ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY


 NO. 8 CABBAGE PALM FLATWOODS


OCCURRENCE

The Cabbage Palm Flatwoods ecological community occurs throughout south
Florida and, to a limited extent, in central Florida. The northern limit of
its occurrence is approximately on a line from Levy County on the west to St.
Johns County on the east. Small, isolated areas are found north of this line.
Locally, it most often occurs adjacent to coastal areas, major drainageways,
and lakes. Individual communities are typically interspersed with smaller
communities of wetland types.

DESCRIPTION

This community occurs on nearly level land. Water movement is very gradual to
and through the natural drainageways, swamps, ponds, and marshes associated
with the community. During the rainy season, usually June through September,
the water table is on or near the soil surface.

1. Soil

 Numerous soil types occur within this community. The soils are most often
 nearly- level, poorly to somewhat poorly drained, shallow to deep, and
 coarse textured to fine textured in the subsoil. Some parts of the
 subsoil are calcareous or it is neutral to moderately alkaline. The
 surface and subsurface layers are coarse textured. Representative soils
 include Broward, Ft. Drum, Matmon, and Pinellas. Appendix A contains
 information on correlation of soil series with the appropriate ecological
 community.

2. Vegetation

 Slight differences in plant composition occur depending upon water
 relationships. The slight wetter sites contain a higher percentage of
 grasses and herbaceous plants. Although these differences are recognized,
 they are not significant enough to delineate as separate communities.

 The natural vegetation of this community is typically scattered pine and
 cabbage pine with an understory of palmetto and grasses. There is
 considerable uniformity and openness. It is similar to the South Florida
 Flatwoods community except for a higher percentage of herbaceous plants
 and the presence of cabbage palms. The plants which characterize this
 community are:

 TREES Cabbage palm, Sabal palmetto; Slash pine, Pinus elliottii

 SHRUBS Sawpalmetto, Serenoa repens; Tarflower, Befaria racemosa;
 Waxmyrtle, Myrica cerifera

 HERBACEOUS PLANTS AND VINES Caesar weed, Urena lobata; Creeping
 beggarweed, Desmodium incanum; Deer tongue, Trilisa