258 



Nichols: The vegetation of Connecticut 



Woody plants are seldom wholly absent from the strand stage 

 of a flood plain; commonly, seedlings of willow and cottonwood 

 are abundant. Indeed, certain species of willow, such as Salix 

 cordata and Salix longifolia, occur here which are usually lacking 

 on older flood plains. But woody plants are rarely well developed ; 

 for even if they are able to withstand submergence in winter, 

 trees and shrubs of any size are liable to be badly battered or els« 



Fig. g. Nearly pure growth of willow (Salix nigra) near southern extremity of 

 flood plain island in Connecticut River, Windsor. 



uprooted and carried away by the ice when it breaks up in spring. 

 As soon, however, as the surface has been built up to such a height 

 that it is beyond the reach of the winter ice, trees become the 

 controlling element of the vegetation and ultimately a luxuriant 

 forest may be developed. The boundary between the wooded 

 part of a flood plain and the strand area is often marked by a 

 distinct shelf or step — the result of ice-shove in winter. 



