Classification of Vegetation Communities of Maryland: First Iteration

V. HERBACEOUS VEGETATION
V.A.5.N.n. Tidal temperate or subpolar grassland
V.A.5.N.n.2. TYPHA (ANGUSTIFOLIA, DOMINGENSIS) TIDAL HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
(Narrowleaf Cattail, Southern Cattail) Tidal Herbaceous Alliance

Concept: Tidal marshes dominated by Typha angustifolia and/or Typha domingensis. Examples of this alliance are composed of a mixture of salt marsh and freshwater tidal marsh species. The vegetation is dense and characterized by tall graminoids such as Typha angustifolia, with associates including Spartina cynosuroides, Phragmites australis or Schoenoplectus americanus (= Scirpus americanus), Pontederia cordata, Lilaeopsis chinensis, Hibiscus moscheutos (= Hibiscus palustris), and Pluchea odorata. Other characteristic species include Hibiscus moscheutos, Spartina patens, Distichlis spicata, Schoenoplectus pungens (= Scirpus pungens), Lycopus americanus, Eleocharis palustris, Hydrocotyle umbellata, Eupatorium capillifolium, Ptilimnium capillaceum, Bidens spp., and Spartina alterniflora. This community is typically a brackish tidal marsh occurring where water salinity ranges from 0.5-18.0 ppt. Brackish marshes are most extensive on large tidal rivers, but smaller marshes of this alliance also occur at the upper limits of larger tidal creeks. The alliance occurs along the Atlantic coast from Maine through South Carolina and along the Gulf coast in Alabama and Texas. Alabama and Texas communities occur in oligohaline tidal marshes and are dominated by Typha domingensis. Further research is necessary to determine the classification, and thus the range, with confidence.

Range: The alliance occurs along the Atlantic coast from Maine through South Carolina and along the Gulf coast in Alabama and Texas.

States/Provinces: AL CT DE FL? MA MD ME MS? NC? NH NJ NY RI SC? TX VA

TNC Ecoregions: 31:C, 53:C, 56:C, 57:C, 58:C, 62:C, 63:C

USFS Ecoregions: 212Cb:CCC, 212Db:CPP, 212Dc:CPP, 221Aa:CCP, 221Ab:CCC, 221Ac:CCC, 221Ad:CCC, 221Ae:CCP, 221Aj:CCP, 221Ak:CCC, 221Ba:C??, 221Da:C??, 221Dc:C??, 231Fb:CCC, 232Aa:CCC, 232Ab:CCC, 232Ac:CCC, 232Ad:CCC, 232Bb:CCP, 232Bc:CCP, 232Bd:CCP, 232Br:CCC, 232Bs:CCC, 232Bt:CCC, 232Bx:CCC, 232Bz:CCC, 232Cb:CCC, 232Ch:CCC, 232Ci:CCC, 232Dd:CCC

Federal Lands: NPS (Acadia, Assateague Island, Fire Island); USFWS (McFaddin)

Synonymy: Tidal Freshwater Marsh, in part (Schafale and Weakley 1990); Cattail Community Type (Odum et al. 1984); Transitional fresh marsh, in part (Hill 1986); Typha angustifolia-Hibiscus palustris community (Metzler and Barrett 1992); Brackish tidal marsh (Reschke 1990); Brackish tidal marsh complex (Breden 1989); Brackish tidal marsh community (MENHP 1991); Brackish marsh (Sperduto 1994); Hibiscus marsh (Cahoon and Stevenson 1986); narrowleaf cattail type (McCormick and Ashbaugh 1972); Typha angustifolia community (Good and Good 1975b); Typha angustifolia type (Ferren et al. 1981); fresh-brackish marsh (Klotz 1986); Estuarine Intertidal: Brackish Tidal Marsh (Swain and Kearsley 2001)

References: Breden 1989, Cahoon and Stevenson 1986, Ferren et al. 1981, Good and Good 1975b, Hill 1986, Klotz 1986, MENHP 1991, McCormick and Ashbaugh 1972, Metzler and Barrett 1992, Nelson 1986, Odum et al. 1984, Reschke 1990, Schafale and Weakley 1990, Sperduto 1994, Swain and Kearsley 2001

