CHECKLIST OF THE VASCULAR PLANTS OF GREENE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

2005·13.1 MB·English

by  Robert Coxe

CHECKLISTOFTHEVASCULARPLANTSOF
GREENECOUNTY,PENNSYLVANIA
RobertCoxe CynthiaM.Morton
WesternPennsylvaniaConservancy/ SectionofBotany
PennsylvaniaNaturalHeritageProgram CarnegieMuseumofNaturalhiistory
2094thAvenue 4400ForbesAvenue
Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania15223,U.S.A. Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania15213,U.S.A.
MaryJoyHaywood BonnieLandJosepinA.Isaac
DivisionofNaturalSciencesandMathematics SectionofBotarty
CarlowUniversity CarnegieMuseumofNaturalHistory
3333FitfhAvenue 4400ForbesAvenue
Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania15213,U.S.A. Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania15213,U.S.A.
ABSTRACT
AlthoughGreeneCounty,locatedinthesouthwestcornerofPennsylvania,hasbeenbotanizedsmce
theearly1800s,achecklistofitsvascularflorahasnotpreviouslybeencompiled.Asearchofher-
bariaaugmentedbytargetedfieldworkhasresultedinalistof890taxaofnativeandnaturalized
plantscomprising438generaandlf8families.Thefivelargestlamilics,bynumberofspecies,were
Asteraceae,Poaceae,Cyperaceae,Rosaceae,andFabaceae.ThesixlargestgenerawereCarex,Solidaffi,
Galium,Ruhus,Polygonum,andViola.
RESUMEN
ElCondadodeGreene,selocalizaenlaesquinasuroestedelestadodePennsylvania.Estecondadoes
consideradounadelasareasmasdiversasydeimpactoenelestado,sinembargohastaahoranoha
sidocompletadaunalistadeverificacion.Estalistadeverificacioncontietietamilias,generos,ytaxa
especificosestanordenadosalfabeticamentedentrodelosgruposdcplantasvascularestalescomo
Ptendofitas,GimnospermasyAngiospermas.Estalistaincluyelosnombresdeespeciesnativasy
naturalizadasconocidasqueocurrenenelCondadodeGreene.UntotaldealmenosllSfamifias,438
gcncros,y890especieslueronencontradas.Lascincofamiliasmasgrandcs,porelnilmerodeespecies,
tueronAsteraceae,Poaceae,Cyperaceae,Rosaceae,yFabaceae.Losseisgenerosmasgrandes,porel
niimerodeespecies,lueronCarcx,Solidago,Galium,Rubus,PolygoriumyViola.
INTRODUCTION
EventhoughPennsylvanialackschecklistsformosto\itscounties,thevascu-
larfloraknownthusfarisquitediverse;RhoadsandKlein(1993)reported3318
taxaofvascularplantsforthestate,including2076nativeand1242introduced.
Ofthe67countiesinPennsylvaniaapproximately24haveflorascompleted,
howeveranumberareunavailabletothepublicbecausetheyareunpublished
thesesandsurveys.Theexactnumberofgeneraandspeciesinthefloraof
GreeneCountywasnotpreviouslyknownasachecklisthadneverbeencom-
piled.However,GreeneCountyiscurrentlybeingseriouslyimpactedbycoal
SIDA21(3):1829-1859.2005
1830 BRIT.ORG/SIDA21(3)
mining,makingdocumentationofthefloraallthemoreurgent.Thischecklist
willbeneededwhenreclamationandrevcgetationdecisionsaremadeofthe
areasthathavebeenminedforcoal.Checklistcontainbaselineinformationthat
canbeusedtomonitorchangesinourenvironmentandtohelpusmakewise
conservationaldecisions.
