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A4151 Vitis rotundifolia - Nekemias arborea - Campsis radicans Ruderal Vine-Shrubland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance includes floodplain vegetation dominated by a variety of woody and semi-woody vines found primarily in the coastal plains of the southeastern United States.


Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Muscadine - Peppervine - Trumpet Creeper Ruderal Vine-Shrubland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Coastal Plain Ruderal Vine-Shrubland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance includes floodplain vegetation dominated by woody and semi-woody vines, including Nekemias arborea, Berchemia scandens, Bignonia capreolata, Brunnichia ovata, Campsis radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans ssp. radicans, and Vitis rotundifolia. Examples are found primarily in the coastal plains of the southeastern United States, but may occur in the Interior Low Plateau as well. Often the weight of the vine coverage will break the stems of woody species before they attain 5 m in height, but a limited canopy of Celtis laevigata, Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus spp., Salix spp., Ulmus americana, and other trees may be present as well. A limited shrub stratum that contains canopy species as well as Arundinaria gigantea, Ilex decidua, Lindera benzoin, Morella cerifera, and others may be present. The limited herbaceous layer may contain Arisaema dracontium, Boehmeria cylindrica, Carex abscondita, Carex lupulina, Carex retroflexa, Cryptotaenia canadensis, Cyperus spp., Eupatorium capillifolium, Polygonum spp., and others.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

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: No Data Available

Floristics: This vegetation is dominated by woody and semi-woody vines, including Nekemias arborea (= Ampelopsis arborea), Berchemia scandens, Bignonia capreolata, Brunnichia ovata, Campsis radicans, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans ssp. radicans, and Vitis rotundifolia. Often the weight of the vine coverage will break the stems of woody species before they attain 5 m in height, but a limited canopy of Celtis laevigata, Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus spp., Salix spp., Ulmus americana, and other trees may be present as well. A limited shrub stratum that contains canopy species as well as Arundinaria gigantea, Ilex decidua, Lindera benzoin, Morella cerifera (= Myrica cerifera), and others may be present. The limited herbaceous layer may contain Arisaema dracontium, Boehmeria cylindrica, Carex abscondita, Carex lupulina, Carex retroflexa, Cryptotaenia canadensis, Cyperus spp., Eupatorium capillifolium, Polygonum spp., and others. Some examples have been observed at Fort Benning, Alabama (and probably Georgia) that are dominated by Brunnichia ovata, where the vine mimics the behavior of kudzu, covering trees and other existing vegetation. Examples seen range in size from less than one hectare to about a hectare. The exotic vine Lonicera japonica, the exotic shrub Ligustrum sinense, and the exotic herb Murdannia keisak may be present as well. Penfound (1964b) cites an example at Lake Texoma (Oklahoma) dominated by Nekemias arborea, Smilax bona-nox, and Rubus trivialis.

Dynamics:  This vine-shrubland develops on seasonally and temporarily flooded sites where the canopy and subcanopy layers have been removed by disturbance. These native vines essentially mimic the behavior of kudzu, covering trees and other existing vegetation. The edges of examples of this vegetation may consist of small to large trees in the process of being overwhelmed by the vines. Often the weight of the vine coverage will break the stems of woody species before they attain 5 m in height. On Congaree Swamp National Monument, South Carolina, this disturbance is primarily wind, and many examples likely date from Hurricane Hugo in September 1989 (TNC 1998b).

Environmental Description:  This vegetation develops on seasonally and temporarily flooded sites where the canopy and subcanopy layers have been removed by disturbance, including clearcut logging, blowdowns, and possibly other kinds of disturbance.

Geographic Range: This vegetation could be found anywhere in the southeastern United States from Virginia to Texas, in the coastal plain or adjacent ecoregions.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  AL, AR, FL?, GA, LA, MS, NC?, OK, SC, TN, TX?




Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available

Grank: GNA

Greasons: No Data Available


Concept Lineage: This alliance contains one association each from A.993 (1/1) and A.2002 (1/1).

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available

Synonomy: = Vinelands, woody, Peppervine-greenbrier mottes (Penfound 1967)

Concept Author(s): S. Landaal, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2014)

Author of Description: M. Pyne

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-03-15

  • 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.
  • Landaal, S., A. Weakley, and J. Drake. 1998. Classification of the vegetation of Congaree National Park. Report to BRD-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy, Chapel Hill, NC. 67 pp.
  • Nordman, C., M. Russo, and L. Smart. 2011. Vegetation types of the Natchez Trace Parkway, based on the U.S. National Vegetation Classification. NatureServe Central Databases (International Ecological Classification Standard: Terrestrial Ecological Classifications). Arlington, VA. Data current as of 11 April 2011. 548 pp.
  • Peet, R. K., T. R. Wentworth, M. P. Schafale, and A.S. Weakley. No date. Unpublished data of the North Carolina Vegetation Survey. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
  • Penfound, W. T. 1967. A physiognomic classification of vegetation in conterminous United States. Botanical Review 33:289-320.
  • Penfound, W. T., J. S. Shed, and M. C. Jennison. 1964b. A plant community dominated by vines. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science 45:41-43.