Riverbar Drawdown Shore (Appalachian-Atlantic)

The Riverbar Drawdown Shore occupies the narrow strip beside a river and is often underwater. This community resembles a lawn, with its thick growth of low plants. Look for teal lovegrass, marsh seedbox, yellowseed false pimpernel, and bearded flatsedge. (There is more than one type of Riverbar Drawdown Shore; this type is found in the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont and the Appalachian Mountains.)

This natural community occurs along major rivers in the Piedmont and mountains of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. 

More About This Natural Community

The Riverbar Drawdown Shore natural community occupies the “drawdown” zone, which is the area along the shore that lies between the high and low waterline of the river during a typical year. It can also be found on the shores of some impounded rivers. It is usually inundated with water during winter and spring, and above water in summer and early fall. But during wet years, it can be underwater nearly all the time.

This narrow community is sometimes only 5 or 6 feet wide. Fertile soils and almost full sunlight lead to a lush growth of low plants. Among the most common plants here are teal lovegrass, marsh seedbox, yellowseed false pimpernel, and bearded flatsedge. Other species may include lowland toothcup, swamp verbena, straw-colored flatsedge, common three-seed-mercury, and spreading sandmat. There may be some tree seedlings of silver maple, river birch, American sycamore, green ash, or black willow, but these typically do not survive long in this setting.

Look for It in These National Parks

  • Appalachian Trail (Central Appalachians)
  • Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
  • George Washington Memorial Parkway
  • Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
  • Monocacy National Battlefield
  • New River Gorge National River 

Conservation Status

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Global Conservation Status: 
G3 – Vulnerable

Classification

Official names reduce confusion by providing a common language for talking about natural communities. Why so many names?

Common Name: 
Riverbar Drawdown Shore (Appalachian-Atlantic)
Scientific Name Translated: 
Teal Lovegrass - Marsh Seedbox - Yellowseed False Pimpernel - Bearded Flatsedge Riverbar Wet Meadow
Classification Code: 
CEGL006483