SileDescriplion
GreeneCounty,Pennsylvaniaislocatedinthesouthwesterncornerolthestate
(Fig.1).ItisborderedbythecountiesofWashingtontothenorth,Fayettetothe
east,MonongaliaandWetzelcounties.WestVirginiatothesouthandMarshall
County,WestVirginiatothewest.ThecountywasnamedforNathanielGreene
onFebruary9,1796;itcontainsapproximately371,000acres.GreeneCounty
receivestotalannualprecipitationot approximately38inches,ol which 55
percentusuallyfallsinAprilthroughSeptemberAverageseasonalsnowlallis
31inches.ThelastIrostoftheseasonisusuallvaroundMav18^'"'andthelirst
IrostottheseasonapproximatelySeptember25th.Thelengthofthegrowing
season,IromthelastkillingIrostinspringtothelirstkillingIrostinautumn,is
about149days(USDA1983).
Thesoilsolthecountyconsistolthreemainscries:Dormont-Cullcokaas-
sociation, Dormont-CuUeoka-Newarkassociation,andGlenflord-Dormont-
Libraryassociation.
The Dormont-CuUeokaassociationconsistsol hillswith benchesand
ridgesthatmakeupabout75percentolGreeneCounty.Dormontsoilsarefound
predominantlyonhillsidesand benchesandcommonlyhaveslipsonthem.
Thesesoilsaredeepandmoderatelywelldrained.Theyconsistolshale,silt-
stone,limestoneandcolluvium.TheCulleokasoilsaremostlyonridgesand
hilltopsbutsomeareasareonhillsides.Theyconsistoflimestone,sandstone,
siltstonc,andshale.
The Dormont-Culleoka-Ncwarkassociationconsistsol hillsand Hood
plains.DormontandCulleokasoilsareasdescribedabove.TheNewarksoils
areon1loodplains.Thesesoilsaredeepandsomewhatpoorlydrained.These
areaswereformedfromanallu\'iumderivedfromlimestone,sandstone,silt-
stone,andshale.
TheGlenford-Dormont-l.ibraryassociationconsistsolterraces,hills,ridges
andbenches.Glenfordsoilsarconterraces.Thesesoilsaredeepandmoder-
atelywelldrained.Theseareaswereformedinslackwateralluviumderived
Iromcalcareousshaleandsandstone,l^ormontsoilsareasdescribedabove.Li-
brarysoilsaremostlyuplands.Thesesoilsaredeepandsomewhat poorly
drained.TheseareaswereformedinslackwateralIu\'iumderivedfromsiItstone,
calcareousshale,andlimestone(USDA1983).
GreeneCountyispartoltheKanawhasectionoftheAppalachianPlateau
Province.TheKanawliasectionconsistsinmost placesol rounded lullsand
COXEETAL,VASCULARFLORAOFGREENECOUNTY,PENNSYLVANIA 1831
SPRINGHILL'
Fig.1.Top.CountiesofPennsylvania.AdaptedfromMap2,ThePlantsofPennsylvania(Rhoads&Block2000).Bottom.
Tovi/nshipsofGreeneCounty.Originunknown.
ridges,productsofthesubmaturedissectionol aoncefeaturedplainwhose
characterissuggestedbythefewflatsummitareas.Themaximumelevationis
about1,600feet.TheentireGreeneCountydrainageareaisatributaryofthe
MississippiRiversystem,theOhioRiverbeingtheimmediateinasterstream
(USDA1983).
History
IndiansandfurtraderswereinGreeneCountylongbeforethewhitesettlers.In
1760PennsylvaniaandMarylandagreedtotheMasonandDixonLineasa
boundarybetweenthetwocolonies.ObstaclessuchasIndianattacksretarded
theactualdemarcation.Thelinewasextendedtoitswesternlimitsintheau-
tumnof1784anddrawnnorthwardin1785,finallyfixingthesouthernand
1832 BRIT.ORG/SIDA21(3)
western boundariesofWashingtonCounty,v\'hichincludedGreeneCounty.
