perennial streams (Figure 18) and in tlie back 

 swamps of larger streams, i.e., far from the main 

 channel. Cedars are absent from large-stream flood- 

 plains where alluvial deposits are heavy and seasonal 

 water level fluctuation is great. 



Atlantic white cedar in peninsular Florida 

 and west along the gulf coast is almost never found 

 in even-aged stands, although it often overtops as- 

 sociated hardwoods and is frequently a dominant 

 component of the canopy The uneven-aged, mixed- 

 species stands typical of the southern white cedar 

 forests are a consequence of gap succession 

 (revegetation under openings in the canopy) in the 

 absence of fire (Clewell and Ward 1987). 



In contrast to the acid soils in which 

 Chamaecyparis is usually found from North Carolina 

 northward, soil pH of 6.6 to 7.5 has been recorded in 



Putnam and Marion Counties in peninsular Florida 

 (Collins et al. 1964; Clewell and Ward 1987). 



Fires are less frequent or at least less 

 destructive than in the northern range of the species, 

 due to the incised topography, the constantly moist 

 soils and leaf litter, and the intermixture of relatively 

 poorly burning vegetation of other species. Clewell 

 and Ward (1987) believe that the relative rarity of de- 

 structive fires in these southern stands favors a 

 mixed forest of white cedar, dicotyledonous 

 hardwood, and sometimes palm, rather than 

 monospecific stands of white cedar. Herbaceous 

 species are often much more numerous than in 

 northern stands. 



Ward and Clewell (unpubl.) report that 

 lightning, which is particularly frequent in the Florida 

 peninsula, appears to be the major cause of the 

 death of mature cedars there. No white cedars have 

 been reported to survive a lightning strike. 



MISSISSIPPI 



ATLANTIC 

 OCEAN 



Figure 1 7. Atlantic white cedar in Southeastern United States, documented by herbarium specimens and field 

 work. Open circles represent stands of typical C. thyoides; solid circles represent C. thyoides var henryae 

 (modified from Clewell and Ward 1987). 



24 



