drop from peat soils to best-drained mineral soils is never 

 more than three feet per mile. At the lowest edges of the 

 broad flats, approaching the shoreline at the mouth of the 

 Neuse River and local tributaries to Pamlico Sound, a better 

 developed dendritic drainage pattern marks the topographic 

 limit of hardwood flats. Cleared agricultural land invariably 

 interposes a limit to the existing hardwood communities before 

 the topographic boundary is reached. (Other sequences of soil 

 moisture, organic content and elevation probably occurred in 

 interior parts of the county, but no high quality examples 

 of plant communities on such sites have been located.) 



Following are descriptions of two excellent examples of 

 hardwood flats over soils of the Leaf-Bayboro Association; 

 both examples are adjacent to Light Ground Pocosin and follow 

 the general moisture/organic content/elevation sequence put 

 forth above. Sites described are chosen primarily for high 

 natural quality, with a secondary consideration being to 

 provide examples of the observed variation in species com- 

 position. 



FEDERAL PAPER NATURAL AREA 



The Federal Paper natural area, on the Arapahoe and 

 Oriental Quadrangles (see map) , is the most diverse hardwood 

 community surveyed. It is named for the major landowner, 

 Federal Paper Board Corporation. At the southern edge of 

 this stand near Holt's Chapel, about 15 feet above mean sea 

 level, are relatively well drained areas of Argent loam 

 (Typic Ochraqualfs) upon which beech ( Fagus grandi folia ) 

 in places dominates the canopy, growing with loblolly pine 

 ( Pinus taeda ) and swamp chestnut oak ( Quercus michauxii ) 

 (CT 1) . The average canopy dbh (diameter at breast height) 

 here is 12-18 inches, with some beech up to 24 inches. On 

 the very best drained sites white oak ( Quercus alba ) replaces 

 swamp chestnut oak. Tulip poplar ( Liriodendron tulipifera ) 

 and sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ) are common in the 

 canopy. Common understory species are the two oaks, beech 

 and red maple ( Acer rubrum ) . Sourwood ( Oxydendrum arboreum) 

 is also present in the subcanopy. No shrub or herb layer 

 dominants are present. Shrub species include witch-hazel 

 ( Hamamelis virginiana) , strawberry bush ( Euonymus americanus ) , 

 flowering dogwood ( Cornus florida ) , and horse sugar ( Symplocos 

 tinctoria ) . Herbaceous species include New York fern ( Thelypteris 

 novaboracensis ) , heart leaf ginger ( Hexastylis arifolia ) and green 

 adder's mouth orchid (Malaxis unifolia) . 



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