WashingtonC'ountywasapartol VirginiauntilPennsylvaniaandVirginiafi-
nallyagreeduponthisboundaryline.ThetirstwaveolIrontiersettlementcame
alterthe Frenchand IndianWarended in L763.From theoutbreakof the
Dunmore'swarin1774totheendoftheAmericanRevolutionin1783theIndi-
ansandearlycolonistswereinconfhct.Mostolthesettlementbycoloniststook
placealtertheAmericanRevolution.By1790theAmericanIndiansinGreene
Countywerevirtuallyextinct.
By1796thebestlandsweretakenandtherewassullicientpopulationto
warranttheformationof GreeneCounty,separateIromWashingtonCounty.
Asmentionedabove,GreeneCountywasnamedmFebruary9,1796,inhonor
olGeneralNathanaelGreene,oneolGeorgeWashmgton'sgreatgeneralsdur-
ingtheAmericanRevolution.Thegradualopeningofroads,improvementof
theMonongahelaRiverfornavigationandconstructionofrailroadswereim-
portantinthedevelopmentof thecounty.ThelustrailroadtoenterGreene
CountywastheWaynesburgandWashingtonRailroadin1877.
AgriculturewasthemainstayofGreeneCounty'seconomyfromitsearli-
estsettlement.Mostol theresidentsfarmedorraisedstock.The1890census
indicatethatalmost90percentofthepeoplelivedonfarms,irnostwereengaged
inagricultur<ilpursuits,andmostofthewealthwasagriculturalinnature.There
werenolarge-scalecommercialminesinGreeneCountyin1886,however,coal
hadbeenminedinthecountylormanyyearsindnlmines.Intheearly1890s
improvedtransportationbroughtoutsideinvestorsandthebeginningoflarge-
scalecoalmining.Thegasandoilboomof1894-1905changedGreeneCounty,
Majoroilandgascompaniesleasedthousandsol acresanddrilledscoresof
wellsattractingnewpeopleandoutsidecapital.The1900censusrankedthe
progressolmanulacturinglorthecountynearthebottomofallPennsylvania
counties.Upuntilthe1940sagriculture,coalminingandoilandgasproduc-
tionwerethemainindustriesinthecounty.Duringthe1950sagriculturebe-
camelessimportantandcoalmininghasbecomedominantintheeconomy.In
1945therewere2,860farmsinthecountybutby1992only633farmsremained.
Thedeclineolagriculturemaybepartlyduetotheinevitablesubsidenceofthe
surfaceoflandthataccompaniestocoalmining.Subsidencecancausealossof
groundwaterinwellsandspringscreatingproblemsforthefarmersandother
landusers,aswellaschangingthevegetation.Subsidenceandwaterlossforthe
landsandpeopleofGreeneCoimtyhasbeenthesubjectofmuchcontroversy
inrecentyears.DocumentationsucItaswhatiscontainedinthisreportisa
necessaryprecursortolandrestorationneededinordertorestorethelandback
toitsoriginalstate(Smith1996).
MajorCoUeclors
CollectinginCireeneCountyfortheCarnegieMuseumHerbariumbeganinthe
earlv1800sandhascontinuedtothetiresent.Mostolthecollectorshavebeen
COXEETAL,VASCULARFLORAOFGREENECOUNTY,PENNSYLVANIA 1833
membersoftheBotanicalSocietyofWesternPennsylvaniaandthestaffofthe
SectionofBotanyatCarnegieMuseum.
Botanistswhohavemadesignificantcontributionstotheknowledgeof
theGreeneCountyfloraare:EH.Beer,F.Bell,W.E.Buker,R.Coxe,M.J.Haywood,
L.K.Henry,B.L.IsaacJ.A.Isaac,O.E.Jennings,CM.Morton,S.A.Thompson,and
J.H.Nishida.
MHTHC)DS
ThechecklistwascompiledbysearchmgtheherbariaoftheCarnegieMuseum
ofNaturalHistory(CM)andtheMorrisArboretumoftheUniversityofPenn-
sylvania(MOAR)forGreenecountyspecimens.Inaddition,fieldworkwascon-
ductedtargetingunder-representedareasofthecounty.Mostofthecollections
weremadeduringthelasttwoyearshoweverseveralspecimensduedateback
asearlyas1895and1896.Themajorityofthespecimensexceptfor28samples,
fromwhichcollectioninformationwasobtainedfromtheMorrisArboretum,
aredepositedattheCarnegieMuseumofNaturalHistory(CM)Herbarium.
