An introduction to the communities of Jamesland, including an overview of the community concept, can be found here. Use the links below to jump to the corresponding section in the Highland Province community list:
- Drier Forests
- Mesic Forests
- Woodlands, Grasslands, and Barrens
- Forested Wetlands
- Herbaceous/Shrub Wetlands
Drier Forests
Red Spruce Forest
Status: globally imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: mostly above 3,600′ in Highland County
Examples: Allegheny Mountain, Sounding Knob (Jack Mountain)
Characteristic plants: red spruce (Picea rubens)
Other plants: yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), red maple (Acer rubrum), late lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), prickly tree-clubmoss (Dendrolycopodium dendroideum), greater whipwort (Bazzania trilobata)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Northern Hardwood Forest
Status: globally apparently secure; vulnerable in Jamesland
Distribution: above 3,000′ on Allegheny Mountain; above 3,500′ in parts of the Blue Ridge and Ridge and Valley regions
Examples: Apple Orchard Mountain, Botetourt County; Elliott Knob, Augusta County
Characteristic plants: sugar maple (Acer saccharum), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), black cherry (Prunus serotina), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), northern red oak (Quercus rubra)
Other plants: striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum), mountain maple (Acer spicatum), hayscented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula), evergreen wood fern (Dryopteris intermedia), whorled wood aster (Oclemena acuminata)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Northern Red Oak Forest
Status: globally apparently secure; vulnerable in Jamesland
Distribution: ridges above 3,000′
Examples: Thunder Ridge Overlook on Blue Ridge Parkway; Potts Mountain near Jordan Mines, Alleghany County; Elliott Knob, Augusta County
Characteristic plants: northern red oak (Quercus rubra); [formerly] American chestnut (Castanea dentata)
Other plants: white oak (Quercus alba), mountain holly (Ilex montana), catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) [Blue Ridge stands only], hayscented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula), whorled loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Montane Dry Calcareous Forest
Status: globally apparently secure; apparently secure in Jamesland
Distribution: slopes over limestone
Examples: Back Creek Mountain above Jackson River, Bath County; Natural Bridge, Rockbridge County
Characteristic plants: chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), northern red oak (Quercus rubra)
Other plants: northern whitecedar (Thuja occidentalis), white oak (Quercus alba), bitternut, pignut, and shagbark hickories (Carya cordiformis, C. glabra, C. ovata), eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), spicebush (Lindera benzoin), round-leaved ragwort (Packera obovata), white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Montane Oak-Hickory Forest
Status: globally secure; apparently secure in Jamesland
Distribution: various areas of intermediate fertility and moisture, mostly below 3,000′
Examples: many throughout the province
Characteristic plants: northern red, chestnut, and white oaks (Quercus rubra, Q. montana, Q. alba), red and shagbark hickories (Carya ovalis, C. ovata), [formerly] American chestnut (Castanea dentata)
Other plants: white ash (Fraxinus americana), witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), common black cohosh (Actaea racemosa), broad-leaved waterleaf (Hydrophyllum canadense), Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2, 3
Montane White Pine-Hardwood Forest
Status: globally apparently secure; apparently secure in Jamesland
Distribution: slopes and ridges below 2,500′, often over shale, and often in areas disturbed by logging
Examples: many in Alleghany, Bath, and Craig counties
Characteristic plants: eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)
Other plants: chestnut and white oaks (Quercus montana, Q. alba), blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica), red maple (Acer rubrum), deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Montane Oak-Heath Forest
Status: globally secure; secure in Jamesland
Distribution: dry, infertile soils on sandstone ridges below 3,000′
Examples: many throughout the province
Characteristic plants: chestnut oak (Quercus montana), mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Other plants: northern red, scarlet, and white oaks (Quercus rubra, Q. coccinea, Q. alba), blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica), red maple (Acer rubrum), wild azalea (Rhododendron periclymenoides), early lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Mesic Forests
High-Elevation Cove Forest
Status: globally apparently secure; vulnerable in Jamesland
Distribution: sheltered hollows and ravines above 3,000′ on Allegheny Mountain, and above 3,500′ in parts of the Ridge and Valley region
Examples: Allegheny Mountain in Highland County; War Spur Trail in Giles County
Characteristic plants: sugar maple (Acer saccharum), yellow birch (Betula allegheniensis), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), basswood (Tilia americana), eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
Other plants: red spruce (Picea rubens), white ash (Fraxinus americana), yellow buckeye (Aesculus flava), great rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum), blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), ramps (Allium tricoccum), sweet white violet (Viola blanda)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Rich Cove Forest
Status: globally apparently secure; apparently secure in Jamesland
Distribution: fertile hollows and ravines between 1,000′ and 3,600′
Examples: many along the Blue Ridge Parkway and in Shenandoah National Park
