■18- 



drainage canals and attempted agriculture. The eastern part, all 

 found in Tyrrell County, covers about 45.5 square miles. With 

 elevations of mostly less than 5 feet it can be called the low 

 elevation portion. This part of the system has been modified 

 relatively little. No agriculture has ever been attempted and 

 there are relatively few logging or canal roads. This report 

 describes the low elevation part of this vast three-county pocosin 

 system. 



This area forms the drainage basin for the Northwest and 

 Southwest forks of the Alligator River. It is virtually flat and 

 the buildup of peat has formed deep organic soils. Like many large 

 pocosins the vegetation is a mosaic of related assemblages that 

 although similar in many ways can differ considerably in general 

 aspect. The most striking differences from place to place involve 

 the canopy pond pines (Pinus serotina) . In some places they are 

 completely absent, in other places they are widely scattered, while 

 in still other places they may be fairly dense. Their size may 

 vary from stunted 10 to 15 foot trees to fairly healthy looking 

 trees that reach about 50 feet. In some areas they form a re- 

 latively uniform canopy indicating an even-aged stand while in many 

 other places they form a very irregular canopy probably indicating 

 slow establishment or episodes of establishment over a number of 

 years. A dense shrub layer is ever present. Like the pines, the 

 shrubs vary in size and thickness. They are usually largest and 

 thickest, 6 to 10 feet, in the areas with tall pines and much 

 shorter, 2 to 3 feet, in areas where the pines are widely scattered 

 or absent. The most common species are leatherwood (Cyrilla 

 racemif lora) , Zenobia (Zenobia pulverulenta) , fetterbush (Lyonia 

 lucida) , greenbrier (Smilax laurifolia) , bitter gallberry (Ilex 

 glabra) , and leatherleaf (Cassandra calyculata ) . The relative 

 abundance of each varies from place to place. Openings between the 

 shrubs, mostly in the wetter areas, will permit the development of 

 some herbaceous vegetation. Sphagnum moss is always present. 

 Perhaps next in frequency is Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia 

 virginica) while pitcher plants (Sarracenia f lava and S^^ purpurea) , 

 sundews (Drosera spp . ) , and cotton grass (Eriophorum virginicum ) 

 are all common. 



This area is so large and structurally diverse that quanti- 

 tative samples from any single location are inadequate to describe 

 the whole. Lacking time for more in depth study we sampled only a 

 single area. This area along NC 94 would best be called short 

 pocosin. It has scattered runty pond pines (see attached sheet for 

 calculations) that vary from about 8 to 20 feet. One tree about 12 

 feet tall was cut and determined from its growth rings to be 18 

 years old. Most larger trees cannot be aged because they have 

 begun to rot in the middle. Whatever their age, their growth is 

 very slow. The shrub zone consists of two distinct layers. The 

 upper layer is leatherwood and about 6 feet tall while the lower 

 layer at about 3 feet is dominated by Zenobia with some fetterbush, 

 leatherleaf, bitter gallberry, and lamb-kill (Kalmia angustifolia) . 

 The two layers are not mixed, if leatherwood is present it crowds 

 out the smaller species. When there is an opening in the shrubs 

 Virginia chain fern and other herbaceous plants are present. 