OtherherbariathatwereexaminedforspecimensincludetheAcademyofNatu-
ralSciencesofPhiladelphiaandKentStateUniversity.ThefloraofRhoadsand
Block(2000)wastheprimarysourceforplantidentification.Eorgenericand
speciesnames,wehavegenerallylollowedtheSynthesisofNorthAmerican
Flora(Kartesz1999).Authoritiesareabbreviatedforthemajorityoftaxaac-
cordingtoBrummittandPowell(1992).
RF.suITSANDDISCUSSION
Thislistincludesthenamesofallnativeandnaturalizedspeciesknowntooc-
curinGreeneCounty.Itincludesatotalof118families,438genera,and890
species.Thefivefamilies,withthelargestnumberofspecies,areAsteraceae,
Poaceae,Cyperaceae,Rosaceae,andFabaceae.Carcx,Solidago,Galium,Ruhus,
PolygonumandViola,arethelargestgenera.Thereareapproximately179non-
nativespeciesthathavebeenintroducedmainlyfromEuropeandEurasia.This
checklistrecognizes3speciesofLycophytes,39speciesofPteridophytes,7spe-
ciesofGymnospermsand841speciesofAngiosperms.Twenty-sixspecieshave
globalorstateranking.
Ofthe26plantsthathaveglobalorstaterankingonlyScutellanasaxaiilis
hasaglobalrankingofG3orvulnerablestatus.Theremaining25plantsare
eitheraG4orG5status,indicatinganapparentlysecureorsecurecondition.
ThegenusScutellaria,amemberofthemintfamily,isverydistinctiveandeas-
ilyidentifiedbytheprotuberanceontheupperlipofthecorolla.Thisspeciesis
astolonilerousplantwithleavesbroadlylanceolatetotriangularandhascor-
dateleavesatthebase.Theleavesarecoarselycrenate,4-5cmlong,withalong
petiole.Theflowersareinpanicles.Mostofthecoflectionsarefromsemi-shaded
areasindrywoodsor,occasionally,inmoistareasalongstreams.Thisspeciesis
h
1834 BRIT.ORG/SI0A21(3)
notcommonbutisinconspicuousandmaybeoverlooked.Itsrecoverypoten-
tialISunknownbutwillbepoorunlesspeoplesearchtoritsexistence.
TherearelivetaxalistedbythePennsylvaniaDepartmentoiAgriculture
(2004)asnoxiousweeds.Itisthcreloreillegaltopropagate,sellortransportthe
followingtaxainthecommonwealth:Cirsiu/iiarvciisc(Canadianthistle),Rosa
muhiflord(multiflorarosa),CirsiumvuIgarc(bullorspearthistle),Dalura,s1ra-
monium(jimsonweed),andLythrumialicaria(purpleloosestrife).Othermen-
tionableoffenderstoournativeecosystemlistedbytheDepartmentotConser-
vationandNaturalResources(2000)are:Alliariapctiolata(garlicmustard),
Lonicerajapoiitci(Japanesehoneysuckle),Lonicciamonvwi(morrow'shon-
eysuckle),Cc/d.siru.so/biculadi.s(.orientalbittersweet),and£[aeagnusu/nbt'llata
(autumnolive).
Whilethislistisprobablynotall-inclusive,itisthemostcomprehensive
listavailable.
