Print Report

A3705 Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Acer rubrum - Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola Tidal Floodplain Forest Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: These are tidally-influenced forests typically dominated or codominated by Acer rubrum var. trilobum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola, with Fraxinus profunda, Nyssa aquatica, Nyssa biflora, Persea palustris, Pinus taeda, Quercus laurifolia, and Ulmus americana, found in the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains from Delaware south to Alabama.


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Green Ash - Red Maple - Southern Red-cedar Tidal Floodplain Forest Alliance

Colloquial Name: Green Ash - Red Maple - Red-cedar Tidal Floodplain Forest

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: Stands are typically dominated or codominated by Acer rubrum var. trilobum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola, with Fraxinus profunda, Nyssa aquatica, Nyssa biflora, Persea palustris, Pinus taeda, Quercus laurifolia, and Ulmus americana. Examples may also contain Nekemias arborea, Bacopa monnieri, Ilex verticillata, Kosteletzkya virginica, Morella cerifera, Polygonum arifolium, Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis, Sicyos angulatus, and Sabal minor. Woody vines are an important component of these forests; species include Nekemias arborea, Berchemia scandens, Bignonia capreolata, Campsis radicans, Cocculus carolinus, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Smilax glauca, Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans, Trachelospermum difforme, Vitis rotundifolia, and others. Some herbs may include Bacopa monnieri, Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense, Cyperus spp., Eleocharis spp., Hydrocotyle sp., Lythrum lineare, Pluchea rosea, Samolus valerandi ssp. parviflorus, Bolboschoenus robustus, Solidago sempervirens var. mexicana, and Typha angustifolia. These are forests with some degree of tidal influence found in the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains from Delaware south to Alabama. Some of the vegetation types included here are near the conceptual boundary among tidal, saturated, and temporarily flooded hydrologies.

Diagnostic Characteristics: These are forests in tidally-flooded environments, dominated by Acer rubrum var. trilobum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola, found in the Atlantic and eastern Gulf coastal plains. This combination of environment, floristics, and biogeography is diagnostic.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Some of these vegetation types are near the conceptual boundary between tidal, saturated, and temporarily flooded hydrologies.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available

Physiognomy and Structure: These are forests which have some degree of tidal influence.

Floristics: Stands are typically dominated or codominated by Acer rubrum var. trilobum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola, with Fraxinus profunda, Nyssa aquatica, Nyssa biflora, Persea palustris, Pinus taeda, Quercus laurifolia, and Ulmus americana. Examples may also contain Ilex verticillata, Kosteletzkya virginica, Morella cerifera, Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis, and Sabal minor. Woody vines are an important component of these forests; species include Nekemias arborea (= Ampelopsis arborea), Berchemia scandens, Bignonia capreolata, Campsis radicans, Cocculus carolinus, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Smilax glauca, Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans, Trachelospermum difforme, Vitis rotundifolia, and others. Some herbs may include Bacopa monnieri, Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense, Cyperus spp., Eleocharis spp., Hydrocotyle sp., Lythrum lineare, Pluchea rosea (= var. rosea), Polygonum arifolium, Samolus valerandi ssp. parviflorus, Bolboschoenus robustus (= Scirpus robustus), Solidago sempervirens var. mexicana, Sicyos angulatus, and Typha angustifolia.

Dynamics:  No Data Available

Environmental Description:  These are forests with some degree of tidal influence found in the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains. Some of the included vegetation types are near the conceptual boundary among tidal, saturated, and temporarily flooded hydrologies.

Geographic Range: Vegetation of this alliance is found in the Atlantic and eastern Gulf coastal plains from Delaware south to Alabama. It is not documented from South Carolina, but would be expected there.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL, DC, DE, GA, MD, NC, SC?, VA




Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: GNR

Greasons: No Data Available


Concept Lineage: This new alliance includes members from the old alliances A.292 (1/21); A.356 (4/4); and A.1887 (1/1). See proto-alliance A0356 (1/3); this alliance correctly belongs in M031/G759 - not M029/G673.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available

Synonomy: No Data Available

Concept Author(s): M. Pyne, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M. Pyne

Acknowledgements: We have incorporated significant descriptive information previously compiled by A.S. Weakley.

Version Date: 09-26-14

  • 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.
  • Gemborys, S. R., and E. J. Hodgkins. 1971. Forests of small stream bottoms in the coastal plain of southwestern Alabama. Ecology 52:70-84.
  • Glascock, S., and S. Ware. 1979. Forests of small stream bottoms in the peninsula of Virginia. Virginia Journal of Science 30:17-21.
  • 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.