9. Site Description: 



McKinzie Pond Marsh is almost completely dominated by a single 

 brackish— fresh water marsh species, saw grass (Cladium jamaicense ). 

 In a few places common cattail ( Typha latifolia ) assumes minor impor- 

 tance within the stand. Only three woody species were observed 

 in the marsh— red maple ( Acer rubrum) , swamp dogwood ( Cornus stricta ), 

 and swamp willow ( Salix caroliniana ) « Individuals of these woody 

 species range from immature to (more characteristically) fairly old— 

 although stunted and small— and it is not clear whether succession 

 or retrogression, if either, is taking place at the site. 



The saw grass marsh occurs primarily along the north boundary 

 of McKinzie Pond, and extends from the pond's edge to the up«lope 

 area of the surrounding uplands, which are dominated by mixed pine 

 smd oak woods (see "Blue Pond Complex" report, 1979, N, C, Natural 

 Heritage Program files for description). To the east and west the 

 marsh is bordered by typical mixed bottomland hardwoods (see "Intro- 

 duction" for description), 



McKinzie Pond itself is located at the point where Allen Creek 

 becomes Lilliput Creek (see topographic quad sheet), ajid is in 

 essence simply a broad, rounded basin within the creek ^ainage. 

 Its origin is unknown, but it is suggested here that because it is 

 located in a region of abundant limesinks underlain by the Eocene 

 Castle Hayne Formation, that perhaps McKinzie Pond represents a 

 limesink that was dissected by an active drainage system, or alter- 

 natively, a sinkhole occurring within an established drainage basin. 



Observed vegetation within the open water of the pond is limited 

 to scattered patches of cow-lily ( Nuphar luteum ) and duckweed ( Lemna 

 perpusilla ). 



