148 
Kevin W. Markham and Wm. David Webster 
Table 1. Abundance (percentage of diet attributable to plant), followed by range 
(in parentheses), of flora consumed by marsh rabbits on estuarine islands in southeastern 
North Carolina. Asterisks indicate significant seasonal variation in consumption. 
Abundance 
Plant species 
Spring 
(n = 5) 
Summer 
( n = 9) 
Winter 
(n = 7) 
Total 
(n = 21) 
Low Marsh 
Spike grass {Distichlis spicata )* 
9(19) 
3(19) 
Seablite ( Suaeda linearis ) 
1(7) 
5(42) 
2(42) 
Seabeach orach (Atriple x arenaria ) 
<1 ( 2 ) 
<1 (2) 
Sea lavender (Limonium carolinianum ) 
6(18) 
2(18) 
High Marsh 
Reed ( Phragmites australis )* a 
12 (59) 
4(59) 
Marsh sedge ( Fimbristylis spadicea ) 
<1(1) 
<1(1) 
<1(1) 
Black needlerush {J uncus roemerianus ) 
1(13) 
<1 (13) 
Marsh pink ( Sabatia stellaris ) 
3(8) 
<1(1) 
1(8) 
Silverling {Baccharis halimifolia) 
<1 (1) 
<1 ( 1 ) 
Sea ox-eye (Borrichia frutescens ) 
1(6) 
<1 (6) 
Grass Flat 
Wild rye grass ( Elymus virginicus) 
<1 (6) 
<1 ( 6 ) 
Muhly ( Muhlenbergia capillaris ) 
<1 ( 3 ) 
<1 ( 3 ) 
Finger grass ( Chloris petraea ) 
4(4) 
1(4) 
Saltmeadow cordgrass ( Spartina patens ) 
13 (44) 
4(15) 
17 (42) 
11(45) 
Foxtail grass ( Setaria geniculata ) 
4(19) 
7(52) 
4(52) 
Bunch grass ( Panicum virgatum ) 
3 (18) 
1(18) 
Sedges ( Cyperus spp.) 
2(7) 
2(12) 
<1 ( 3 ) 
1(12) 
Dayflower ( Commelina erecta) 
1(5) 
2(9) 
1(9) 
Cottonweed (Iresine rhizomatosa) 
2(5) 
11 (31) 
4(31) 
Marsh pennywort ( Hydrocotyle bonariensis ) 7 (36) 
2(15) 
11 (39) 
7(39) 
Morning glory ( Ipomoea sagittata ) 
4(16) 
3(18) 
2(18) 
Blue curl ( Trichostema sp.) 
<1(2) 
<1(2) 
Buttonweed ( Diodia teres ) 
5(24) 
2(24) 
Bedstraw {Galium spp.) b 
8(38) 
6(29) 
5 (38) 
Seaside goldenrod {Solidago sempervirens) 
9(14) 
12 (45) 
10 (20) 
10 (45) 
Camphorweed {Heterotheca subaxillaris)* 
8(49) 
35 (30) 
14(51) 
Firewheel {Gaillardia pulchella) 
6(28) 
<1 (2) 
2(28) 
Shrub Thicket 
Greenbriar {Smilax spp.) c 
<1 (2) 
<1 (2) 
Beach pea {Strophostyles helvola )* 
<1(1) 
25 (64) 
8(64) 
Yaupon {Ilex vomitoria ) 
7(33) 
9(18) 
5 (33) 
Vir. creeper {Parthenocissus quinquefolia) 
1(11) 
< i ( n ) 
Creeping cucumber {Melothria pendula) 
1(8) 
<1 (8) 
