National Forests in Florida Final Report


Loblolly-bay - Sweetbay - Swampbay / Peatmoss Species Forest



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Loblolly-bay - Sweetbay - Swampbay / Peatmoss Species Forest


Element Identifiers

NVCS association: Gordonia lasianthus - Magnolia virginiana - Persea palustris / Sphagnum spp. Forest

Database Code: CEGL007044

Formation: Saturated temperate seasonal evergreen forest

Alliance: GORDONIA LASIANTHUS SATURATED FOREST ALLIANCE (I.A.4.N.g.2)

Element Concept

Summary: These forests occur in saturated, peat-filled seepage depressions usually located at the base of sandy slopes but also at the edges of floodplains or other flat areas with high water tables. The closed, broad-leaved evergreen canopy is composed of Magnolia virginiana, Persea palustris, and Gordonia lasianthus. A patchy understory of shrubs (Cyrilla racemiflora, Clethra alnifolia, Itea virginica, Lyonia lucida, Ilex glabra) and vines (Smilax laurifolia, Smilax glauca, Vitis rotundifolia) occur with an abundant to sparse layer of ferns (Woodwardia areolata and Osmunda cinnamomea). The Sphagnum mats are interlaced with exposed tree roots. The southern limit of this community is just north of Lake Okeechobee, Florida, the community extends northward through Georgia and South Carolina to North Carolina, where Gordonia lasianthus reaches the limit of its distribution.

Environment: These forests occur in saturated, peat-filled seepage depressions usually located at the base of sandy slopes but also at the edges of floodplains or other flat areas with high water tables.

Vegetation: The closed, broad-leaved evergreen canopy is composed of Magnolia virginiana, Persea palustris, and Gordonia lasianthus. A patchy understory of shrubs (Cyrilla racemiflora, Clethra alnifolia, Itea virginica, Lyonia lucida, Ilex glabra) and vines (Smilax laurifolia, Smilax glauca, Vitis rotundifolia) occurs with an abundant to sparse layer of ferns (Woodwardia areolata and Osmunda cinnamomea). Sphagnum mats are interlaced with exposed tree roots. Additional species found on Ocala National Forest include Quercus nigra, Pinus serotina, Vaccinium fuscatum, Gelsemium sempervirens, Morella cerifera, Nyssa biflora, Serenoa repens, Ilex cassine, Smilax smallii, and Viburnum nudum.

Dynamics: These forests are probably prone to some infrequent, but perhaps moderate-intensity wildfire. Once Gordonia lasianthus is tree-sized, its thick bark provides some protection from fire. Hurricanes could cause blowdown.

Similar Associations: No information

Synonymy:

  • IIA2d. Bay Forest (Allard 1990) B. in part

Comments: This association description was written for a generalized concept of a Bay Forest and may need reassessment and refinement.

Conservation Ranking & Rare Species

GRank: G4 (97-10-08):

High-ranked species: No information

Element Distribution

Range: This association occurs from Florida to North Carolina, on the Coastal Plain.

States: FL GA NC SC

Crosswalk to State Classifications:

TNC Ecoregions: 55:C, 56:C, 57:C

USFS Ecoregions: 232Bf:CCC, 232Bh:CCC, 232Br:CCC, 232Ca:CCC, 232Cc:CCC, 232Cf:CCC

Federal Lands: USFS (Ocala, Osceola)

Element Sources

References: Allard 1990, Clewell 1971, FNAI 1990, Kologiski 1977, Schafale and Weakley 1990, Wolfe 1990

Baygalls and Bayheads


Atlantic/East Gulf Coastal Plain Sweetbay - Blackgum Streamhead Forest


Element Identifiers

NVCS association: Magnolia virginiana - Nyssa biflora / Carpinus caroliniana / Thelypteris noveboracensis - Athyrium filix-femina Forest

Database Code: CEGL004722

Formation: Saturated mixed broad-leaved evergreen - cold-deciduous forest

Alliance: MAGNOLIA VIRGINIANA - NYSSA BIFLORA - (QUERCUS LAURIFOLIA) SATURATED FOREST ALLIANCE (I.C.2.N.d.1)

Element Concept

Summary: This saturated streamhead forest community occurs in the East Gulf Coastal Plain and South Atlantic Coastal Plain in streamheads and downstream along the margins of small acid streams, where groundwater seepage rather than overbank flooding controls the vegetation. The canopy is dominated by the nominal species, Magnolia virginiana and Nyssa biflora; Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Acer rubrum var. trilobum are often also prominent. Other canopy species can include Pinus taeda, Quercus nigra, and Quercus laurifolia. Stands in Florida may contain Nyssa ogeche. The subcanopy typically contains canopy species (especially Magnolia virginiana and Acer rubrum var. trilobum) and Carpinus caroliniana ssp. caroliniana, Persea palustris, Cyrilla racemiflora, and Ilex opaca var. opaca. These species may also occur in the shrub stratum, along with Arundinaria gigantea ssp. tecta, Decumaria barbara, Illicium floridanum, Itea virginica, Sebastiania fruticosa, Smilax laurifolia, Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans, Vaccinium elliottii, Vaccinium formosum, Viburnum nudum, and Vitis rotundifolia. Within its range, Pieris phillyreifolia may be found climbing on the bark of trees. Herbs are generally fairly sparse, consisting primarily of Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides, Boehmeria cylindrica, Carex leptalea, Carex venusta, Chasmanthium laxum, Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, Elephantopus carolinianus, Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Peltandra virginica, Thelypteris noveboracensis, and Woodwardia areolata. Sphagnum spp. may be patchily common.

