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Quercus rubra - Quercus shumardii / Cercis canadensis Temporarily Flooded Forest | Lea, C. 2000. Plant communities ...
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Name: Quercus rubra - Quercus shumardii / Cercis canadensis Temporarily Flooded Forest
Reference: Lea, C. 2000. Plant communities ...
Description: This vegetation type is confined to floodplains near the knickpoint at the head of the Potomac River fall-line at Great Falls, where the floodplain is being rapidly incised by anastomosing channels and is transitional to a strath terrace. Soils are sandy loams and are somewhat shallow with bedrock exposures. Average flood-return interval is about 1 to 2 years on the Maryland side; at least some of the Virginia habitat has a longer return interval. The vegetation is an open forest to woodland with the tree canopy dominated by <i>Quercus rubra, Quercus shumardii, Fraxinus americana</i>, and <i>Ulmus americana</i>. <i>Carya cordiformis, Juglans nigra</i>, and <i>Celtis occidentalis</i> also occur. The subcanopy and shrub layers range from very open to dense, with <i>Cercis canadensis</i> characteristic. <i>Quercus macrocarpa</i> is a Maryland state-rare species that occurs in this type. The herbaceous layer is also variable, differing greatly on opposite sides of the river. The Maryland stands are dominated by tall, weedy native species, primarily <i>Ageratina altissima</i> and <i>Teucrium canadense</i>; Verbesina alternifolia and <i>Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (= Aster lateriflorus)</i> also are frequent. The Virginia stands are dominated by graminoids, primarily <i>Elymus hystrix var. hystrix, Elymus villosus, Elymus virginicus, Dichanthelium boscii</i>, and <i>Chasmanthium latifolium</i>. The unusual combination of tall, disturbance-adapted herbs of low floodplains, upland herbs, and trees of higher floodplains and uplands is probably due to the combination of frequent flooding and seasonal dryness. 
Accession Code: VB.CC.37257.CEGL006495
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 17-Nov-2014 to: 01-May-2019
     
  • status: accepted
  • This Community's Level: association
  • This Community's Children: [none]
Names:   Common: Potomac Gorge Bedrock Floodplain Oak Forest
  Translated: Northern Red Oak - Shumard Oak / Eastern Redbud Temporarily Flooded Forest
  Scientific: Quercus rubra - Quercus shumardii / Cercis canadensis Temporarily Flooded Forest
  Code: CEGL006495
  UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.802075 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo