Print Report

A3807 Eleocharis palustris - Eleocharis acicularis Marsh Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance consists of seasonally to permanently saturated freshwater herbaceous wetlands (meadows, seeps, swales and shorelines) dominated by Eleocharis acicularis, Eleocharis macrostachya, Eleocharis palustris, or Eleocharis rostellata, often surrounding permanent waterbodies or in depressions subject to seasonal flooding, from sea level to 2500 m elevation in the western U.S. and Canada.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Common Spikerush - Needle Spikerush Marsh Alliance

Colloquial Name: Common Spikerush - Needle Spikerush Marsh

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance is dominated by one or more species of Eleocharis, including Eleocharis acicularis, Eleocharis macrostachya, Eleocharis montevidensis, Eleocharis palustris, Eleocharis quinqueflora, and/or Eleocharis rostellata. Other species may be present such as Callitriche hermaphroditica, Caltha leptosepala, Carex praegracilis, Deschampsia cespitosa, Distichlis spicata, Equisetum fluviatile, Iris missouriensis, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis, Lemna spp., Mentha arvensis, Mimulus primuloides, Pedicularis groenlandica, Potamogeton spp., Ranunculus cymbalaria, Nasturtium officinale, Sparganium angustifolium, Spartina pectinata, and Triglochin palustris. This alliance is found from sea level to 2500 m elevation in the western U.S. and Canada. Stands typically occur in wet basins, exposed pond bottoms, concave areas in meadows, around permanently or fluctuating ponds and lakes, and river terraces. Soils are seasonally to permanently saturated.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Herbaceous wetlands dominated by Eleocharis acicularis, Eleocharis macrostachya, Eleocharis palustris, or Eleocharis rostellata.

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: Perennial herbaceous graminoids less than 0.5 m in height. The canopy cover can range from open (25%) to closed (99%).

Floristics: Dominant species are one of the following Eleocharis species: Eleocharis acicularis, Eleocharis macrostachya, Eleocharis montevidensis, Eleocharis palustris, Eleocharis quinqueflora (= Eleocharis pauciflora), and/or Eleocharis rostellata. Other species present may include Berula erecta, Callitriche hermaphroditica, Caltha leptosepala, Carex praegracilis, Carex utriculata, Crassula aquatica, Deschampsia cespitosa, Distichlis spicata, Equisetum fluviatile, Iris missouriensis, Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis (= Juncus balticus), Juncus nevadensis, Lemna spp., Mentha arvensis, Mimulus primuloides, Muhlenbergia asperifolia, Muhlenbergia filiformis, Oreostemma alpigenum (= Aster alpigenus), Oxypolis occidentalis, Panicum virgatum, Pedicularis groenlandica, Phalaris arundinacea (= Phalaroides arundinacea), Phleum alpinum, Potamogeton spp., Ranunculus cymbalaria, Rhodiola integrifolia, Nasturtium officinale (= Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum), Rumex crispus, Sagittaria cuneata, Schoenoplectus americanus (= Scirpus americanus), Scirpus spp., Sparganium angustifolium, Spartina pectinata, Trifolium longipes, and Triglochin palustris.

Dynamics:  This alliance requires seasonal to permanent saturation with freshwater. Stands cannot tolerate permanent standing water, but often grow on the saturated soils surrounding a permanent waterbody, or on depressions subject to seasonal flooding.
Environmental Description:  Stands require seasonally to permanently saturated soils and cannot tolerate permanent standing water. Water chemistry is fresh. Stands are found from sea level to 2500 m elevation. Stands occur in marshes, muddy shores, and other wet places, and typically occur in wet basins, exposed pond bottoms, or concave areas in meadows. Sites have water during the first third of the growing season but eventually dry out. Widely fluctuating water tables are typical (Hansen et al. 1988b). Soils are often fine-textured mineral soils. Texture ranges from silt loam to sandy clay loam with thick, dark soil profiles. Soil pH is strongly acidic, 5.4 (Nachlinger 1985).
Geographic Range: This alliance is found in the Cascade Range, Intermountain West ranges, Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, AK, AZ, BC, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

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.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D031 2.C.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nb.5 Sitka Alder - Booth''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M893 2.C.4.Nb.5
Group 2.C.4.Nb.5.b Sedge species - Reedgrass species Montane Wet Meadow & Marsh Group G521 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Alliance A3807 Common Spikerush - Needle Spikerush Marsh Alliance A3807 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Association CEGL001832 Needle Spikerush Marsh CEGL001832 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Association CEGL001833 Common Spikerush Marsh CEGL001833 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Association CEGL005303 Pale Spikerush Marsh CEGL005303 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Concept Lineage: A.1371, A.1422 (but limiting the distribution)

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Eleocharis acicularis (Needle spike rush stands) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [45.231.00]
>< Eleocharis quinqueflora (Few-flowered spike rush marshes) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [45.220.00]
>< Freshwater Seep (#45400) (Holland 1986b)
? Montane, Plains, and Great Basin Marshlands (Brown 1982a)
>< Wet Montane Meadow (#45110) (Holland 1986b)
Concept Author(s): G. Kittel, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: G. Kittel, M. Schindel, and D. Culver

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-26-14
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