Name:
Justicia americana Riverbed Vegetation
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This widespread association is found primarily in the Piedmont, Central Appalachians, Cumberland Plateau, Interior Low Plateau, Ozarks, Ouachita Mountains, and adjacent provinces. Stands occur on the shoals or bars of rocky streams and riverbeds, where they are subject to frequent high-energy floods. Slopes range from level to moderate but are typically gentle. The substrate is a variable mixture of sand, gravel and cobbles, often with deposits of silt and muck. Rooting occurs in the interstices between cobbles and boulders. <i>Justicia americana</i> is the characteristic dominant. <i>Saururus cernuus</i> is often present and may be codominant. Other herbaceous species that may be present include <i>Bidens</i> spp., <i>Cyperus</i> spp., <i>Diodia teres, Elodea</i> sp., <i>Eleocharis</i> spp., <i>Equisetum arvense, Gratiola brevifolia, Leersia oryzoides, Leersia virginica, Lemna minor, Orontium aquaticum, Physostegia virginiana, Podostemum ceratophyllum, Scirpus</i> spp., <i>Schoenoplectus pungens, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani</i>, and <i>Xyris difformis var. difformis</i>. Exotics include <i>Lythrum salicaria, Lysimachia vulgaris</i> and <i>Polygonum cespitosum var. longisetum</i>; where present, these are sparse. Some stands have low cover by scattered flood-suppressed trees or an overhanging canopy. Trees in plots include <i>Acer saccharinum, Betula nigra, Carpinus caroliniana, Fraxinus pennsylvanica</i>, and <i>Platanus occidentalis</i>. Scattered shrub seedlings of <i>Salix nigra, Salix caroliniana, Betula nigra, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Acer saccharinum</i>, or <i>Platanus occidentalis</i> may also be present. This association provides habitat in some portions of its range for globally rare dragonflies and herbs.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:33119-{00196F69-EEC1-460D-8ECC-77AEBA7603B2}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
97
|
