(1) Hydeland-Gull Rock Sweetgum-Hardwoods Stands 



Along the northern portion of the natural area is a 

 band of swamp or bottomland hardwoods dominated in many 

 areas by sweetgum ( Liguidambar styracif lua ) . These stands 

 occupy an area about one mile wide by two miles long. The 

 eastern end is along the Outfall Canal (SR 1164) just south 

 of New Holland. The western end is at the edge of agri- 

 cultural fields about 0.7 mile east of Hydeland. The 

 northern boundary runs along the edge of agricultural 

 fields adjacent to US 264 and the southern boundary grades 

 into pond pine pocosin. The areal extent of this associ- 

 ation is about 1000 acres. 



Sweetgum is the most widespread of the many hardwoods 

 comprising the stands, exhibiting the most consistent dens- 

 ity and distribution. Red maple ( Acer rub rum ) is also very 

 common and often is codominant with sweetgum in the canopy. 

 Other less common but widely distributed canopy trees include 

 laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia ) , American elm (Ulmus americana ) , 

 baldcypress ( Taxodium distichum ) , and swamp blackgum ( Nyssa 

 sylvatica var. biflora ) . Surprisingly, loblolly pine ( Pinus 

 taeda ) is generally very uncommon in the area. Age and size 

 classes of the sweetgum-mixed hardwoods stands vary consid- 

 erably from one area to another, probably due to varying 

 intensity and frequency of past logging operations. 



Several community types at least are present within the 

 natural area, of which the two most commonly encountered are 

 described here. The oldest, least disturbed stands are char- 

 acterized as Liguidambar styraciflua- mixed hydric hardwoods/ 

 locally dominant Symplocos tinctoria-Ligustrum sinense/ mixed 

 mesic herbs and ferns (sweetgum-mixed hydric hardwoods/locally 

 dominant horsesugar-swamp privet/mixed hydric herbs and ferns, - 

 CT 1) . Sweetgum accounts for about 50% of the importance 

 value. Other common canopy trees are baldcypress, American 

 elm, red maple, and laurel oak. There is essentially no sub- 

 canopy layer in these stands. Horsesugar and swamp privet 

 form locally dense shrub thickets 10-20 feet tall. However, 

 over much of the area these two shrubs are only sparingly 

 present along with scattered canopy transgressives. Almost 

 everywhere a number of ferns and herbs form a 100 percent 

 ground cover. Most common is netted chain fern ( Woodwardia 

 areolata ) . In some areas this species forms almost pure 

 populations. Other common species include Virginia chain 

 fern ( Woodwardia virginica ) which is usually associated with 

 depressions of standing water, cinnamon fern (Osmunda cin- 



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