Classification of Vegetation Communities of Maryland: First Iteration

V. HERBACEOUS VEGETATION
V.A.5.N.k. Seasonally flooded temperate or subpolar grassland
V.A.5.N.k.65. CAREX STRIATA SEASONALLY FLOODED HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
Peatland Sedge Seasonally Flooded Herbaceous Alliance

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Concept: This alliance includes Coastal Plain depression meadows, dominated by Carex striata (= Carex walteriana). Associations include vegetation on the outer margins of Coastal Plain pondshores in New York and Delaware or in localized swales in the New Jersey pine barrens. Substrate is typically composed of sand and gravel, but some community types may occur on organic muck. Carex striata usually occurs in dense stands with few other associates, which may include seedlings of Cephalanthus occidentalis and Acer rubrum, as well as Cladium mariscoides, Rhexia virginica, and Panicum hemitomon. Sphagnum is often abundant. Tyndall et al. (1990) describe Carex striata communities from Maryland. This alliance is also known from depression meadows in North Carolina and South Carolina, and is assumed to occur in Virginia. A Florida association is found in seasonally flooded peat depressions.

Comments: The northern part of the alliance's range is occupied by Carex striata var. brevis, the southern by Carex striata var. striata. The latter taxon occurs in zones of a depression pond at Fort Benning, Georgia, but not at a sufficient scale to be recognized as an association.

Range: This alliance is found in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. Tyndall et al. (1990) describe Carex striata (as Carex walteriana) communities from Maryland. This alliance is also known from depression meadows in North Carolina and South Carolina, and is assumed to occur in Virginia.

States/Provinces: DE FL GA? MD NC NJ NY SC VA

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

USFS Ecoregions: 221Aa:???, 232Aa:CPP, 232Ac:CPP, 232Ba:CCP, 232Br:CCP, 232Bt:CCC, 232Ca:CCC, 232Cb:CCC, 232Ch:CCC, 232Dc:CCC

Federal Lands: USFS (Osceola)

Synonymy: Depression Meadow, in part (Nelson 1986)

References: Nelson 1986, Tyndall et al. 1990

Authors: D.J. ALLARD, MOD. M. PYNE, MP, East Identifier: A.1426

Concept: This vegetation occupies Coastal Plain depression meadows around the perimeter of Coastal Plain ponds and is dominated by Carex striata var. brevis (= Carex walteriana var. brevis). Examples include vegetation on the outer margins of Coastal Plain pond shores in New York, Maryland and Delaware or in localized swales in the New Jersey pine barrens. The substrate is typically composed of sand and gravel but some community types may occur on organic muck. Carex striata usually occurs in dense stands with few other associates, which may include seedlings of Cephalanthus occidentalis and Acer rubrum, as well as Cladium mariscoides, Rhexia virginica, Bidens frondosa, Rhynchospora macrostachya, Rhynchospora chalarocephala, Fimbristylis autumnalis, Juncus canadensis, Dulichium arundinaceum, and Panicum hemitomon. Sphagnum is often abundant.

States/Provinces: DE:S?, MD:S?, NC:S?, NJ:S1S3, NY:S?, SC:S?, VA:S?

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

USFS Ecoregions: 232A:C?, 232Bt:CCC, 232Cb:CCC, 232Ch:CCC

Synonymy: Coastal Plain Intermittent Pond (Breden 1989) B

References: Berdine and Gould 1999, Bowman 2000, Breden 1989, Breden et al. 2001, Fleming et al. 2001, Nelson 1986, Tyndall et al. 1990

Authors: ECS Confidence: 1 Identifier: CEGL004120 

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

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