PlantConiinuiiitics
BasedonourfieldobservationsandtheclassilicationsolFike(1999),thestudy
areacontainsthefollowingninemajorcommunitytypes;terrestrialtorcsts,
palustrinek")rests,terrestrial woodlands,palustrinewoodlands,terrestrial
shrublands,palustrineshrublands,terrestrialherbaceousopenings,herbaceous
wetlands,andcommunitycomplexes.Inthediscussionbelowadditionaldivi-
sionsaremadewithintheseninecategories.Incategoriesdominatedbywoody
plantsthedivisionisbasedonthephenologyofthedominantspecies.Inher-
baceouswetlandsthedivisionisbetween persistentandnon-persistentveg-
etation.Communitycomplexsectionrepresentsaspecialsituationratherthan
aparallelclassificationsystem.Overallspeciesdiversityishigh,andmanyspe-
ciesoccurinmorethanonecommunitytype.
—
Terrestrialforest. Thetwosubcatagoriesolthisplantcommunityareconilcr
broadleafterrestrialforestsandbroadlealterrestrialforests.
Theconiferbroadlealterrestrialforestisdctinedbycommunitiesofpitchpinc-
mixedoakforest,drywhitepine(hemlock)-oakforest,hemlock(whitepinej-
northernhardwoodforest,hemlock(whitepine)-redoak-mixedhardwoodfor-
est,hemlock-tuliptree-birchforest,andhemlock-mesichardwoodsforest.
Thepitchpine-mixedoaklorestcommunitygenerallyoccursonacidic,
sandysoils,oltcnonridgetopsanddrysouthernexposures.Typicalshrubsin-
cludeKdUniuhtiiloluiandGaylusSiiciLiInuwild.Theherbaceouslayerissparse
with/'/ci'idiuiudtjui/1/iuin,Aralidiiudicdulis,Gau hcriaprotumhens,Cypn-
pcdiu}}}dCdulcandvariousgraininoids.
Thedrywhitepinelhcmlock)-oakforestcommunityoccursonfairlydry
sites,oftenwithportionsoftheforestfloorcoveredbyrocks,bouldersand/or
exposedbedrcxk.Thecanopyisopenandtreegrowthcanbesuppressed.The
dominantspeciesarePinusstrobusorTsugacanadensisandamixtureofdry-
COXEETAL,VASCULARFLORAOFGREENECOUNTY,PENNSYLVANIA 1835
sitehardwoods,predominantlyoaks.Kalmialatifoliaisanimportantshrub
withtypicallyasparseherbaceouslayerpresent.
Thehemlock(whitepine)-northernhardwoodforestcommunitycanbe
comprisedbyanyofthethreenamedcomponents.Theforestsoccurmostlyon
mesicsites,oftennorth-facing,sometimesrockyandsteep.Rhododendronmaxi-
mumisusuallyabundant.Theherbaceouslayerisgenerallysparsewitharich
bryophytelayer
Thehemlock(whitepine)-redoak~mixedhardwoodforestcontainsTsuga
canadensisand/orPinusstrohuswithusuallyQuercusrubraandotherhard-
woods present. Shrubs include Viburnum acerifoJium, Rhododendron
periclymenoides and Amelanchier spp. Herbaceous species include
Maiantheuniumracemosa,PolygonatumbiJlorum,Gaultheriapracumbensand
Podophyllumpeltatum.
Thehemlock-tuliptree-birchforestcontainstuliptreesandamixolmore
southernspecies.Itisgenerallyalowerslopeorcovetype.Tsugacanadensis
usuallycontributes25%ormoreofthecanopywithLiriodendrontulipifera
andBctulasp.asthecharacteristichardwoodspecies.ShrubsincludeHama-
melisvirgmiana,Rhododendronmaximumandothers.Theherbaceouslayeris
highlyvariable.
Thehemlock—mesichardwoodforestsarespecies-nchlowerslopeforests
withastrongTsugaccinadensi.scomponent.ShrubssuchasRhododendronmaxi-
mum,HamamelisvirginlanaandJ.indcrabenzionarecommon.Theherbaceous
diversityunderthehardwoodisdiversewhileunderthedensehemlockthe
vegetationreflectsamorenorthernllora.
