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A3402 Andropogon capillipes - Andropogon glaucopsis - Panicum spp. Wet Prairie & Basin Marsh Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: These wet prairie and basin marshes of the South Atlantic Coastal Plain and Florida Peninsula include medium-hydroperiod herbaceous graminoid vegetation of large depression wetlands such as Paynes Prairie, Okefenokee Swamp, and some of the large lakes of central Florida.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Chalky Bluestem - Purple Bluestem - Panicgrass species Wet Prairie & Basin Marsh Alliance

Colloquial Name: South Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Prairie & Basin Marsh

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: These are herbaceous wetlands which may also have evergreen shrubs and widely scattered trees, such as Pinus elliottii var. elliottii, Gordonia lasianthus, or Taxodium ascendens. The herb stratum is typically very well-developed and diverse, with many graminoid species, especially Andropogon capillipes, Andropogon glaucopsis, Panicum hemitomon, Panicum verrucosum, and Rhynchospora spp. Some evergreen shrubs are usually present, including Hypericum brachyphyllum, Lyonia lucida, Lyonia ferruginea, Morella cerifera, Serenoa repens, and Vaccinium darrowii. Shrubs may be covered with the evergreen liana Smilax laurifolia. This wet prairie and basin marsh vegetation of the South Atlantic Coastal Plain and Florida Peninsula is found in seasonally wet seeps, seasonally flooded flats (characteristically interspersed with cypress domes), and low areas in flatwoods. Included are medium-hydroperiod herbaceous graminoid vegetation of large depression wetlands such as Paynes Prairie, Okefenokee Swamp, and some of the large lakes of central Florida.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Wet prairie vegetation of southeast Georgia and the Florida Peninsula. These are not coastal habitats, but are dominated by wetland graminoid herb plants.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: These are mainly medium-hydroperiod wetlands, not saturated seepage wetlands.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Wet prairie vegetation dominated by graminoid herbs, also with some broad-leaved evergreen shrubs.

Floristics: This alliance includes herbaceous graminoid vegetation sometimes with a very sparse tree canopy, including Pinus elliottii var. elliottii, Gordonia lasianthus, or Taxodium ascendens, over scattered broad-leaved evergreen shrubs, including Lyonia lucida, Lyonia ferruginea, Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera), and Vaccinium darrowii, covered with the evergreen liana Smilax laurifolia. Hypericum brachyphyllum is the dominant needle-leaved evergreen shrub in some stands of this alliance. The herb stratum is typically very well-developed and diverse, and includes abundant graminoid species, especially Andropogon capillipes, Andropogon glaucopsis, Panicum hemitomon, Panicum verrucosum, and Rhynchospora spp. Additional herbaceous plants include Amphicarpum muehlenbergianum, Ctenium aromaticum, Dichanthelium spp., Eupatorium leptophyllum, Fuirena spp., Schizachyrium scoparium var. stoloniferum, Scleria spp., and Xyris spp. Some examples in southeastern Georgia have floating Sphagnum spp. mats with herbaceous vegetation. Species rooted into and floating on the sphagnum mats include Lachnanthes caroliana, Nymphaea odorata, Peltandra sagittifolia, Rhynchospora fascicularis var. distans (= Rhynchospora distans), Sarracenia minor var. okefenokeensis, Utricularia subulata, Woodwardia virginica, and Xyris fimbriata.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  This alliance is found in seasonally wet seeps, seasonally flooded flats (characteristically interspersed with cypress domes), and low areas in flatwoods.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in southeastern Georgia, northern Florida and the Florida Peninsula.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  FL, GA


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 A3402 Chalky Bluestem - Purple Bluestem - Panicgrass species Wet Prairie & Basin Marsh Alliance A3402 2.C.4.Ne.2.g
Association CEGL003955 Coastal Plain St. John''s-wort Wet Dwarf-shrubland CEGL003955 2.C.4.Ne.2.g
Association CEGL004113 Cut-throat Grass Wet Meadow CEGL004113 2.C.4.Ne.2.g
Association CEGL004230 Slash Pine / Shining Fetterbush / Okefenokee Giant Pitcherplant - American White Water-lily - Peatmoss species Wooded Wet Meadow CEGL004230 2.C.4.Ne.2.g
Association CEGL004460 (Chalky Bluestem, Purple Bluestem) - Fascicled Beaksedge - Maryland Meadowbeauty Wet Meadow CEGL004460 2.C.4.Ne.2.g
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? SRM Cover Type #813 - Cutthroat Seeps (Shiflet 1994)
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
  • Abrahamson, W. G., A. F. Johnson, J. N. Layne, and P. A. Peroni. 1984. Vegetation of the Archbold Biological Station, Florida: An example of the southern Lake Wales Ridge. Florida Scientist 47:209-250.
  • Cypert, E. 1972. The origin of houses in the Okefenokee prairies. American Midland Naturalist 87:448-458.
  • 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.
  • Shiflet, T. N., editor. 1994. Rangeland cover types of the United States. Society for Range Management. Denver, CO. 152 pp.