Name:
Uniola paniculata Temperate Herbaceous Alliance
Reference:
Southeastern Ecology Working Gro...
Description:
This alliance includes dune grasslands, typically with scattered shrubs and forbs, of the southeastern Coastal Plain, with Uniola dominant or codominant. The cover varies from sparse on foredunes and on actively moving sand areas to fairly dense on more stable dunes. In the northern portion of the distribution of this alliance (northern North Carolina and Virginia), Ammophila breviligulata may be present, indicating a transition towards the V.A.5.N.c Ammophila breviligulata Herbaceous Alliance (A.1207). On the Chandeleurs and related islands of coastal Louisiana, Spartina patens replaces Uniola paniculata (which is present in small amounts) as the dominant grass. Other typical species of this alliance include Andropogon spp., Cakile spp., Cenchrus spp., Chamaesyce spp., Croton punctatus, Hydrocotyle bonariensis, Iva imbricata, Physalis walteri, Spartina patens, and Strophostyles helvula. In the southern part of the range, additional forbs and vines include Helianthus debilis, Ipomoea pes-caprae, Ipomoea imperati (= Ipomoea stolonifera), and Sesuvium spp. Oceanwards are the annual-dominated, unstable, upper beach communities, often with trailing vines. Landwards are shrub-dominated communities or grasslands dominated by species other than Uniola, such as Spartina patens or Muhlenbergia filipes (= Muhlenbergia capillaris var. filipes). This dune grassland community occurs almost exclusively on sandy, unstable, droughty substrates (Typic Quartzipsamments) with no soil profile development. Eolian processes cause active sand deposition and erosion. The sand substrate is usually visible, and litter accumulation from plant debris is nearly absent. This community generally occurs on foredunes that receive the force of wind and salt spray but is beyond the influence of most storm tides. The effects of nearly continuous salt spray exclude most other species and maintain the vegetation type.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.20965.UNIOLAPANICULAT
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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