Thebroadleafterrestrialforestisdefinedbycommunitiesofdryoak—heath
forest,dryoak—mixedhardwoodforest,redoak-mixedhardwoodforest,
tuliptree—beech—mapleforest,sugarmaple—basswoodforest,mixedmeso-
phyticforest,redmaple(terrestrial)forest,aspen/graybirchforestandblack
locustforest.
Thedryoak—heathforestcommunityisfairfybroadlydefinedandusu-
allyoccursonxerictomoderatelydry,acidicsites,oftenonshallowsandysoiIs.
ThemostcharacteristictreespeciesisQuercusmontanaoccurringwithamix-
tureofotheroakspecies.Theshrublayerisdominatedbyericaceousspecies.
Becauseoftheresistantoakleaflitter,theherbaceouslayerisgenerallysparse.
Thedryoak—mixedhardwoodforestoccursonsomewhatcalcareousmod-
eratelydrysoils.Itisfrequentlyfoundonsouthandsouthwest-facingslopes.
CharacteristicshrubsincludeCornus//orida,CaprinuscarohnianaandAmeltin-
chierarborea.TheherbaceousspeciesincludeMaiantheumumrflcemo.stf,Po/y-
gonatumbiflorum,Asplcniumplatyncuron,Desnwdiumspp.,Hieraciumvenosum,
Aralianudicaulis,Ccirexpensylvanica,Carexcommunis3indLysimachiaquadrifolia.
Theredoak-mixedhardwoodforestisabroadlydefinedcommunityoccurring
onmesicsites.Quercusrubraisdommant/codominantwithvarioustaxaof
u
1836 BRIT.ORG/SIDA21(3)
Qucrcusspp.,Bclnhispp.,Fa^i^uii^i^randifoliaamongothers.Theshrubsinelude
ta.xaot Viburn ni,Amdanchicr\Kalmidlalijolia,Capinuscarolinianaamong
others.Theherbaceouslayerishighlyvariable.
Thetuliptree-beech-mapleforestoccuronfairlydeep,sHghtlyacidicsoils,
atamidtolower-slopeposihon.Acerrubunn,Liriodendroniulipiferaandb'agus
grandijoliaarethemostconsistentspeciesforthisverymixedforest.Typical
shrubsincludeviburnum,Capinuscawlinuina,Camusflorida,andOstrya
virgi}\iiii]a.Theherberbaceouslayermayberich.
Thesugarmaple-bassvv'oodforesttypeoccursonawiderangeofsites.
DominanttreespeciesareAcersaccharumandTiliaamcnaina.Shrubsinclude
Lindcnibcnzion,HumamclisvirginianaandAsiminatriloba.Thereisusually
arichvernaltlt-tra.
Themixedmesophyticforestisanextremelyrichcommunitytypethat
occursondeepsoilsatthebaseofslopes.DominanttreespeciesareLiriodendron
tulipifcrciAcersaccharum,Fagusgrandijolia,TiliaamcricanaandMagnolia
eftumindfa.Theherbaceouslayerisveryrichandincludesrri/liumsp.,Dircnfrc7
sp., Itardlacordifolia,Hepalica}\obilis,Sunguiuanacanadensis,Botrychium
virgiiiianumandMitclladiphylla.
Theredmaple(terrestrial)forestisanearlytomidsuccessionaltypethat
isbecomingcommoninPennsylvania.Acerrubrumisdominant,butmorein-
formationneededlorthespeciescompositionofthecommunitytype.
Theaspen/graybirchforestisfrequentlymixed,butcancontainneady
purestandsofBelulasp.orPopulussp.Theforesttypeiscommonlyfoundon
formeragriculturallandsorwhereforestrypracticesmaintainaneadysucces-
sionalstage.
Thelasttypeolterrestriallorestistheblacklocustforest.Thiscommunity
typeoccursonhighlydisturbedsites.Robiniapseudoacaciaisthedominant
specieswithBelulalentabeingthecodominantspecies.Thereisusuallyadense
graminoidunderstorywithmanyexoticspeciescommon.