Characteristic plants: sugar maple (Acer saccharum), basswood (Tilia americana), white ash (Fraxinus americana), tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Other plants: blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), common black cohosh (Actaea racemosa), wood-nettle (Laportea canadensis), large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum), sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Acidic Cove Forest
Status: globally apparently secure; apparently secure in Jamesland
Distribution: acidic, infertile hollows and ravines
Examples: many along the Blue Ridge Parkway and in Shenandoah National Park
Characteristic plants: tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)
Other plants: white, northern red, and chestnut oaks (Quercus alba, Q. rubra, Q. montana), red maple (Acer rubrum), Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense), mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Montane Basic Mesic Forest
Status: globally apparently secure; apparently secure in Jamesland
Distribution: fertile lowland soils, especially over limestone, and often near streams
Examples: along the Maury River, Rockbridge County; along the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers, Bath County
Characteristic plants: sugar and black maples (Acer saccharum, A. nigrum), basswood (Tilia americana)
Other plants: tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis), white ash (Fraxinus americana), northern red oak (Quercus rubra), chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii), pawpaw (Asimina triloba), twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla), dwarf larkspur (Delphinium tricorne), broad-leaved waterleaf (Hydrophyllum canadense)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Montane Hemlock-Hardwood Forest
Status: globally critically imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: sheltered habitats on gentle slopes near streams, typically at 3,000-3,800′
Examples: Warm Springs Mountain Preserve, Bath County
Characteristic plants: eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
Other plants: yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), northern red oak (Quercus rubra), Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense), mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), mountain holly (Ilex montana), round-leaved ragwort (Packera obovata), white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Woodlands, Grasslands, and Barrens
High-Elevation Outcrop Barren
Status: globally imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: rock outcrops above 3,200′, especially on north-facing granite and metabasalt in the northern Blue Ridge
Examples: Rocky Mountain, Amherst/Rockbridge County; Loft Mountain, Albemarle County; Humpback and Maintop Mountains and Mount Pleasant, Nelson County; Riven Rocks, Highland County
Characteristic plants: red chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata), mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Other plants: American mountain-ash (Sorbus americana), mountain sandwort (Minuartia groenlandica), Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2, 3
High-Elevation Boulderfield Woodland
Status: globally imperiled; imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: steep, bouldery slopes above 3,200′ in the Blue Ridge and Ridge and Valley regions
Examples: north slope of Elliott Knob (4,100′), Augusta County; north slope of Potts Mountain near Jordan Mines (3,800′), Alleghany County
Characteristic plants: yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), American mountain-ash (Sorbus americana), mountain maple (Acer spicatum)
Other plants: prickly gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati), Appalachian rock polypody (Polypodium appalachianum), whorled aster (Oclemena acuminata)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Low-Elevation Boulderfield Woodland
Status: globally apparently secure; apparently secure in Jamesland
Distribution: bouldery slopes below 3,200′ in the Blue Ridge and Ridge and Valley regions
Examples: Jones Run Falls, Albemarle County
Characteristic plants: [over sandstone] sweet birch (Betula lenta); [over limestone or metabasalt] sugar and black maples (Acer rubrum, A. nigrum), basswood (Tilia americana), white ash (Fraxinus americana)
Other plants: eastern hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia), Virginia-creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), yellow jewelweed (Impatiens pallida), marginal wood fern (Dryopteris marginalis)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2, 3
Pine-Oak-Heath Woodland
Status: globally apparently secure; apparently secure in Jamesland
Distribution: dry, exposed cliffs and ridges over sandstone and similar rocks, where fire has been influential
Examples: along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blue Knob, Botetourt County; Riven Rocks, Highland County; Bald Knob, Bath County
Characteristic plants: table-mountain pine (Pinus pungens) on steep rocky slopes; pitch pine (Pinus rigida) on higher, more gentle ridges; chestnut oak (Quercus montana)
Other plants: bear oak (Quercus ilicifolia), mountain-laurel (Kalmia latifolia), black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata), bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), turkeybeard (Xerophyllum asphodeloides)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Montane Pine Barren
Status: globally critically imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: dry, exposed summits of high-elevation (above 3,600′) ridges of sandstone and similar rocks, subject to periodic intense fire
Examples: only one known in Jamesland and in Virginia as a whole, in Warm Springs Mountain Preserve, Bath County
Characteristic plants: scattered, stunted pitch pine (Pinus pungens), amid thickets of Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense), bear oak (Quercus ilicifolia), mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata), and late lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)
