Sumter National Forest Final Report - NatureServe

Formation: Temporarily flooded temperate perennial forb vegetation (V.B.2.N.d)Alliance: Justicia americana Temporarily Flooded Herbaceous Alliance (A.1657)ELEMENT CONCEPTSummary: This association covers rocky shoals with dense beds of Hymenocallis coronaria, usually also with substantial Justiciaamericana and Podostemum ceratophyllum.Environment: This association is found in rocky shoals of submontane rivers (e.g., in the Ridge and Valley, Piedmont).Vegetation: This vegetation is dominated by Hymenocallis coronaria, usually also with substantial Justicia americana andPodostemum ceratophyllum. Other species present in smaller amounts include Saururus cernuus, Leersia lenticularis, Schoenoplectuspungens, Mikania scandens, Cephalanthus occidentalis, and Cyperus sp.Dynamics: The maintenance of this association requires a temporarily flooded hydrology. Many of the rivers where it is found havehad their hydrologies altered by dams, which have had a negative effect on occurrences of this association.Similar Associations:• Justicia americana Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL004286)Related Concepts:• IIE3a. Riverside Shoal and Stream Bar Complex (Allard 1990) BClassification Comments: This vegetation is most notably found in the Cahaba River, Alabama, and the Catawba River of SouthCarolina, but also in the Piedmont of Georgia and other locations in South Carolina. There probably are less than 200 acres in totalextent. We treat Hymenocallis coronaria as distinct from Hymenocallis caroliniana; Kartesz (1994) regards as a synonym ofHymenocallis caroliniana.CONSERVATION RANKING & RARE SPECIESGRank: G1 (1998-1-11): This community occurs in rocky shoals on various rivers in the Piedmont and other submontaneprovinces. Many of these rivers have been altered by dams, which have negatively affected the hydrology required for maintenance ofthis association.High-ranked species: Hymenocallis coronaria (G2Q)ELEMENT DISTRIBUTIONRange: This association is known from river shoals in the Piedmont of South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, and from the southernRidge and Valley of Alabama.Subnations: AL, GA, SCTNC Ecoregions: 50:C, 52:CUSFS Ecoregions: 231A:CC, 231Dc:CCCFederal Lands: USFS (Sumter); USFWS (Cahaba River)ELEMENT SOURCESReferences: Allard 1990, NatureServe Ecology - Southeastern U.S. unpubl. data, Nelson 1986, Southeastern Ecology WorkingGroup n.d.SMOOTH ALDER - YELLOWROOT SHRUBLANDELEMENT IDENTIFIERSNVC association: Alnus serrulata - Xanthorhiza simplicissima ShrublandDatabase Code: CEGL003895Formation: Temporarily flooded cold-deciduous shrubland (III.B.2.N.d)Alliance: Alnus serrulata Temporarily Flooded Shrubland Alliance (A.943)ELEMENT CONCEPTSummary: This association includes shrublands on rocky or gravelly substrates along narrow river margins in the southeastern BlueRidge Escarpment gorges, ranging into the Cumberland Plateau. Vegetation composition, density, and height vary with frequency offlooding, substrate, and soil depth. The nominal shrubs are common and characteristic but not always dominant. Other shrubs mayinclude Arundinaria gigantea, Diervilla sessilifolia, Salix nigra, Salix sericea, Rhododendron arborescens, Rhododendron viscosum,Rhododendron maximum, Rhododendron periclymenoides, Kalmia latifolia, Leucothoe fontanesiana, Cornus foemina, Cornusamomum, Itea virginica, and Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides. Arborescent species that occur as tall shrubs (or as occasional trees,less than 10% cover) include Acer rubrum, Carpinus caroliniana, Diospyros virginiana, Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendrontulipifera, Platanus occidentalis, and Tsuga canadensis. Open areas dominated by grasses and forbs include species such as Agrostisperennans, Boykinia aconitifolia, Carex torta, Holcus lanatus (exotic), Lycopus virginicus, Trautvetteria caroliniensis, Houstoniaserpyllifolia, Impatiens capensis, Hypericum mutilum, Viola X primulifolia, and Eupatorium fistulosum. Adjacent alluvial forests inthe Blue Ridge are dominated by Tsuga canadensis, Liriodendron tulipifera, Betula lenta, and, at lower elevations, below 600 m(2000 feet), Platanus occidentalis and Liquidambar styraciflua.Vegetation of Sumter National Forest April 30 2004Copyright © 2004 NatureServe93