—
PalustrineForest. Theonesubcatagoryofthisplantcommunityhasbroad-
leafpalustrineforest,definedbycommunitiesofbottomlandoak-hardwood
palustrineforest,red maple-f^lack-gum palustrineforest,sycamorc-(river
birch)-box-eldcrfloodplainforest,silvermaplefloodplainforestandredmaple-
elm-willowtloodplainswamp.
Thebottomlandoak-hardwoodpafustrineforestarecharacterizedbythe
dominanceofQuercuspa[u.stn.sand/orQ.hico/or.ShrubsincludeLin(icrc//;cn-
Zoin,Vacciniumcorymbosum,DircapalustnsandViburnumsp.Theunderstory
includesImpatienssp., Thelypterispalustns,Polygonumsp,andAgrinwnia
parvijlora.
Theredmaple-blackgumpalustrineforestisdominatedbyAcerrubrum
and/orNyssasylvalica.Theshrul^layerisvariableandmayincludeVaecinium
COXEETAL,VASCULARFLORAOFGREENECOUNTY,PENNSYLVANIA 1837
cor3^mbosum,I/exverticinat67,A/nu.sspp.andCornUSspp.Theherbaceouslayer
includessuchtaxaasViolaspp.,Osmitndacinnamomea,Carexspp.andOnocka
sensihilis.
Thesycamore-(riverbirch)-box-elderfloodplainforestoccursalongthe
floodplainsofthelargerormid-sizeriversystems.Dominanttreespeciesare
PlatanusoccidentalisandAcernegundowithshrubsconsistingofSalixspp.,
Cornusspp.Vitisriparia,LinderabenzoinandToxicodendronradicansalong
withseveralinvasiveexotics.TheherbsincludeImpatiensspp.,Pilcapumila,
andUrticadioica.
Inthesilvermaplefloodplainforestcommunitytheforestoccuralonglarge
riverswithawell-developedfloodplain.VariousAcerspp.andUlmus,spp.are
dominantwithshrubsincludingCornusspp.,Linderaben^oifaandToxicoden-
dronradicansalongwithseveralinvasiveexotics.Theherbaceouslayerincludes
Impatiensspp.,Pileapumila,andAlliariapetiolata.
Thelastcommunityofpalustrineforests,theredmaple^elm-willowIlood-
plainswamplands,isprimarilyassociatedwithlandssurroundingthemajor
riversystemsthataresubjecttoperiodicflooding.Besidestheabovementioned
taxaofredmaple,elmandwillow,Caryacordijormis,Cornusanwmuni,Lindera
benzoin,Vitisriparia,Onocleascn.si/ulisandPolygonumspp.arealsofound.
TerrestrialWoodlands.—Thethreesubcatagoriesofthisplantcommunityare
coniferousterrestrialwoodlands,conifer-broadlealterrestrialwoodlandsand
broadleafterrestrialwoodlands.Theconiferousterrestrialwoodlandsconsistof
communitiesofpitchpine-heathwoodlandandpitchpine-scruboakwoodland.
Thepitchpine-heathwoodlandisacommunitythatoccursonrockyridge-
topstypicallywithsandysoils.Soilsareusuallyacidicanddryandtheassoci-
atedtreespeciesaredrought-stressedandsmallinstature,blardwoodsifpresent
onlycontributelessthan25%ofthetreelayer.Variousshrubs,mostlyericads,
formalowshrublayer.HerbaceousspeciesincludePteridiumaquilinuni,Carex
spp.,Lespedezaspp.andlichens.
Thepitchpine-scruboakwoodlandsareverysimilartothepitchpine-
heathcommunityexceptfortheunderstoryspecieswhichconsistofPteridium
aquilinum,Carexspp.,variousgrassesandAralianudicaulis.
Theconifer-broadleafterrestrialwoodlandscommunityisdefinedbypitch
pine—mixedhardwoodswoodlands.Soil,droughttolerance,shrublayer,and
percenthardwoodsaresimilartothepitchpme-heathwoodlandtype.Someof
theassociatedtaxaareslightlydillerent.