More info: VA DCR
Montane Acidic Woodland
Status: globally vulnerable; vulnerable in Jamesland
Distribution: various sites with dry, infertile, shallow soils
Examples: James River Face Wilderness, Rockbridge County; Bald Mountain near New Castle, Craig County
Characteristic plants: Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana), chestnut oak (Quercus montana)
Other plants: table-mountain pine (Pinus pungens), early lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Montane Basic Woodland
Status: globally imperiled; imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: dry, rocky, south-facing slopes over metabasalt and other mafic or calcareous rocks
Examples: Pond, Goat, and Sawmill Ridges, Albemarle County; Bucks Elbow Mountain, Albemarle County; Devils Knob, Nelson County; Bullpasture River Gorge, Highland County
Characteristic plants: white ash (Fraxinus americana), pignut hickory (Carya glabra)
Other plants: eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana), eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), cliff muhly (Muhlenbergia sobolifera), elm-leaved goldenrod (Solidago ulmifolia), woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Shale Barren
Status: globally vulnerable; vulnerable in Jamesland
Distribution: steep, dry, south-facing slopes over shale
Examples: Johnsons Creek Natural Area Preserve, Alleghany County; Potts Creek Shale Barren, Alleghany County; Ratcliff Hill on Cowpasture River, Bath County; Shaws Ridge, Highland County
Characteristic plants: Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), poverty oatgrass (Danthonia spicata)
Other plants: Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana), chestnut oak (Quercus montana), moss phlox (Phlox subulata), shale barren rock cress (Boechera serotina), white-haired and Millboro leatherflowers (Clematis albicoma, C. viticaulis), shale barren wild buckwheat (Eriogonum allenii), shale barren evening-primrose (Oenothera argillicola), shale barren ragwort (Packera antennariifolia), Kate’s Mountain clover (Trifolium virginicum)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2, 3, 4
Limestone Woodland
Status: globally vulnerable; vulnerable in Jamesland
Distribution: outcrops of limestone and dolostone with shallow soil on steep slopes
Examples: Cedar Ridge, Botetourt County
Characteristic plants: chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii), eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Other plants: eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), aromatic sumac (Rhus aromatica), roundleaf ragwort (Packera obovata), hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens), side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Limestone Flatrock Barren
Status: globally critically imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: flatrock outcrops of Lincolnshire limestone
Examples: near Lexington, Rockbridge County
Characteristic plants: Pitcher’s stitchwort (Mononeuria patula), wiry panic grass (Panicum flexile), poverty dropseed (Sporobolus vaginiflorus)
Other plants: nodding onion (Allium cernuum), eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Montane Basic Barren
Status: globally imperiled; imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: steep, south-facing outcrops of metabasalt or calcareous shales/sandstones
Examples: Crawford’s Knob State Natural Area Preserve, Nelson County; Bucks Elbow Mountain, Albemarle County; Bald Mountain, Craig County
Characteristic plants: common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), aromatic sumac (Rhus aromatica), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
Other plants: white ash (Fraxinus americana), eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), nodding onion (Allium cernuum), roundleaf fameflower (Phemeranthus teretifolius), hairy lip fern (Myriopteris lanosa)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Montane Cliff
Status: globally vulnerable; imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: very steep rock faces, often of limestone
Examples: Natural Bridge, Rockbridge County; Buffalo Creek, Rockbridge County; along Jackson River, Bath County
Characteristic plants: wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), wall-rue (Asplenium ruta-muraria var. cryptolepis), purple-stem cliffbrake (Pellaea atropurpurea), rock polypody (Polypodium virginianum)
Other plants: northern whitecedar (Thuja occidentalis), poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), woodland stonecrop (Sedum ternatum), ebony sedge (Carex eburnea), Canby’s mountain-lover (Paxistima canbyi)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Lichen Cliff/Boulderfield
Status: globally secure; apparently secure in Jamesland
Distribution: exposed rock, often sandstone, of cliffs and boulderfields. A distinct subtype with more northern species, thought to be globally imperiled, occurs above 4,000′
Examples: Sounding Knob on Jack Mountain, Highland County
Characteristic species: toadskin lichens (Lasallia papulosa, L. pensylvanica), golden moonglow lichen (Dimelaena oreina)
Other species: smooth rocktripe (Umbilicaria mammulata) on moist, shady cliffs; lesser rocktripe (Umbilicaria muhlenbergii) and alpine camouflage lichen (Melanelia stygia) on high-elevation boulderfields
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2, 3
Montane Valley Prairie
Status: globally critically imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: relatively flat settings in valleys of the Ridge and Valley region, over limestone and other calcareous substrates. The few surviving remnants are found on mesic to seasonally wet sites on high stream terraces, and may be best classified as wetlands. However, this type was more widespread on uplands before fire suppression and extirpation of large herbivores.
