Classification of Vegetation Communities of Maryland: First Iteration

V. HERBACEOUS VEGETATION
V.B.2.N.g. Tidal temperate perennial forb vegetation
V.B.2.N.g.1. ERIOCAULON PARKERI TIDAL HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Estuary Pipewort Tidal Herbaceous Alliance

Concept: This alliance is freshwater tidal vegetation occurring on sandy or gravelly shores that are exposed only at low tide. This vegetation type is restricted to areas that receive substantial scour during spring floods, since Eriocaulon parkeri is very susceptible to siltation. Associated species may include Sagittaria subulata, Isoetes riparia, Elatine minima, and Sagittaria calycina.

Range: This alliance is found in North Carolina, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia, and in Canada, and possibly in South Carolina (?).

States/Provinces: CT DE MA MD ME NB? NC NJ NS? NY SC? VA

TNC Ecoregions: 56:?, 57:C, 58:C, 61:C, 62:C

USFS Ecoregions: 212Da:CCC, 212Db:CCP, 212Dc:CCC, 221Aa:CC?, 221Ac:CCC, 221Ad:CCC, 221Ae:CC?, 221Ag:CCP, 221Ak:CCC, 221Ba:CC?, 232Aa:CCP, 232Ac:CCP, 232Br:CCP, 232Bt:CCC, 232Cb:CCC, 232Ci:CCC

Synonymy: Estuarine Intertidal: Freshwater Tidal Marsh (Swain and Kearsley 2001)

References: Swain and Kearsley 2001

Authors: A.S. WEAKLEY AFTER VAHP, JT, East Identifier: A.1701

Concept: This freshwater tidal community occurs in estuaries of the northern Atlantic coast generally confined to low marsh where it is subjected to high levels of flood disturbance. As a result, the substrate is generally sandy or gravelly with low organic matter content. The vegetation is low, generally less than 35 cm in height, with variable cover of scattered to fairly dense Eriocaulon parkeri. Associates include Polygonum punctatum, Isoetes riparia, Lindernia dubia, Bidens eatonii, and Ludwigia palustris.

Comments: The floristics and environmental setting of this association show overlap with Isoetes riparia Tidal Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL006058).

States/Provinces: CT:S?, DE:S1, MA:S1, MD:S?, ME:S2, NB?, NC:S?, NJ:S2?, NS?, NY:S1S2,S2, SC?, VA:S?

TNC Ecoregions: 57:C, 58:C, 61:?, 62:C

USFS Ecoregions: 212Da:CCC, 212Dc:CCC, 221Ac:CCC, 221Ad:CCC, 221Ak:CCC, 232Bt:CCC

Synonymy: Palustrine (Cowardin et al. 1979) B, Freshwater tidal marsh complex, lower intertidal mudflat (Breden 1989), Freshwater tidal marsh, mudflat zone (MENHP 1991), FW Tidal Marsh (Rawinski 1984). formerly Southern New England FW Tidal.

References: Barrett 1994, Bowman 2000, Breden 1989, Breden et al. 2001, Cowardin et al. 1979, Edinger et al. 2002, Fleming et al. 2001, Gawler 2002, Haines 2001, MENHP 1991, Metzler and Barrett 2001, Rawinski 1984, Swain and Kearsley 2001

Authors: S.L. Neid, ECS Confidence: 2 Identifier: CEGL006352 

- Maryland Vegetation Classification Subset Report V.B. Perennial forb vegetation

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