namomea) , poison ivy ( Rhus radicans ) , southern lady fern 

 (Athyrium asplenioides ) f enchanters ' nightshade ( Circaea 

 lutetians ) and giant cane ( Arundinaria gigantea ) . In- 

 terestingly, Japanese honeysuckle ( Lonicera japonica ) is 

 rather uncommon and, except in disturbed areas, does not 

 form extensive ground patches. 



High-climbing vines are abundant throughout the 

 hardwood stands. Most common species are trumpet creeper 

 ( Campsis radicans ) , cross vine ( Anisostichus capreolata ) , 

 poison ivy, climbing hydrangea ( Decumaria barbara ) , and 

 wild grape ( Vitis sp.). 



The canopy height of the sweetgum-mixed hydrichard- 

 woods community ranges to a maximum 75-80 feet although 

 generally it is in the 60-75 foot range. The canopy is 

 usually closed except where windfalls or other disturbances 

 have created openings. The average dbh of the canopy trees 

 ranges from 16 to 19 inches. The absence of a subcanopy 

 layer and the absence of a well-defined shrub layer (except 

 locally) gives the understory an open, park-like aspect. 

 This openness makes traversing the area on foot relatively 

 easy and provides esthetic appeal. 



The fern diversity of the community is worth mentioning. 

 Eleven species are known to occur: Southern lady, cinnamon, 

 netted and Virginia chain, royal ( Osmunda regal is var. spec- 

 tabilis ) , bracken ( Pteridium aquilinum ) , resurrection ( Poly- 

 podium polypodioides ) , N ew Y ork ( Thelypteris noveboracensis ) , 

 ebony spleenwort ( Asplenium platyneuron ) , sensitive ( Onoclea 

 sensibilis ) , and log ( Dryopteris celsa ) . We know of no other 

 area in the North Carolina coastal plain (with the possible 

 exception of the Great Dismal Swamp) with a comparable di- 

 versity of ferns. It is likely that further field work in 

 the area will uncover the presence of rare hybrids or ad- 

 ditional species. 



A second widely distributed community type is Liquidambar 

 styraciflua-Acer rub rum/ locally dominant Myrica heterophylla/ 

 mixed hydricherbs and ferns (sweetgum-red maple/locally domi- 

 nant bayberry /mixed hydricherbs and ferns) . This community is 

 similar to the one previously described except that red maple 

 is a co-dominant canopy component with sweetgum. Local patches 

 of bayberry are associated with wet depressions. This community 

 is generally younger in age with corresponding lower average 

 canopy height (50-60 feet) and average dbh (12-14 inches) . 

 This is probably a result of more intensive and/or more fre- 

 quent cutting disturbances. Understory density of canopy 

 transgressives is somewhat higher than in the older sweetgum- 



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