Name:
Rhynchospora capitellata - Rhexia virginica - Rhynchospora scirpoides - Schoenoplectus hallii Herbaceous Vegetation
Reference:
Midwestern Ecology Working Group...
Description:
This inland Coastal Plain marsh community is found in the Great Lakes region. Stands occur on sandy pitted outwash plains and glacial lakeplains. The level topography of these plains produces gently sloping, shallow basins with no outlets and sometimes no inlets. The water table fluctuates seasonally and yearly. It is highest in late winter and spring, and during years of high precipitation. The soils in this community are derived mainly from nutrient-poor to circumneutral, acidic (pH 4.4-7.0) sands. These conditions inhibit microbial decomposition and considerable organic material accumulates as peat. The peat mixes with sand or forms more-or-less pure deposits. The vegetation is dominated by herbaceous, mostly graminoid, species. Many of these species are annual or otherwise short-lived plants. They persist for years in the seedbank until the hydrologic conditions are right for germination. Many of these seedbank plants are species significantly disjunct from their main range on the Atlantic Coastal Plain. This plant community typically forms a distinct zonation in concentric bands: open water (when present); shallow water to recently emerged shore dominated by annual plant species and emergents; moist meadow typically dominated by Calamagrostis canadensis and sometimes Cladium mariscoides, Rhynchospora capitellata, Carex scoparia, etc.; and shrub tree margin (when present), often with Acer rubrum, Nyssa sylvatica, Quercus palustris, Photinia melanocarpa (= Aronia melanocarpa), Vaccinium corymbosum, Cornus spp., Cephalanthus occidentalis. Common indicator species, such as Symphyotrichum dumosum (= Aster dumosus), Eleocharis melanocarpa, Fuirena squarrosa, Lycopodiella appressa (= Lycopodium appressum), Dichanthelium spretum (= Panicum spretum), Polygala cruciata, Rhynchospora scirpoides (= Psilocarya scirpoides), Rhynchospora macrostachya, Rotala ramosior, Euthamia caroliniana (= Solidago remota), Scleria reticularis, Stachys hyssopifolia, and Triadenum virginicum, are found on the northern Atlantic Coastal Plain, either disjunct or ranging west into the Lower Great Lakes region. About 48 species, including 11 indicators, are common components of this community; species include Eriocaulon aquaticum (= Eriocaulon septangulare), Fimbristylis autumnalis, Lipocarpha micrantha (= Hemicarpha micrantha), Dichanthelium meridionale (= Panicum meridionale), Rhexia virginica, Schoenoplectus smithii (= Scirpus smithii), Viola lanceolata, and Xyris difformis.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.25388.RHYNCHOSPORACAP
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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