The Natural Communities of Virginia
Classification of Ecological Groups and Community Types

Third Approximation (Version 3.3)

Information current as of March 2021

Montane Woodland Seeps

Montane Woodland Seeps are saturated herbaceous wetlands occurring on relatively steep, often gravelly or bouldery slopes at sites of groundwater discharge. These communities are scattered in the western Virginia mountains and Piedmont foothills, but are most abundant above 760 m (2500 ft) elevation. The habitats are typically narrow, rocky, and partially shaded by tree species rooted in adjacent upland forests. A few occurrences encompass large spring seeps on high-elevation cliffs. Vegetation is similar to the herbaceous component of seepage swamps, but is usually more forb-rich. Common species include scarlet beebalm (Monarda didyma), southeastern cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. digitata), orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), rough-leaved goldenrod (Solidago patula), rough-stemmed goldenrod (Solidago rugosa var. rugosa), white turtlehead (Chelone glabra), golden saxifrage (Chrysosplenium americanum), golden ragwort (Packera aurea), American false-hellebore (Veratrum viride), marsh blue violet (Viola cucullata), marsh marigold (Caltha palustris var. palustris), eastern rough sedge (Carex scabrata), and, in the southern Blue Ridge, umbrella-leaf (Diphylleia cymosa). Graminoids, including bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis), shortbeak sedge (Carex baileyi), and nodding sedge (Carex gynandra), may be prominent locally.

Reference: Byers et al. (2007)

Click here for more photos of this Ecological Community Group.

REPRESENTATIVE COMMUNITY TYPES:
The distribution, compositional variation, and ecological dynamics of montane woodland seeps in Virginia are poorly known and need intensive study. Only 12 plots of this vegetation have been sampled to date (Fig. 1). Stands which appear consistent with a USNVC association CEGL006597) described from West Virginia data have been observed in the Allegheny Mountains. High-elevation seeps in the Southern Blue Ridge are a good match for CEGL004293, which was originally described from data collected in North Carolina. A third association (CEGL006258) has been provisionally defined from plot data collected on the northern Virginia Blue Ridge. Click on any highlighted CEGL code below to view the global USNVC description provided by NatureServe Explorer. map of communities

Download a spreadsheet of compositional summary statistics for each of the community types listed below.

Impatiens capensis - Monarda didyma - Diphylleia cymosa Herbaceous Vegetation
Southern Appalachian High-Elevation Seep
USNVC: = CEGL004293
Global/State Ranks: G3/S2?
Caltha palustris - Impatiens pallida - Viola cucullata Herbaceous Vegetation [Provisional]
Central Appalachian Woodland Seep
USNVC: CEGL006258
Global/State Ranks: GNR/SU
Carex scabrata - Viola cucullata / Plagiomnium ciliare Herbaceous Vegetation
High Allegheny Woodland Seep
USNVC: = CEGL006597
Global/State Ranks: G3/S1?

next Ecological Group previous Ecological Group