Releve Virginia Division of Natural Heritage, see http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/documents/nh_plotform_instructions.pdf
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Stem Observation Area
400
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
36
m
Shrub Height
6
m
Field Height
7
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
80
%
Field Cover
90
%
Nonvascular Cover
0.5
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
GPS data could not be obtained at this plot, but the site was easily mapped using topographic features. The habitat is a concave, NNE-facing lower slope just above the broad Potomac River floodplain at the east end of Scotts Run Nature Preserve. The sheltered aspect and fertile soils support very lush mesophytic forest vegetation with a mixed overstory of Acer saccharum, Fagus grandifolia, Tilia americana, and Fraxinus americana. The herb layer is spectacular in the spring, with dense colonies of Allium tricoccum, Podophyllum peltatum, Erythronium americanum, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Hydrophyllum canadense, Claytonia virginica, Dicentra canadensis, and many other early-maturing species.