Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report - USGS

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USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Colonial National Historical Park (stiff dogwood). Vines are often abundant, especially Decumaria barbara (woodvamp). The herb layer is dense, lush, and clearly divisible into two relatively discrete assemblages that occupy hummocks and mucky hollows, respectively. The most constant patch-dominants of the relatively well-drained hummocks are Packera aurea (golden ragwort) and Carex bromoides (bromelike sedge). Characteristic patch-dominants of the wet, mucky hollows are Pilea fontana (lesser clearweed), Bidens laevis (smooth beggartick), Saururus cernuus (lizard's tail), Cicuta maculata var. maculata (spotted water hemlock), Impatiens capensis (jewelweed), and Glyceria striata (fowl mannagrass). Other common or noteworthy herbs include Caltha palustris (yellow marsh marigold), Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens (eastern marsh fern), Carex granularis (limestone meadow sedge), Scirpus lineatus (drooping bulrush), Orontium aquaticum (goldenclub), Pedicularis lanceolata (swamp lousewort), Liparis loeselii (yellow widelip orchid), and Carex tetanica (rigid sedge). Environmental Description: This community type is confined to the groundwater-saturated bottoms of ravines that have cut into Tertiary shell deposits or limesands. Braided streams and pronounced hummock-and-hollow microtopography are characteristic of this habitat. Soil environments are somewhat heterogeneous, with deep organic muck in hollows and firm sandy substrates on hummocks. Samples collected from 15 plots were highly calcareous with pH values up to 7.4 and calcium levels up to 6000 ppm. Most sites for this community are in ravines that drain directly into tidal creeks. Vegetation Description: The overstory is consistently codominated by Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) and Acer rubrum (red maple). In near-tidal situations, Nyssa biflora (swamp tupelo) and Taxodium distichum (bald cypress) are locally codominant. Ulmus americana (American elm), Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree), and Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) are minor overstory trees throughout the range. The understory and shrub layers are typically very open and contain young specimens of the overstory trees, Carpinus caroliniana (American hornbeam), Lindera benzoin (northern spicebush), Cornus foemina (stiff dogwood), and Morella cerifera (wax myrtle). Dirca palustris (eastern leatherwood) is a common shrub in a subset of ravines in the York River drainage. The climbing liana Decumaria barbara (woodvamp) is common, along with Toxicodendron radicans (eastern poison ivy). The herb layer is dense, lush, and clearly divisible into two relatively discrete assemblages that occupy hummocks and mucky hollows, respectively. The most constant patch-dominants of the relatively well-drained hummocks are Packera aurea (golden ragwort) and Carex bromoides (bromelike sedge), with Caltha palustris (yellow marsh marigold), Cinna arundinacea (sweet woodreed), Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw), Geum canadense (white avens), Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens (eastern marsh fern), Carex granularis (limestone meadow sedge), Leersia virginica (whitegrass), Amphicarpaea bracteata (American hogpeanut), Arisaema triphyllum (Jack in the pulpit), Carex laevivaginata (smoothsheath sedge), Carex styloflexa (bent sedge), Carex gracillima (graceful sedge), Rudbeckia laciniata (cutleaf coneflower), and Polygonum setaceum (bog smartweed) occurring at lower cover and/or constancy. Characteristic patch-dominants of the wet, mucky hollows are Pilea fontana (lesser clearweed), Bidens laevis (smooth beggartick), Saururus cernuus (lizard's tail), Cicuta maculata var. maculata (spotted water hemlock), Impatiens capensis (jewelweed), and Glyceria striata (fowl mannagrass). Additional herbs associated with wetter microhabitats are Scirpus lineatus (drooping bulrush), Boehmeria cylindrica (smallspike false nettle), Orontium aquaticum (goldenclub), Polygonum arifolium (halberdleaf tearthumb), Viola cucullata (marsh blue violet), and Cardamine pensylvanica (Pennsylvania bittercress). Stands of this community contain a number of species 260
USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Colonial National Historical Park disjunct from primary ranges inland and farther west, including Caltha palustris (yellow marsh marigold), Pedicularis lanceolata (swamp lousewort), Liparis loeselii (yellow widelip orchid), and Carex tetanica (rigid sedge). Most Abundant Species: Stratum Lifeform Species Tree canopy Broad-leaved deciduous tree Acer rubrum (red maple), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) Characteristic Species: Acer rubrum (red maple), Bidens laevis (smooth beggartick), Carex bromoides (bromelike sedge), Carpinus caroliniana (American hornbeam), Cicuta maculata var. maculata (spotted water hemlock), Cornus foemina (stiff dogwood), Decumaria barbara (woodvamp), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Glyceria striata (fowl mannagrass), Impatiens capensis (jewelweed), Lindera benzoin (northern spicebush), Morella cerifera (wax myrtle), Packera aurea (golden ragwort), Pilea fontana (lesser clearweed), Saururus cernuus (lizard's tail), Toxicodendron radicans (eastern poison ivy). Other Noteworthy Species: Information not available. USFWS Wetland System: Palustrine. DISTRIBUTION Range: This calcareous seepage swamp occurs in dissected terrain in the central Virginia Coastal Plain. It is known only from calcareous ravines in the James and York river drainages, in James City, Surry, and York counties. States/Provinces: MD?, VA. Federal Lands: DOD (Yorktown); NPS (Colonial); USFWS (Great Swamp). CONSERVATION STATUS Rank: G2 (16-Feb-2007). Reasons: Despite considerable efforts to inventory this community over the years, fewer than 50 patches of this vegetation are known covering an aggregate area of perhaps 300 acres. It is likely that quite a few additional patches have yet to be located, but patch-size is small (
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Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report - USGS

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