OUTLINE OF PRINCIPAL VEGETATION TYPES IN MAINLAND HYDE COUNTY 



I. Aquatic Communities - submerged and floating aquatic plants 

 are found in numerous areas of Hyde County, and in 

 habitats ranging from fresh to brackish water. Pri- 

 mary localities include the Alligator River shoreline, 

 Pamlico Sound and its embayments, and extensive beds 

 of aquatic species in Lake Mattamuskeet . Minor areas 

 of aquatic vegetation are found in the small lakes in 

 the northeastern part of the county, and in New Lake 

 and Pungo Lake. 



II. Wetland Communities 



A. Brackish Marsh - very abundant in mainland Hyde County 



along the shoreline of Pamlico Sound., Vast ex- 

 panses are located in Swanquarter National Wildlife 

 Refuge . 



B. Freshwater Marsh - naturally uncommon in the county; 



occurs in limited areas along the upper Alligator 

 River, near the west end of Roper Island. The most 

 extensive examples are in Lake Mattamuskeet. 



C. Cypress-gum-cedar Swamp Forest ( Taxodium distichum-Nyssa 



sylvatica var. biflora-Chamaecyparis thyoides ) - 

 One of the most extensive palustrine plant communities 

 of Hyde County, although now reduced in area by tim- 

 bering and land clearing. Primarily associated with 

 the embayed portion of the Alligator River, with dis- 

 turbed examples also occurring on Roper Island. 

 These palustrine swamps are on deep peat soils ap- 

 parently subject to sporadic flooding from adjacent 

 waterways (Otte, 1981). Isolated cypress stands were 

 noted in the vicinity of West Bluff Bay on the shore 

 of Pamlico Sound. Riverine cypress stands are found 

 along the Pungo River, which is now channelized. 



D. Atlantic White Cedar - a serai sub-type within the pre- 



ceeding community. Most monospecific stands resulted 

 after logging opened sites suitable for seedling 

 establishment. In Hyde County occurs principally 

 on deep peats, perhaps where underlain by sand 

 (Buell and Cain, 1943). 



