Survey Vegetation Guide

The veg survey is divided between marsh and non-marsh areas. The road, grassy road shoulder, agricultural fields, and woods are all in the non-marsh category.

Panicum virgatum (Switch Grass)
This warm-season grass occurs in wet fields and on road shoulders adjacent to, but not part of, marshes. Note the curly leaves near the base.
© Gregory Gough

Non-vegetated sections of open water are quite common in the tidal marsh, especially in and along guts.

Tidal gut with open water and some mudflat.
© Gregory Gough

Non-vegetated sections of mudflats are also quite common in the tidal marsh, especially in and along guts. Depending on the tide cycle, some years a point may have lots of open water and other years it may be mostly mudflat.

The most important plant to document in the survey may be Iva frutescens / Baccharis halimifolia (we make no attempt to separate these similar-looking shrubs). These fairly small shrubs are very important to Swamp Sparrows and may limit their distribution in the marsh. The mix of new vegetation and dead branches make it easy to identify.

Frequently this shrub has a mix of dead and live branches
© Gregory Gough

Closeup of branch showing small rounded leaves
© Gregory Gough

Shrubs mixed with other marsh vegetation, note Spartina patens in lower right
© Gregory Gough

The 'Other Shrub' category is mostly comprised of various species of Hibiscus such as Marsh Mallow. These shrubs are late to emerge in the spring and their dead branches are the best clue to their presence.

Hibiscus sp. (Rose or Marsh Mallow)
Its dead branches are barely visible behind the cattails
© Gregory Gough

Hibiscus sp. (Rose or Marsh Mallow)
New growth just appearing in early June
© Gregory Gough

Myrica spp. (Bayberry and Wax Myrtle) sometimes occur on the borders of the tidal marsh.

Myrica sp. (Bayberry or Wax Myrtle)
Shrub swamp on inland creek
© Gregory Gough

This tall grass is a familiar sight in the marsh. It is quite similar in appearance to less-known Spartina cyanosuroides but note the densely packed seed head (persisting from the previous fall) of the phragmites compared to the sparse seed head of the spartina.

Closeup of seed head with densely packed seeds. Some green stems and leaves are visible in the background
© Gregory Gough

Dense stand in early June, last year's seed heads visible
© Gregory Gough

Burned or sprayed phragmites is a separate category from live phragmites, aggressive control measures are used on this invasive plant.

Less common than the similar-looking Phragmites, this spartina is tall and has a persitent seed head with very few seeds on it.

Spartina cyanosuroides
Closeup of seed head with very few seeds.
© Gregory Gough

Dead stems visible in background, note bare seed heads just above horizon.
© Gregory Gough

Spartina patens is quite often found with Iva and is very important to Swamp Sparrows.

Soft, fine, short, pale green stems with a few insignificant seed heads. Later in the season the stems flatten on the ground and look "wavy".
© Gregory Gough

Dead stems visible in foreground, some tufts of live stems mixed in. Note flattened, wavy appearance of dead stems.
© Gregory Gough

Note its flattened, wavy appearance. Iva is growing is also growing there.
© Gregory Gough

Spartina alterniflora is the familiar "grass" of the low marsh. It frequently occurs in vast, monotypic stands along tidal guts but can occur as small patches in low areas in the higher marsh. Seaside Sparrows are frequently found here.

Leaves are taller, flatter, and a duller green than S. patens.
© Gregory Gough

Growing along a tidal gut.
© Gregory Gough

Growing as a vast monotypic stand in the low marsh, prime Seaside Sparrow habitat.
© Gregory Gough

Black Needlerush is what we are referring to as Juncus gerardi. We do not yet have a picture. So far, it has not been commonly reported on our survey. It can occur in monotypic stands that stand out because the wiry, waist-high stems are exceptionally dark green in coloration.

Threesquare or Bulrush, Scirpus americanus, is sometimesn found in brackish marshes. The stems of this sedge are triangular, and not round and wiry like a juncus (rush).

The leaves are just emerging. The small seeds are held in a "cone" near the top of the stem (not visible in this photo). This plant is emerging from a patch of Spartina patens.
© Gregory Gough

Less common than the similar-looking Phragmites, the cattail has a familiar seed head and is found in the fresher areas of the marsh.

Closeup of seed head, dense cylinder with many tightly packed seeds.
© Gregory Gough

Dead and live stems visible in background, a few seed heads are visible.
© Gregory Gough

Dense stand growing in June.
© Gregory Gough

There are many, many species of sedges, rushes, and other grass-like vegetation that can occur in the marsh. This category is for vegetation less than 18 inches in height.

This rush (unknown species (effusus?) but not black needlerush) shows the round, wiry stems of a juncus. Note the broad leaves of Water Plantain growing nearby (which would go in the 'Other' category).
© Gregory Gough

There are many, many species of sedges, rushes, and other grass-like vegetation that can occur in the marsh. This category is for fairly tall grass-like vegetation.

This category is for other types of marsh vegetation that does not fall into one of the above categories, typically broad-leaved emergents such as arrowhead, arrow arum, and pickerelweed that are often found in the freshest parts of the marsh.

Broad-leaved emergent marsh vegetation.
© Gregory Gough