Thebroadleafterrestrialwoodlandsaredefinedbycommunitiesofdry
oak-heathwoodland,birch(black-gum)rockyslopewoodlandandyellowoak-
redbudwoodland.
Thedryoak-heathwoodlandoccursondry,acidicsoils.Dominanttree
speciesareQuercusspp.,Nyssasylvatica,Sassafrasalbidum,Betulaspp.andAcer
1838 BRIT.ORG/5IDA21(3)
Iulv'uu]withpinesspeciescontributinglessthan25%.Theshrublayerisvari-
ablecomposedofcitherlowshrubslikeVacciniumspp.ortheremaybeanacb
ditionallayeroitallershrubslikeKulmiuhitifolia.Herbaceouslayercontains
taxalikePteridiumaqui/inu/)i,Carexspp.,Oryzopsisspp.,andArahunudicauIis.
Thebirch(blackgum)rockslopewoodlandoccursmostcommonlyon
rockyslopesalthoughitmayoccuronbenches,ridgetopsorboulder!ields.Birch
isusuallypresentwitheitherbirchorblack-gumdominant.Shrubssuchas
Kalmialalijolui.ViburnumacerifoliumandHamamehs\nfv^inianaareusually
present.Theherbaceouslayeriscommonlysparsewithanoftenrichbryophyte
andlichenassemblage.
—
Palusirincwoodlands. Theonesubcatagoryolthisplantcommunity,broad-
lealpalustrinewoodlands,isdelinedbyredmaple-sedgepalustrincwoodlands
andredmaple-mixedshrubpalustrinewoodlands.
Theredmaple-sedgepalustrinewoodlandsisatypewhichoccurindis-
turbedareasirequentedbybeavers.Acerrubrumisoftentheonlytreespecies,
howeverothersmaybescattered.Theshrublayerisvariableandmaybedense
inuplandareastonearlyabsentinwetterareas.Theherbaceouslayerisdomi-
natedbysedges.
Theredmaple-mixedshrubpalustrinewoodlandsoccursonmineralsoil
withathinlayerof muck.AcerrubrumdominatesthetreelayerwithCornus
amomii}}].Ilexverlicillatd,Linderabcnzoi}i,Alnusserrulata/dndSalixsericea
asrepresentativeshrubs.TheherbaceouslayerisdominatedbyIcrns.
—
Terrestrialshrublands. Thetwosubcatagoriesol thisplantcommunityare
coniler-broadlealterrestrialshrublandsandbroadleafterrestrialshrublands.
Theconiler-broadlealterrestrialshrul:»landsaredefinedbyred-cedar-red-
budshrubland.Thered-cedar-redbudshrublandoccursoncalcareoussoilsm
areaswheretheconditionsaredryenough toprevent lorestdevelopment.
Juniperusvirgi}]uinaandCereiscanadeusisarcbothcharacteristictaxaofthese
sites.TheherbaceouslayercontainsvariousgrassspeciesalongwithLilho-
spermui)]latifoliumandAquilegiacanadensis.
Thebroadleal terrestrialshrublandsaredefinedbylowheathshrubland
andscruboakshrubland.Thelowheathshrublandarefoundoneithersandy
soiloron thinsoiloverbedrock.Typicallyfound inexposedareassuchas
ridgetopswherefrostordroughtconditionslimittheestablishmentoftrees
and tallshrubs.Dominantspeciesare Vacciniumspp.,and/orGaylussocia
baccala.Thereisanherbaceousandcreepingshrublayerwithamossandli-
chencoverthatmaybeconsiderable.
Thescruboakshrublandshavesoilconditionssimilartothelowheath
shrublands,howex'ertheformerareusuallysituatedinareaswherefrequentor
recentdisturbancehasremovedthetreelayer.Scruboakisthedominantspe-
cies,occurringalongwithlowgrowingshruf)ssuchasVacciniumspp.,Gaullr