Examples: one small remnant occurs along Mill Creek in Bath County. Another at Cowbane Prairie, Augusta County (just outside our area), may have once belonged to a much larger complex of prairies and wetlands.
Characteristic species: big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Other species: Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum), swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum), willowleaf aster (Symphyotrichum praealtum), dense blazing star (Liatris spicata), spotted Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum), purple false foxglove (Agalinis purpurea), tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1
Forested Wetlands
Montane Floodplain Forest
Status: globally apparently secure; apparently secure in Jamesland
Distribution: floodplains of rivers and larger streams
Examples: best developed along the James River
Characteristic plants: silver maple and boxelder (Acer saccharinum, A. negundo) on sites that are regularly and briefly flooded; American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and black walnut (Juglans nigra) on higher, better-drained terraces
Other plants: hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), American elm (Ulmus americana), river birch (Betula nigra), pawpaw (Asimina triloba), spicebush (Lindera benzoin), wood-nettle (Laportea canadensis), white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima), Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica), wild ginger (Asarum canadense)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Montane Small-Stream Forest
Status: globally vulnerable; vulnerable in Jamesland
Distribution: temporarily flooded areas along small streams
Examples: along Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers, Bath County; along Craig Creek, Craig County
Characteristic plants: tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)
Other plants: eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), white oak (Quercus alba), sweet birch (Betula lenta), American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), hog-peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata), jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Montane Depression Swamp
Status: globally imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: small mountain depressions that are regularly saturated but lack standing water
Examples: Potts Mountain Pond, Alleghany and Craig counties; Patterson Creek valley, Botetourt County; Wilson Creek headwaters, Bath County
Characteristic plants: red maple (Acer rubrum), blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Other plants: northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), Virginia chain fern (Anchistea virginica), cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum), peatmoss (Sphagnum spp.)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Acidic Montane Seepage Swamp
Status: globally imperiled; imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: slopes saturated by emerging groundwater over sandstone and other base-poor rocks
Examples: Neal Run headwaters, Bath County
Characteristic plants: red maple (Acer rubrum), blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Other plants: tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), winterberry (Ilex verticillata), black highbush blueberry (Vaccinium fuscatum), cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum), swamp-pink (Helonias bullata)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Basic Montane Seepage Swamp
Status: globally vulnerable; vulnerable in Jamesland
Distribution: slopes saturated by emerging groundwater over metabasalt, limestone, and other base-rich rocks
Examples: Crawford’s Knob State Natural Area Preserve, Nelson County
Characteristic plants: red maple (Acer rubrum), white ash (Fraxinus americana), black ash (Fraxinus nigra)
Other plants: tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), spicebush (Lindera benzoin), skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), American false-hellebore (Veratrum viride)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
High-Elevation Seepage Swamp
Status: globally imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: slopes saturated by emerging groundwater above 3,200′ elevation
Examples: Potts Cove, Craig County
Characteristic plants: eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis)
Other plants: red maple (Acer rubrum), red spruce (Picea rubens), winterberry (Ilex verticillata), American false-hellebore (Veratrum viride), whorled wood aster (Oclemena acuminata)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Herbaceous/Shrub Wetlands
Rocky Bar/Shore
Status: globally apparently secure; apparently secure in Jamesland
Distribution: regularly flooded, rocky areas along and within fast-flowing streams
Examples: Back Creek at Blowing Springs, Bath County; Maury River at Goshen Pass, Rockbridge County
Characteristic plants: water-willow (Justicia americana), twisted sedge (Carex torta)
Other plants: American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), river birch (Betula nigra), black willow (Salix nigra), halberd-leaf rose-mallow (Hibiscus laevis), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), clasping-leaved dogbane (Apocynum sibiricum)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Riverside Prairie
