Name:
Platanus occidentalis - Betula nigra / Cornus amomum / (Andropogon gerardii, Chasmanthium latifolium) Woodland
Reference:
Southeastern Ecology Working Gro...
Description:
These woodlands occur along high-energy Appalachian rivershores, such as along the New, Bluestone, and Gauley rivers in West Virginia. They maintain an open canopy due to mechanical disturbance (flooding and scouring). The coarse-textured substrates are potentially well-drained, but fluvial topography and proximity to the water table often result in a mixture of well-drained and poorly drained microsites. The usually short, open canopy is composed mostly of flood-battered trees, typically codominated by <i>Platanus occidentalis</i> and <i>Betula nigra</i>. The tallest trees are often the younger ones which have not yet been subjected to damage by severe floods. Additional important trees include <i>Acer saccharinum, Acer rubrum, Carpinus caroliniana, Catalpa speciosa, Diospyros virginiana, Fraxinus americana, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Nyssa sylvatica, Robinia pseudoacacia, Salix nigra, Ulmus americana</i>, and <i>Ulmus rubra</i>. <i>Tsuga canadensis</i> is present in some sites along the Gauley River. Common shrubs include <i>Alnus serrulata, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Chionanthus virginicus, Cornus amomum, Hypericum prolificum, Ilex verticillata, Lindera benzoin, Physocarpus opulifolius, Salix caroliniana</i>, and <i>Xanthorhiza simplicissima</i>. The invasive exotic shrub <i>Rosa multiflora</i> is sometimes present. There is often a large component of woody vines in the short-shrub layer, including <i>Campsis radicans, Toxicodendron radicans</i>, and <i>Vitis rupestris</i>. The herb layer is composed of a mixture of warm-season grasses and forbs adapted to frequent flooding and high light exposure. Characteristic herbs include <i>Andropogon gerardii, Apocynum cannabinum, Baptisia australis, Chasmanthium latifolium, Conoclinium coelestinum, Cryptotaenia canadensis, Deschampsia flexuosa, Dichanthelium clandestinum, Eupatorium fistulosum, Galium triflorum, Justicia americana, Lobelia cardinalis, Lysimachia ciliata, Onoclea sensibilis, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Packera aurea, Packera paupercula, Panicum virgatum, Pilea pumila, Rudbeckia laciniata, Solidago gigantea, Solidago juncea, Solidago simplex var. racemosa, Solidago rugosa, Symphyotrichum prenanthoides, Tradescantia ohiensis, Trautvetteria caroliniensis, Tripsacum dactyloides, Verbesina alternifolia</i>, and <i>Viola cucullata</i>. Exotic herbs which are common, usually in small amounts, include <i>Prunella vulgaris, Plantago rugelii, Trifolium pratense, Melilotus officinalis, Lysimachia nummularia</i>, and <i>Coronilla varia</i>.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.34848.CEGL003725
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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