typified by a moderate to dense shrub/dwarf-tree stratum 2-5 m tall, dominated by Hypericum chapmanii, typically with Hypericum brachyphyllum and Ilex myrtifolia present. A sparse emergent layer of Taxodium ascendens may be present. With Hypericum chapmanii are shrub species such as Cyrilla parvifolia, Ilex myrtifolia, Hypericum brachyphyllum, Hypericum fasciculatum, and Nyssa ursina, and herbaceous species including Coreopsis nudata, Eriocaulon compressum, Eriocaulon decangulare, Lobelia floridana, Pinguicula planifolia, and Polygala cymosa.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Depression ponds dominated by Hypericum chapmanii or Hypericum lissophloeus. These are tall needle-leaved tall shrubs, 2-4 m in height.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: No Data Available

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Hypericum chapmanii is a needle-leaved tall shrub with a bonsai-like tree form, up to 4 m tall and with basal diameters of up to 20 cm. Hypericum lissophloeus forms a dense tall-shrub layer 3-5 m tall on the outer margins of steeply sloping pond margins.

Floristics: Vegetation in this alliance includes stands, which sometimes have a scattered supercanopy of Pinus elliottii var. elliottii or Taxodium ascendens, dominated by Hypericum chapmanii characteristically mixed with other microphyllous shrubs. Associated shrub species are Cyrilla parvifolia, Hypericum brachyphyllum, Hypericum fasciculatum, Ilex myrtifolia, and Nyssa ursina. Hypericum chapmanii is a needle-leaved large shrub with a bonsai-like tree form, up to 4 m tall and with basal diameters of up to 20 cm. Frequent associated herbaceous species are Coreopsis nudata, Eriocaulon compressum, Eriocaulon decangulare, Lobelia floridana, Pinguicula planifolia, and Polygala cymosa. Many of the species dominant in or characteristic of this alliance are narrow endemics of the Florida Panhandle. Hypericum lissophloeus forms a dense tall-shrub layer 3-5 m tall on the outer margins of steeply sloping pond margins. Other associated species include Andropogon capillipes, Andropogon glaucopsis, Centella erecta, Chrysoma pauciflosculosa, Dichanthelium spp., Eleocharis spp., Hypericum fasciculatum, Hypericum tenuifolium (= Hypericum reductum), Lachnocaulon minus, Ludwigia suffruticosa, Lupinus westianus var. westianus, Panicum hemitomon, and Panicum virgatum.

Dynamics:  These wetlands are seasonally flooded, but may become dry in the summer or during drought which affects groundwater. Hypericum lissophloeus depressions are karst features and the water levels in them may vary greatly from year to year. Hypericum chapmanii ponds may be prone to wildland fire.
Environmental Description:  Depression ponds and dome swamp in the coastal flatwoods (generally south of the Cody Scarp) are typical habitats for Hypericum chapmanii; further inland and on slightly higher elevations (north of the Cody Scarp) of sandhill upland lakes are typical for Hypericum lissophloeus. Both species are endemic to the Florida Panhandle, but they are in slightly different locations. Hypericum chapmanii occurs in seasonally flooded depressional wetlands in the Florida Panhandle, including wet prairie ecotones, small dome swamps, stringers, and possibly on interdune swales. Some examples may develop in abandoned borrow-pits and other artificially created depressions. The group of sinkhole ponds dominated by Hypericum lissophloeus are unusually large, steep-sided, and deep, with as much as 30 m elevation change from rim (sandhill) to center. The hydrology is seasonally flooded, but the amplitude is great, with the zone where Hypericum lissophloeus is concentrated being flooded as much as 1.5 m deep, or being exposed up to 1.5 m above the water level.
Geographic Range: This vegetation is limited to the Florida Panhandle. Hypericum chapmanii occurs in the Coastal Flatwoods region, and Hypericum lissophloeus is limited to Bay and Washington counties, Florida (north of the Coastal Flatwoods).

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  FL


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.2 Beaksedge species - Spikerush species - Panicgrass species Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Prairie & Marsh Macrogroup M067 2.C.4.Ne.2
Group 2.C.4.Ne.2.g Beaksedge species - Spikerush species - Yellow-eyed-grass species Pondshore & Wet Prairie Group G915 2.C.4.Ne.2.g
Alliance A3388 Chapman''s St. John''s-wort - Smoothbark St. John''s-wort Pondshore Shrubland Alliance A3388 2.C.4.Ne.2.g
Association CEGL003867 Apalachicola St. John''s-wort - Myrtle Dahoon - (Bear Tupelo) Wet Shrubland CEGL003867 2.C.4.Ne.2.g
Association CEGL003870 Smoothbark St. John''s-wort Wet Shrubland CEGL003870 2.C.4.Ne.2.g
Association CEGL008594 Peelbark St. John''s-wort - Apalachicola St. John''s-wort / Longleaf Three-awn - (Yellow Pitcherplant, Parrot Pitcherplant) Wet Shrubland CEGL008594 2.C.4.Ne.2.g
Concept Lineage: This new alliance is a fusion of A.844 and A.846.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: No Data Available
Concept Author(s): C. Nordman, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: C. Nordman

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 01-08-14
  • 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.
  • Folkerts, G. W. 1997. Citronelle Ponds: Little-known wetlands of the central Gulf Coastal Plain, USA. Natural Areas Journal 17:6-16.
  • Godfrey, R. K. 1988. Trees, shrubs, and woody vines of northern Florida and adjacent Georgia and Alabama. University of Georgia Press, Athens. 734 pp.