Status: globally vulnerable; imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: regularly flooded, rocky or gravelly bars along larger rivers
Examples: James River Gorge, Bedford County; Maury River at Goshen Pass, Rockbridge County
Characteristic plants: big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
Other plants: green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis), northern obedient-plant (Physostegia virginiana)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Montane Pond
Status: globally critically imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: small, seasonally flooded depressions formed by natural sagging of bedrock
Examples: Green Pond at Big Levels, Augusta County; Browns and Winterberry Ponds on Tower Hill Mountain, Bath County; Potts Mountain Pond, Alleghany and Craig counties
Characteristic plants: buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), three-way sedge (Dulichium arundinaceum)
Other plants: broad-leaved arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia), common mermaid-weed (Proserpinaca palustris), mild water pepper (Persicaria hydropiperoides), Canada mannagrass (Glyceria canadensis)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Shenandoah Valley Sinkhole Pond
Status: globally critically imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: small depressions on western foot of Blue Ridge, formed by solution of underlying limestone covered by an impermeable layer of alluvial sediments
Examples: Mount Joy Pond State Natural Area Preserve, Augusta County; near Davidson Run, Rockbridge County
Characteristic plants: warty panic grass (Kellochloa verrucosa), tall flat panic grass (Coleataenia rigidula), needle spikerush (Eleocharis acicularis)
Other plants: pin oak (Quercus palustris), Virginia sneezeweed (Helenium virginicum)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe
Montane Woodland Seep
Status: unknown
Distribution: steeply sloping areas of groundwater discharge
Examples: eastern slope of Walker Mountain, Augusta County
Characteristic plants: orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), marsh blue violet (Viola cucullata), marsh marigold (Caltha palustris)
Other plants: scarlet beebalm (Monarda didyma), southeastern cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata), rough-leaved goldenrod (Solidago patula), white turtlehead (Chelone glabra), golden saxifrage (Chrysosplenium americanum), golden ragwort (Packera aurea)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Appalachian Bog
Status: globally critically imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: flat to gently sloping areas of groundwater discharge over acidic rock
Examples: near Mustoe, Highland County; Potts Cove, Craig County; eastern foot of Warm Springs Mountain, Bath County
Characteristic plants: great rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum), cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum), sedge (Carex spp.), peatmoss (Sphagnum spp.)
Other plants: pitch pine (Pinus rigida), red spruce (Picea rubens), smooth alder (Alnus serrulata), round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), bog goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa), tawny cottongrass (Eriophorum virginicum)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2
Calcareous Fen/Marsh
Status: globally critically imperiled; critically imperiled in Jamesland
Distribution: areas saturated or flooded by groundwater on slopes and terraces over limestone
Examples: western foot of Bolar Mountain, Bath County; Mill Creek near Hotchkiss, Bath County
Characteristic plants: sedges (Carex spp.)
Other plants: in flooded areas (marshes): broad-leaved cattail (Typha latifolia), marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris var. palustris), spotted jewelweed (Impatiens capensis); in saturated areas (fens): Virginia mountain-mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum), prairie loosestrife (Steironema quadriflorum)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2, 3
Spray Cliff
Status: unknown
Distribution: wet rock faces in the spray zones of waterfalls
Examples: Falling Spring Falls, Alleghany County
Characteristic plants: brook saxifrage (Boykinia aconitifolia), lettuceleaf saxifrage (Micranthes micranthidifolia), small enchanter’s night-shade (Circaea alpina), small-flowered alumroot (Heuchera parviflora), rock clubmoss (Huperzia porophila), mountain meadow-rue (Thalictrum clavatum)
Other plants: various other mosses
More info: VA DCR
Montane Riverine Aquatic Bed
Status: globally vulnerable; vulnerable in Jamesland
Distribution: shallow, clear waters of rivers where floating or submerged vegetation can develop
Examples: best developed in James River
Characteristic plants: water stargrass (Heteranthera dubia), tapegrass (Vallisneria americana), horn-leaf riverweed (Podostemum ceratophyllum)
Other plants: pondweeds (Potamogeton spp.), waterweeds (Elodea canadensis, E. nuttallii), naiads (Najas spp.), duckweeds (Lemna spp.), duckmeal (Spirodela spp.), eastern mosquito fern (Azolla caroliniana)
More info: VA DCR | NatureServe 1, 2