Authors: ECS/A.S. WEAKLEY, JT, East Identifier: A.1472

Concept: This community is a brackish tidal marsh of the northern to central Atlantic coast, occurring along the margin of tidal rivers and at the upper margins of some high salt marshes and coastal salt ponds where water salinity ranges from 0.5-18.0 ppt. Brackish marshes are most extensive on large tidal rivers, but smaller marshes of this alliance also occur at the upper limits of larger tidal creeks. The vegetation of this tall grassland is a mixture of freshwater and saltmarsh species dominated by Typha angustifolia. Phragmites australis and/or Typha latifolia can be codominant. The Phragmites australis component is the native strain. Common associates include Hibiscus moscheutos, Schoenoplectus pungens, Impatiens capensis, Amaranthus cannabinus, Peltandra virginica, and Bidens spp., plus Spartina cynosuroides in the south. Other infrequent associates include Mikania scandens, Polygonum punctatum, Pluchea odorata, Eleocharis spp., and Schoenoplectus robustus, plus Schoenoplectus americanus farther south. Species from adjacent high salt marsh may also be present. Substrate is muck or peat, and there is often an accumulation of Typha litter.

Comments: A non-tidal barrier wetland documented at the Cove Point Wetland, Calvert County, Maryland (Steury 1999), appears to fit this concept.

Range: This association occurs along the Atlantic coast from Maine to Virginia and possibly to South Carolina.

States/Provinces: CT:S?, DE:S4, MA:S1, MD:S4, ME:S3, NC?, NH:S?, NJ:S4, NY:S3S4, RI:S?, SC?, VA:S?,S?

TNC Ecoregions: 56:?, 57:C, 58:C, 62:C, 63:C

USFS Ecoregions: 212Cb:CCC, 221Ab:CCC, 221Ac:CCC, 221Ad:CCC, 221Ak:CCC, 232Aa:CCC, 232Ab:CCC, 232Ac:CCC, 232Ad:CCC, 232Br:CCC, 232Bt:CCC, 232Bx:CCC, 232Bz:CCC, 232Cb:CCC, 232Ch:CCC, 232Ci:CCC

Federal Lands: NPS (Acadia, Assateague Island, Fire Island)

Synonymy: Tidal Freshwater Marsh (Narrowleaf Cattail Subtype) (Schafale 2000), Cattail Community Type (Odum et al. 1984), Transitional fresh marsh (Hill 1986) B. Assateague Island., Brackish tidal marsh complex (Breden 1989). New Jersey., Brackish tidal marsh community (MENHP 1991). Maine., Brackish marsh (Sperduto 1994). New Hampshire., Hibiscus marsh (Cahoon and Stevenson 1986). Maryland., Narrowleaf cattail type (McCormick and Ashbaugh 1972). New Jersey., Typha angustifolia community (Good and Good 1975b). New Jersey., Typha angustifolia type (Ferren et al. 1981). New Jersey., Fresh-brackish marsh (Klotz 1986). Virginia., Brackish Tidal Marsh (Rawinski 1984). formerly Southern New England and Gulf of Maine., Typha angustifolia - Hibiscus palustris community (Metzler and Barrett 1992). Connecticut., Brackish tidal marsh (Reschke 1990). New York., Typha association (Shreve et al. 1910) =. Maryland.

References: Bowman 2000, Breden 1989, Breden et al. 2001, Cahoon and Stevenson 1986, Coulling 2002, Edinger et al. 2002, Ferren et al. 1981, Fleming 2001, Fleming and Moorhead 1998, Fleming et al. 2001, Gawler 2002, Good and Good 1975b, Harrison 2001, Hill 1986, Klotz 1986, MENHP 1991, McCormick and Ashbaugh 1972, Metzler and Barrett 1992, Metzler and Barrett 2001, Odum et al. 1984, Rawinski 1984, Reschke 1990, Saltonstall 2002, Schafale 2000, Schafale and Weakley 1990, Shreve et al. 1910, Sperduto 1994, Sperduto 1997a, Sperduto 2000b, Steury 1999, Swain and Kearsley 2001

Authors: S.L. Neid, ECS Confidence: 2 Identifier: CEGL004201

- Maryland Vegetation Classification Subset Report V.A. Perennial graminoid vegetation

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