A representative example of low pocosin observed in the 

 field is located along a north-south access road situated 

 about 1.25 miles west of the Outfall Canal Road (SR 1164). 

 The dominant vegetation observed here is titi ( Cyrilla race- 

 miflora ) , 4-6 feet tall over an assemblage of slightly lower 

 shrubs including stunted redbay ( Persea borbonia ) , fetterbush 

 ( Lyonia lucida) , honeybells ( Zenobia pulverulenta ) and choke- 

 cherry ( Sorbus arbutifolia ) . In more open patches a dense 

 herb layer composed of Virginia chain fern ( Woodwardia vir- 

 ginica ) is present. Pond pines are very scattered to almost 

 completely absent. They are stunted, less than 10 feet tall 

 and with dbh's less than three inches. Scattered small lob- 

 lolly bays ( Gordonia lasianthus ) 5-10 feet tall are also 

 present. 



The community type is Cyrilla racemi flora- mixed pocosin 

 shrubs/ Woodwardia virginica (titi-mixed pocosin shrubs/Vir- 

 ginia chain fern; CT 3) . There is much local variation in 

 dominance of the shrub species. In some areas there are 

 open zones dominated exclusively by Virginia chain fern. 

 Sweet pepperbush ( Clethra alnifolia ) forms locally dense 

 zones in scattered locations. Other zones dominated by 

 honeybells, chokecherry, and fetterbush are also present. 



Laurel-leaved greenbriar ( Smilax laurifolia ) forms a 

 dense tangle throughout much of the shrub zone. 



In some open, wet depressions several pitcherplants 

 occur ( Sarracenia purpurea , S_. flava) . Pitcherplants are 

 also found along the ditch and road margins. 



Unfortunately, the wettest and lowest portions of the 

 low pocosin were not field checked. An area of about 500 

 acres located southwest of the north-south access road 

 appears to be dominated by low shrubs 2-4 feet in height 

 and possibly by a sedge marsh system. This area was sur- 

 veyed by air in April 1982 . From our aerial observations 

 this area appears to be a very wet, treeless, low shrub 

 and/or sedge marsh dominated wetland. Ground field work 

 is needed to determine the community types present. 



The low pocosin vegetation types described above appear 

 to be correlated with a deep peat deposit mapped by Otte and 

 Ingram (1980). Their peat survey covered six square miles, 

 of which approximately 1.5 are underlain by peat up to 2 

 feet thick, 2.25 by peat 2-4 feet thick, and 2.25 by peat 

 4-5 feet thick. The deepest parts of this peat deposit are 

 believed to lie underneath the low pocosin area. 



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