Print Report

A3826 Andropogon gerardii - Campanula rotundifolia - Anemone virginiana var. alba Riverscour Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance comprises vegetation occurring on bedrock outcrops or sandy point bars or receiving flood-scour. The vegetation is highly variable in substrate, cover, and composition, but is characterized by Andropogon gerardii, Anemone virginiana var. alba, Prunus pumila, Solidago simplex, Arabis lyrata, and Solidago simplex. It ranges from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to northern New England and southern Quebec.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Andropogon gerardii - Campanula rotundifolia - Anemone virginiana var. alba Riverscour Alliance

Colloquial Name: Northeast Riverside Outcrop & Seep

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance includes scoured riverbank "prairies" in the northeastern United States, which may be called "riverside prairies," "linear prairies," "rivershore grasslands," or "scoured riverine bluff prairie." Vegetation occurs on bedrock outcrops or sandy point bars or receiving flood-scour. The vegetation is highly variable in substrate, cover, and composition, but is characterized by Andropogon gerardii, Anemone virginiana var. alba, Prunus pumila, Solidago simplex, Arabis lyrata, and Solidago simplex. This vegetation ranges from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to northern New England and southern Quebec.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Riverwash vegetation with a combination of the characteristic species Andropogon gerardii in association with Anemone virginiana var. alba, Arabis lyrata, Danthonia compressa, Deschampsia cespitosa, Euthamia caroliniana, Ionactis linariifolius, Packera paupercula, Prunus pumila, Schizachyrium scoparium, and/or Solidago simplex. Scattered shrubs may also occur, including species of Vaccinium.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This alliance encompasses a variety of substrate lithology and chemistry.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is characterized by a mixture of forbs and graminoids, some typical of prairies. Vegetation is patchy, often sparse, with bare substrate often exposed.

Floristics: This vegetation is characterized by a variety of graminoids and forbs, including Andropogon gerardii in association with Anemone virginiana var. alba, Arabis lyrata, Campanula rotundifolia, Danthonia compressa, Deschampsia cespitosa, Euthamia caroliniana (= Euthamia tenuifolia), Ionactis linariifolius, Packera paupercula, Prunus pumila, Schizachyrium scoparium, and/or Solidago simplex. Scattered shrubs may also occur, including species of Vaccinium.

Dynamics:  This vegetation is maintained by major flood-scour that removes much of the accumulated sediment and prevents succession by woody species.
Environmental Description:  Most occurrences are small and found as scoured riverbank "prairies" in northeastern United States and as riverine gravel/cobble bar "prairies" and flood-scoured acidic or circumneutral bedrock exposures associated with major rivers.
Geographic Range: This vegetation ranges from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to northern New England and southern Quebec.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, QC, VT


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.Nd Eastern North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D323 2.C.4.Nd
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nd.4 Eastern North American Riverscour Vegetation Macrogroup M881 2.C.4.Nd.4
Group 2.C.4.Nd.4.d Gray Alder / <i>Spartina pectinata - Deschampsia cespitosa</i> Floodplain Vegetation G925 2.C.4.Nd.4.d
Alliance A3826 <i>Andropogon gerardii - Campanula rotundifolia - Anemone virginiana var. alba</i> Riverscour Alliance A3826 2.C.4.Nd.4.d
Association CEGL005233 Prairie Cordgrass - Mat Muhly - Prairie Dropseed - Prairie Goldenrod - Flat-top Goldentop Riverscour Sparse Vegetation CEGL005233 2.C.4.Nd.4.d
Association CEGL006142 Sticky Bog-asphodel - Elk Sedge Riverscour Wet Meadow CEGL006142 2.C.4.Nd.4.d
Association CEGL006284 Big Bluestem - Bluebell Bellflower - Sticky Goldenrod Riverscour Sparse Vegetation CEGL006284 2.C.4.Nd.4.d
Association CEGL006531 Blueberry species / Poverty Oatgrass - Downy Goldenrod Riverscour Sparse Vegetation CEGL006531 2.C.4.Nd.4.d
Association CEGL006532 Bluebell Bellflower - Balsam Groundsel - (Red Columbine) Riverscour Sparse Vegetation CEGL006532 2.C.4.Nd.4.d
Association CEGL006969 Tufted Hairgrass - Little Green Sedge Riverscour Wet Meadow CEGL006969 2.C.4.Nd.4.d
Association CEGL006970 Tall Thimbleweed Riverscour Sparse Vegetation CEGL006970 2.C.4.Nd.4.d
Concept Lineage: A2069, in part; A.1337 and A.1843

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Riverside Outcrop (Thompson and Sorenson 2000)
Concept Author(s): E.H. Thompson and E.R. Sorenson (2000)

Author of Description: L. Sneddon

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
  • 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.
  • Fike, J. 1999. Terrestrial and palustrine plant communities of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Recreation, Bureau of Forestry, Harrisburg, PA. 86 pp.
  • Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Smith, T. L. 1991. Natural ecological communities of Pennsylvania. First revision. Unpublished report. Pennsylvania Science Office of The Nature Conservancy, Middletown, PA. 111 pp.
  • Thompson, E. H., and E. R. Sorenson. 2000. Wetland, woodland, wildland: A guide to the natural communities of Vermont. The Nature Conservancy and the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. University Press of New England, Hanover, NH. 456 pp.