Classification of Vegetation Communities of Maryland: First Iteration

V. HERBACEOUS VEGETATION
V.D.2.N.g. Seasonally flooded temperate annual grassland
V.D.2.N.g.1. ERAGROSTIS HYPNOIDES - LIPOCARPHA MICRANTHA - MICRANTHEMUM UMBROSUM SEASONALLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Creeping Lovegrass - Small-flower Hemicarpha - Shaded Mudflower Seasonally Flooded Herbaceous Alliance

Concept: Seasonally flooded riverbanks, depressional wetlands, and other sandy shores, with a seasonal drawdown zone dominated by annuals, many of them diminutive. Includes annual-dominated drawdown banks of blackwater rivers and other seasonally flooded muddy to silty banks. Annuals dominate this community and can include Eragrostis hypnoides, Lipocarpha micrantha, Lindernia dubia var. dubia, Lindernia dubia var. anagallidea, Micranthemum umbrosum, Oldenlandia uniflora, Cyperus strigosus, Bidens discoidea, Bidens frondosa, Fimbristylis perpusilla, Fimbristylis autumnalis, and Juncus pelocarpus. Perennials are also present, including Juncus repens, Cyperus strigosus, Helenium flexuosum, Gratiola aurea, Ludwigia sphaerocarpa, Polygonum hydropiperoides, Polygonum amphibium, and Sabatia kennedyana, but the community is generally dominated by a sparse to dense turf of annuals, most of the cover from 2-10 cm tall.

Range: This alliance is found in the southeastern coastal plain of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, ranging north to the Chesapeake Bay region of Maryland, and possibly elsewhere.

States/Provinces: GA? MD NC SC VA

TNC Ecoregions: 56:P, 57:C, 58:C

USFS Ecoregions: 232A:CC, 232B:CC, 232Cb:CCC, 232Ch:CCC

Synonymy: Lindernia dubia - Eragrostis hypnoides - Panicum dichotomiflorum Association (Rawinski 1997)

References: Berdine and Gould 1999, Ludwig 1996, Rawinski 1997

Authors: ECS/SCS, MOD. M. PYNE, MP, Southeast Identifier: A.1816

Concept: This seasonally flooded, depressional wetland of the central Atlantic Coastal Plain occupies the lowest portion of the basin and is flooded for the longest period relative to adjacent vegetation zones. In years of high rainfall resulting in incomplete drawdown, many species of this association persist in the seedbank below standing water. The substrate is an organic layer over black clay loam. The vegetation is dominated by small-statured herbs, including Eragrostis hypnoides, Hottonia inflata, Polygonum hydropiperoides, Polygonum amphibium, Ludwigia sphaerocarpa, Oldenlandia uniflora, Cyperus strigosus, Bidens frondosa, Bidens discoidea, Fimbristylis perpusilla, Fimbristylis autumnalis, and Juncus pelocarpus. Other species of taller stature may be present, including seedlings or small saplings of Cephalanthus occidentalis and herbaceous species Panicum rigidulum, Carex striata, Carex gigantea, and Torreyochloa sp.

States/Provinces: MD:S?, VA:S?

TNC Ecoregions: 58:C

USFS Ecoregions: 232A:CC, 232B:CC

Synonymy: Lindernia dubia - Eragrostis hypnoides - Panicum dichotomiflorum Association (Rawinski 1997)

References: Berdine and Gould 1999, Coulling 2002, Fleming et al. 2001, Rawinski 1997

Authors: ECS Confidence: 2 Identifier: CEGL006608

- Maryland Vegetation Classification Subset Report V.D. Annual graminoid or forb vegetation

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