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Quercus phellos - Liquidambar styraciflua / Claytonia virginica Forest | Lea, C. 2000. Plant communities ...
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Name: Quercus phellos - Liquidambar styraciflua / Claytonia virginica Forest
Reference: Lea, C. 2000. Plant communities ...
Description: This association is restricted to a discrete area of the Potomac River floodplain at the downstream end of the Potomac Gorge in the District of Columbia. It occupies the interior part of the floodplain adjacent to the C & O Canal. Soils are quite rocky, with bedrock frequently exposed. Soils are a gravelly silt loam or loam, and the mean flooding recurrence interval for this site is approximately 14 years. The vegetation is a closed forest strongly dominated by large and apparently even-aged <i>Quercus phellos</i>. <i>Liquidambar styraciflua</i> is frequent in the subcanopy and is second in abundance in the tree layer. <i>Acer negundo</i> and <i>Nyssa sylvatica</i> are also frequent in the subcanopy. Other bottomland and some upland trees occur as minor associates, including <i>Fraxinus americana, Ulmus americana, Acer rubrum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Carya cordiformis, Quercus bicolor, Quercus palustris</i>, and <i>Liriodendron tulipifera</i>. The shrub layer cover is open to moderately dense with <i>Viburnum prunifolium</i> most abundant. Woody vines are moderately important at 5% cover. The herb layer is quite diverse but heavily dominated by invasive exotics, including <i>Microstegium vimineum, Alliaria petiolata, Lonicera japonica</i>, and many others. Small remnant populations of native herbs such as <i>Arisaema triphyllum, Amphicarpaea bracteata, Claytonia virginica</i>, and <i>Allium canadense</i> are consistent with a well-drained floodplain. 
Accession Code: VB.CC.37255.CEGL006494
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 17-Nov-2014 to: 01-May-2019
     
  • status: Provisional
  • This Community's Level: association
  • This Community's Children: [none]
Names:   Common: Potomac Gorge Willow Oak Floodplain Forest
  Translated: Willow Oak - Sweetgum / Virginia Springbeauty Forest
  Scientific: Quercus phellos - Liquidambar styraciflua / Claytonia virginica Forest
  Code: CEGL006494
  UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.802087 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo