Print Report

A4068 Vallisneria americana Aquatic Vegetation Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance consists of aquatic vegetation in rivers and springs dominated by Vallisneria americana in the eastern United States.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: American Eel-grass Aquatic Vegetation Alliance

Colloquial Name: American Eel-grass Aquatic Vegetation

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance consists of aquatic vegetation in rivers and springs dominated by Vallisneria americana. The extent and distribution of this alliance is only partly understood. The habitat includes alluvial rivers, above or extending to the upper limit of tidal influence. Stands are dominated by submergent or emergent plants with only minor floating-leaved components. Stands in the northeastern United States may additionally contain Potamogeton perfoliatus, Potamogeton epihydrus, Utricularia spp., and Eriocaulon aquaticum. New River occurrences have Elodea canadensis, Potamogeton foliosus, and Potamogeton nodosus. In addition, Heteranthera dubia may be locally abundant in stands in Virginia rivers. Further study is needed to fully characterize the variability in this alliance.

Diagnostic Characteristics: This association is characterized by permanently flooded wetlands dominated by Vallisneria americana. These sites are usually in river or stream beds but can be found in sheltered lake bays.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: The extent of this alliance is poorly understood. The usual dominant Vallisneria americana is found in much of the eastern United States, so the alliance may be much more widespread in the midwestern U.S. than currently stated.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This alliance is dominated by submergent and emergent herbaceous aquatic species. Total vegetation cover is open to dense.

Floristics: This alliance, found throughout the eastern United States, consists of aquatic vegetation in rivers and springs dominated by Vallisneria americana. Stands are dominated by submergent or emergent plants with only minor floating-leaved components. Stands in the northeastern United States may additionally contain Potamogeton perfoliatus, Potamogeton epihydrus, Utricularia spp., and Eriocaulon aquaticum. New River occurrences have Elodea canadensis, Potamogeton foliosus, and Potamogeton nodosus. Stands in Florida may have dominance or codominance by Sagittaria kurziana or Stuckenia pectinata (= Potamogeton pectinatus), with other characteristic species such as Cabomba caroliniana, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Zizania aquatica (submersed forms) also present. In these examples the exotics Egeria densa and Hydrilla verticillata may also occur. In addition, Heteranthera dubia (= Zosterella dubia) may be locally abundant in some areas, especially in Virginia rivers. Further study is needed to fully characterize the variability in this alliance.

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  The habitat of this alliance includes alluvial rivers, above or extending to the upper limit of tidal influence. In the midwestern United States, stands may be expected on sandy soil bottoms in shallow quiet waters, including lakes, streams, and ponds. Some sites where Vallisneria americana persists may have water as much as 7 m deep (Voss 1972). Stands also occur in "spring-runs" of the Florida Panhandle and peninsula, as well as from the southern and Central Appalachians, as in channels of the Clinch, Potomac, Shenandoah, James and New rivers.
Geographic Range: This alliance is found across much of the eastern United States from Maine to Florida and possibly west in the Piedmont to Mississippi. Isolated stands have been observed in Iowa and southern Ontario and the alliance likely occurs elsewhere in the eastern United States and southern Canada.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AL?, CT, DE, FL, GA?, IA, KY, MA, MD, ME, MS?, NC, NH, NJ, NY, ON, PA, RI, SC?, TN, VA, VT, WV


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 5 Aquatic Vegetation Class C05 5
Subclass 5.B Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Subclass S13 5.B
Formation 5.B.2 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Formation F057 5.B.2
Division 5.B.2.Na North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Division D049 5.B.2.Na
Macrogroup 5.B.2.Na.1 Hornwort species - Pond-lily species - Pondweed species Eastern North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Macrogroup M108 5.B.2.Na.1
Group 5.B.2.Na.1.a American White Water-lily - Sago Pondweed - Pondweed species Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Group G114 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Alliance A4068 American Eel-grass Aquatic Vegetation Alliance A4068 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL002284 American Eel-grass Aquatic Vegetation CEGL002284 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL004332 Spring Tape - Illinois Pondweed - American Eel-grass Aquatic Vegetation CEGL004332 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL004333 American Eel-grass - (Grassleaf Mud-plantain) Riverine Aquatic Vegetation CEGL004333 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL006196 American Eel-grass - Claspingleaf Pondweed Aquatic Vegetation CEGL006196 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL008402 American Eel-grass East Gulf Coastal Plain Aquatic Vegetation CEGL008402 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Association CEGL008590 Sago Pondweed - American Eel-grass Aquatic Vegetation CEGL008590 5.B.2.Na.1.a
Concept Lineage: This alliance is made up of six associations from old A.1757.

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Spring-run Stream (FNAI 1992b)
>< Spring-run Stream (FNAI 1990)
? Tape-grass shallow shore (CAP pers. comm. 1998)
Concept Author(s): J. Drake, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: J. Drake

Acknowledgements: We have incorporated significant descriptive information previously compiled by M. Pyne.

Version Date: 12-18-14
  • CAP [Central Appalachian Forest Working Group]. 1998. Central Appalachian Working group discussions. The Nature Conservancy, Boston, MA.
  • Campbell, J. J. N., A. C. Risk, V. A. Andrews, B. Palmer-Ball, and J. R. MacGregor. 1990. Cooperative inventory of endangered, threatened, sensitive, and rare species, Daniel Boone National Forest, Stearns Ranger District. USDA Forest Service. 170 pp.
  • FNAI [Florida Natural Areas Inventory]. 1990. Guide to the natural communities of Florida. Florida Natural Areas Inventory and Florida Department of Natural Resources, Tallahassee. 111 pp.
  • FNAI [Florida Natural Areas Inventory]. 1992b. Natural community classification. Unpublished document. The Nature Conservancy, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee. 16 pp.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Voss, E. G. 1972. Michigan flora: A guide to the identification and occurrence of the native and naturalized seed-plants of the state. Part I. Gymnosperms and Monocots. Cranbrook Institute of Science. 488 pp.
  • Wolfe, S. H., editor. 1990. An ecological characterization of the Florida Springs Coast: Pithlachascotee to Waccasassa rivers. USDI Fish & Wildlife Service, Biological Report 90(21). Slidell, LA. 323 pp.