Name:
Picea rubens - Acer rubrum / Ilex verticillata Forest
Reference:
Description:
This mixed woodland or forested swamp occurs in higher elevation (260-1220 m) valleys, basins, floodplains, and seepage areas along streams and wetland margins in the Central Appalachians. It is a small-patch community maintained by seepage, rainfall, and occasional low-energy overflow from streams. Slopes are gentle (0-5°). The canopy is closed or occasionally open and dominated by <i>Picea rubens, Acer rubrum, Tsuga canadensis</i>, and <i>Betula alleghaniensis var. alleghaniensis</i>, with associates <i>Pinus strobus, Nyssa sylvatica</i>, and <i>Fraxinus nigra</i>. The shrub layer is variable and may include <i>Ilex verticillata, Alnus incana ssp. rugosa, Rhododendron maximum, Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium corymbosum</i>, and <i>Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides</i>. The herbaceous layer is diverse and variable, typically including <i>Glyceria melicaria, Carex trisperma, Glyceria striata, Osmunda cinnamomea, Carex leptalea, Impatiens capensis, Chelone glabra</i>, and <i>Caltha palustris</i>. Well-drained hummocks may support mesophytes such as <i>Maianthemum canadense, Dryopteris intermedia</i>, and <i>Oxalis montana</i>. <i>Sphagnum</i> spp. and other mosses are abundant in the mucky hollows and blanket the irregular hummocks between braided seepage rills or streamlets.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.37502.CEGL006556
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
29
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