Florida's Native Plant Communities

Floodplain Swamp

  • Chipola River floodplain at Florida Caverns State Park, Jackson County.  Photo by Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter

  • Floodplain swamp along the Apalachicola River in Torreya State Park. Photo by Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter

  • Floodplain swamp along the Pithlachascotee River in Pasco County. Photo by Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter

Photographs belong to the photographers who allow use for FNPS purposes only.

Information

Community Variants:

N/A

Description:

Floodplain swamps occur on organic or alluvial substrates and are usually inundated for long periods. They are found in both subtropical and temperate settings. Fire is rare or absent.


The vegetation is typically characterized by cypress ( Taxodium spp. ), tupelo ( Nyssa aquatica ), swamp blackgum ( Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora ), and/or pop ash ( Fraxinus caroliniana ).


Example Locations

  • Apalachicola River floodplain (Torreya State Park) – the best Florida example
  • Choctawhatchee River floodplain
  • Yellow River floodplain
  • Escambia River floodplain
  • Hillsborough River floodplain (peninsula)
  • Manatee River floodplain (peninsula)
  • Peace River floodplain (peninsula)
  • Fisheating Creek floodplain (peninsula)

References:

Duever, L. (1984, September). Florida’s natural communities: Floodplains. The Palmetto, 4(3), 8–10. http://fnps.org/assets/pdf/palmetto/duever_linda_conway_natural_communities_of_floridas_floodplains_vol_4_no_3_fall_1984.pdf


Florida Natural Areas Inventory, & Florida Department of Natural Resources. (1990). Guide to the natural communities of Florida. Florida Natural Areas Inventory. http://fnai.org/PDF/Natural_Communities_Guide_1990.pdf


Light, H. M., & Darst, M. R. (1993). Hydrology, vegetation, and soils of four north Florida river flood plains with an evaluation of state and federal wetland determinations (Water Resources Investigation Report 93-4033). U.S. Geological Survey.


Sharitz, R. R., & Mitsch, W. J. (1993). Southern floodplain forests. In W. H. Martin, S. G. Boyce, & A. C. Echternacht (Eds.), Biodiversity of the Southeastern United States: Lowland terrestrial communities (pp. 311–372). John Wiley & Sons.


U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. (1986). 26 ecological communities of Florida. http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00000110/00001


Whitney, E. N., Means, D. B., & Rudloe, A. (2004). Priceless Florida: Natural ecosystems and native species. Pineapple Press.

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