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These wetland communities are dominated by a wide assortment of herbaceous plant species growing on sand, clay, marl, and organic soils in areas of variable water depths and inundation regimes. Generally, freshwater marshes occur in deeper, more strongly inundated situations and are characterized by tall emergents, and floating leafed species.
Freshwater marshes occur within depressions, along broad, shallow lake and river shorelines, and are scattered in open areas within hardwood and cypress swamps. Also, other portions of freshwater lakes, rivers, and canals which are dominated by floating-leaved plants such as lotus, spatterdock, duck weed, and water hyancinths are included in this category.
Wet prairies commonly occur in shallow, periodically inundated areas and are usually dominated by aquatic grasses, sedges, and their associates. Wet prairies occur as scattered, shallow depressions within dry prairie areas and on marl prairie areas in south Florida. Also included in this category are areas in Southwest Florida with scattered dwarf cypress having less than 20 percent canopy coverage, and a dense groundcover of freshwater marsh plants.
Marshes and wet prairies are dominated by various combinations of pickerel weed, sawgrass, maidencane, arrowhead, fire flag, cattail, spike rush, bulrush, white water lily, water shield, and various sedges. Many marsh or wet prairie types, such as sawgrass marsh or maidencane prairie, have been described and so-named based on their dominant plant species.
Prepared by: Terry Gilbert, Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission, Office of Environmental Services.
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Last Update - 9/7/99