Environment: This saturated streamhead forest community occurs in the East Gulf Coastal Plain and South Atlantic Coastal Plain in streamheads and downstream along the margins of small acid streams. Some of these stands occur in floodplains of small creeks, but their flora is primarily influenced by seepage hydrology, not by overbank flooding, even though this may occur. They are assigned to saturated rather than seasonally flooded because of their floristics and operative hydrology.

Vegetation: The canopy is dominated by the nominal species, Magnolia virginiana and Nyssa biflora; Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Acer rubrum var. trilobum are often also prominent. Other canopy species can include Pinus taeda, Quercus nigra, and Quercus laurifolia. The subcanopy typically contains canopy species (especially Magnolia virginiana and Acer rubrum var. trilobum) and Carpinus caroliniana ssp. caroliniana, Persea palustris, Cyrilla racemiflora, and Ilex opaca var. opaca. These species may also occur in the shrub stratum, along with Arundinaria gigantea ssp. tecta, Decumaria barbara, Illicium floridanum, Itea virginica, Sebastiania fruticosa, Smilax laurifolia, Smilax rotundifolia, Toxicodendron radicans, Vaccinium elliottii, Vaccinium formosum, and Vitis rotundifolia. Within its range, Pieris phillyreifolia may be found climbing on the bark of trees. Herbs are generally fairly sparse, consisting primarily of Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides, Boehmeria cylindrica, Carex leptalea, Carex venusta, Chasmanthium laxum, Chasmanthium sessiliflorum, Elephantopus carolinianus, Osmunda cinnamomea, Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis, Peltandra virginica, Thelypteris noveboracensis, and Woodwardia areolata. Sphagnum spp. may be patchily common.

Dynamics: See Summary

Similar Associations:

  • Magnolia virginiana - Nyssa biflora - Magnolia grandiflora / Ilex coriacea - Viburnum nudum var. nudum / Solidago patula var. strictula Forest (CEGL007473)--is a related type with a range to the west.

  • Magnolia virginiana - Nyssa biflora / Oxydendrum arboreum / Viburnum nudum var. nudum Forest (CEGL008552)--related type occurs more in seepage and is more acid and peaty, with more Oxydendrum arboreum, Photinia pyrifolia, Morella caroliniensis, Vaccinium fuscatum, Viburnum nudum var. nudum, Mitchella repens, Sphagnum spp.

  • Nyssa biflora - Acer rubrum var. trilobum - Liriodendron tulipifera / Ilex coriacea - Lyonia lucida Forest (CEGL004645)--is ecologically related, but dominated by Nyssa biflora and Acer rubrum rather than Magnolia virginiana.

Synonymy:

  • IIA2a. Bay Forest (Allard 1990) B. in part

Comments: At Fort Benning, Georgia, there seems to be one seepage forest type with varying dominance among Nyssa biflora, Acer rubrum, and Magnolia virginiana. It is simpler to place these in Nyssa biflora - Acer rubrum var. trilobum - Liriodendron tulipifera / Ilex coriacea - Lyonia lucida Forest (CEGL004645), but this calls into question the relationship between these two types (CEGL004645 and CEGL004722).

Conservation Ranking & Rare Species

GRank: G3G4 (00-12-18): While this community is naturally restricted to wetland streamheads and floodplains of small perennial streams, it is not an inherently rare forest type. It is presumably distributed across various parts of the South Atlantic and East Gulf coastal plains in the appropriate habitat. Some examples are protected, or at least not likely to be exploited or eliminated, on various Federal land units, including national forests, military bases, and national wildlife refuges. Threats to this community include alteration of hydrological patterns by road construction, seismic surveying or well-drilling, inundation by pond and reservoir construction, off-road vehicle use, increased windthrow and microclimate modification caused by intensive silvicultural practices on adjacent uplands, herbicide use, and vegetation damage by feral hogs.

High-ranked species: No information

Element Distribution

Range: This community is found across various parts of the South Atlantic and East Gulf coastal plains of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

States: AL FL GA

Crosswalk to State Classifications: Not yet cross-referenced to state classifications

TNC Ecoregions: 43:C, 50:P, 53:C, 56:C

USFS Ecoregions: 231Bc:CCC, 231Bd:CCC, 231Dd:CPP, 232Bf:CCC, 232Bh:CCC, 232Bi:CC?, 232Bm:CCC, 232Bn:CCC, 232Bp:CCC, 232Bq:CCC, 232Br:CCC, 232Cd:CCC, 232Dc:CCC, 232Dd:CCP

Federal Lands: DOD (Fort Benning?, Fort Gordon); USFS (Apalachicola, Conecuh, Osceola, Talladega?, Tuskegee); USFWS (Bon Secour?)

Element Sources

References: Allard 1990, NatureServe n.d.

Baygalls and Bayheads




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