Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report - USGS

USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program
Colonial National Historical Park
COMMON NAME (PARK-SPECIFIC): TIDAL BALD CYPRESS FOREST /
WOODLAND
SYNONYMS
USNVC English Name: Bald-cypress / Shoreline Sedge Woodland
USNVC Scientific Name: Taxodium distichum / Carex hyalinolepis Woodland
USNVC Identifier: CEGL004654
LOCAL INFORMATION
Environmental Description: Tidal Bald Cypress Forest / Woodland occupies low tidal river
shores, the upper reaches of tidal guts, and ecotones between tidal shore berms and tidal marshes.
Soils are very poorly drained and always submerged by shallow water. These areas are regularly
flooded by tidal water and are oligohaline to fresh in halinity.
Vegetation Description: This tidally influenced, needle-leaved deciduous woodland is
dominated by Taxodium distichum (bald cypress) which dominates the open to very open
overstory, with or without hardwood associates such as Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash),
Acer rubrum (red maple), or Nyssa biflora (swamp tupelo). Shrub and herb layers are variable
but generally contain a mixture of species characteristic of both marshes and swamps. Morella
cerifera (wax myrtle) can form a dense to open shrub layer, and the herb layer is usually
dominated by Carex hyalinolepis (shoreline sedge), often forming a continuous, nearly,
monospecific stratum. Other typical herb associates include Polygonum punctatum (dotted
smartweed), Peltandra virginica (green arrow arum), Panicum virgatum var. virgatum
(switchgrass), Triadenum walteri (greater marsh St. Johnswort), Rumex verticillatus (swamp
dock), Hibiscus moscheutos ssp. moscheutos (crimsoneyed rosemallow), Cinna arundinacea
(sweet woodreed), and Saururus cernuus (lizard's tail). Submerged aquatic plants such as
Ceratophyllum demersum (coon's tail) and floating aquatic species like Lemna minor (common
duckweed), and Azolla caroliniana (Carolina mosquitofern)) can have high cover.
Stand structure and canopy cover range from closed forest to very open woodland. Stands of this
type that have been artificially cut off from regular tides may have species suggestive of a
longer, non-tidal hydroperiod: species such as Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush),
Fraxinus profunda (pumpkin ash), Populus heterophylla (swamp cottonwood), and Nyssa
aquatica (water tupelo).
Most Abundant Species:
Stratum Lifeform Species
Tree canopy Needle-leaved tree Taxodium distichum (bald cypress)
Herb (field) Graminoid Carex hyalinolepis (shoreline sedge)
Characteristic Species: Carex hyalinolepis (shoreline sedge), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green
ash), Morella cerifera (wax myrtle), Peltandra virginica (green arrow arum), Taxodium
distichum (bald cypress).
Other Noteworthy Species: Information not available.
Subnational Distribution with Crosswalk Data:
State SRank Rel Conf SName
Reference
VA SNR* B 1 Tidal Bald Cypress Forest / Woodland Fleming et al. 2006
Local Range: Tidal Bald Cypress Forest / Woodland is found along the James River at Swanns
Point with small, disturbed examples mapped at Jamestown Island. In total, it covers 12.0 hectare
(29.6 acres).
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