9. Site Description: 



The Smithville Caxolina Bay Complex includes a series of dozens 

 of small and Isirge Carolina bays, associated seind rims, and Pleistocene 

 (presumably marine) low ridge and swale topography. The bays them- 

 selves are almost invsiriably vegetated by pond pine ( Pinus serotina ) 

 dominated "low pocosin." The pines are generally small—probably 

 as a response to both frequent <i>£ severe fire and nutrient poor con- 

 ditions—mostly ^ to 5 meters in height, with DBHs of 10 to 15 centi- 

 meters or less, forming a very open canopy. Although scattered 

 tall shrubs and transgressive "bay" trees 2 to 3 meters in height are 

 present, the shrub layer is generally about 1 meter in height, and 

 is dominated by a mixture of shining fetter-bush ( Lyonia lucida) , 

 titi ( Cyrilla raceai flora ) , bitter gallberry ( Ilex glabra ), and, 

 occasionally, other species, twined together into a dense thicket by 

 laurel-leaved catbrier ( Smilax lauri folia ). 



In a few bays the pond pines in the canopy are much larger, 

 usually accompanied by an increased dominance of "bay" trees (see 

 "Pocosin" in Introduction), indicating a probable lack of fire for 

 a number of years. Swale areas within the complex also tend to be 

 dominated by a similar pocosin community type. 



The sand rims, where undisturbed— several have been planted in 

 what appears to be a slash pine ( Pinus elliottii ) hybrid by the 

 ownerii*-are dominated by an open longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris ) 

 canopy, over a mixture of turkey oak ( Quercus laevis ) and scrub live 

 oak (£^, geminata ) in the subcamopy layer. A shrub layer is absent, 

 and the herbaceous layer usually consists of open to sparse cover by 

 wire-grass ( Aristida stricta ) and mixed forbs, such as etipulicida 

 ( Stipulicida setacea ) and St, John's sand-wort ( Hypericum reductum ). 



Bay — rim ecotones and low ridge areas tend to be similar vege- 

 tationally, and are floristically the most interesting areas within 

 the bay complex, Longleaf pine is the canopy dominant with no sub- 

 canopy, usually over a scattered shrub layer of either gallberry 

 ( Ilex spp.) or sand myrtle ( Leiophyllum buxifolium ) , the latter 

 often in dense stand. The ground beneath the shrub layer is almost 

 invariably covered with a mixture of wire-grass and creeping blue- 

 berry ( Vaccinium crassifolinm ). One very notable exception occurs 

 in the case of a number of low Tidge and swale interface sireas, in 

 which rush-featherling ( Pleea tenuifolia ) dominates the herbaceous 

 layer to the exclusion of everything else. The largest such area 

 observed measured approximately 800 meters (0,5 mi.) in length by 

 an average 30 meters (15 to 60 m) in width. 



Canopy pines in these "flatwoods" areas are some of the largest 

 observed in the county during the course of this contract, being 

 mostly old-growth flattops, and four Red-cookaded Woodpecker ( Picoides 

 borealis ) cavity trees were located among these. In addition, as 

 noted, sand myrtle may dominate here in extensive populations, occur- 

 ring both on the interbay flats and low ridges within the area. These 

 extensive sand myrtle populations, the large rush-featherling "flat," 

 and the Red-cockaded Woodpecker nest trees are identified on the 

 accompanying topographic quad sheets. 



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