Editing Northeastern coastal forests (section)

==Flora==
[[Oak]] forests dominate this ecoregion. American chestnut (''[[Castanea dentata]]'') was formerly important, but its population was devastated by the [[chestnut blight]] early in the 20th century.

===Dry-mesic oak forests===
[[Northeastern interior dry-mesic oak forest]]s are found throughout this ecoregion. They cover large areas at low and middle elevations, typically on flat to gently rolling terrain. Red oak (''[[Quercus rubra]]''), white oak (''[[Quercus alba]]''), and black oak (''[[Quercus velutina]]'') are common oaks in this habitat. Other trees include hickories (''[[Carya]]'' spp.), red maple (''[[Acer rubrum]]''), sugar maple (''[[Acer saccharum]]''), white ash (''[[Fraxinus americana]]''), tulip tree (''[[Liriodendron tulipifera]]''), American beech (''[[Fagus grandifolia]]''), black cherry (''[[Prunus serotina]]''), black birch (''[[Betula lenta]]''), black tupelo (''[[Nyssa sylvatica]]''), and American elm (''[[Ulmus americana]]''). Flowering dogwood (''[[Cornus florida]]'') is a common understory tree.<ref name = "PlantsNewJersey">{{cite book
  |last1 = Collins
  |first1 = B. R.
  |last2 = Anderson
  |first2 = K. H.
  |title = Plant Communities of New Jersey: A Study in Landscape Diversity
  |publisher = [[Rutgers University Press]]
  |year = 1994
  |isbn = 978-0-8135-2071-1
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchSystemUid=ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.723014 |title = Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest |publisher = NatureServe Explorer |accessdate= 7 October 2012}}</ref>

Common shrubs are maple-leaved viburnum (''[[viburnum acerifolium]]''), spicebush (''[[Lindera benzoin]]''), and witch hazel (''[[Hamamelis virginiana]]''). In sandier or more acidic soils are mountain laurel (''[[Kalmia latifolia]]''), blueberry (''[[Vaccinium pallidum]]''), huckleberry (''[[Gaylussacia baccata]]''), and swamp azalea (''[[Rhododendron viscosum]]'').<ref name = "PlantsNewJersey"/>

Mayapple (''[[Podophyllum peltatum]]'') is a common herbaceous plant.<ref name = "PlantsNewJersey"/>

===Hemlock-northern hardwood forests===
[[Appalachian hemlock–northern hardwood forest|Hemlock-northern hardwood forest]]s occur in deep coves, moist flats, and ravines. They include sugar maple, yellow birch (''[[Betula alleghaniensis]]''), and beech. These trees often form a deciduous canopy, but are sometimes mixed with hemlock (''[[Tsuga canadensis]]'') or white pine (''[[Pinus strobus]]''). Other common trees include oaks (most commonly red oak), tuliptree, black cherry, and sweet birch. In the Northeast, red spruce (''[[Picea rubens]]'') can be a minor canopy associate. Hophornbeam (''[[Ostrya virginiana]]'') is frequent but not dominant.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchSystemUid=ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.723013 |title = Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest |publisher = NatureServe Explorer |accessdate= 7 October 2012}}</ref>

===Dry oak-pine forests===
[[Central Appalachian dry oak-pine forest]]s occur on dry sites with loamy to sandy soils. A mix of oak and pine tree species dominate the [[canopy (biology)|canopy]], typically chestnut oak (''[[Quercus prinus]]''), Virginia pine (''[[Pinus virginiana]]''), and white pine (''[[Pinus strobus]]''), but sometimes white oak (''[[Quercus alba]]'') or scarlet oak (''[[Quercus coccinea]]''). Varying amounts of oaks and pines result in oak forests, mixed oak-pine forests, or small pine forests. Shrubs such as hillside blueberry (''[[Vaccinium pallidum]]''), black huckleberry (''[[Gaylussacia baccata]]''), and mountain laurel (''[[Kalmia latifolia]]'') are common in the understory and can form a dense layer.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchSystemUid=ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.723015 |title = Central Appalachian Dry Oak-Pine Forest |publisher = NatureServe Explorer |accessdate= 3 November 2012}}</ref>

===Pine-oak rocky woodlands===
[[Central Appalachian pine-oak rocky woodland]]s occur on lower-elevation hilltops, [[outcrop]]s, and rocky slopes and have a patchy or open aspect. Pitch pine (''[[Pinus rigida]]'') and Virginia pine (''[[Pinus virginiana]]'') are common within their respective ranges. These pines are often mixed with dry-site [[oak]]s such as chestnut oak (''[[Quercus prinus]]''), bear oak (''[[Quercus ilicifolia]]''), northern red oak (''[[Quercus rubra]]''), and scarlet oak (''[[Quercus coccinea]]'').  Sprouts of chestnut (''[[Castanea dentata]]'') can also be found. In the northeast, eastern red-cedar (''[[Juniperus virginiana]]'') or hophornbeam (''[[Ostrya virginiana]]'') are sometimes important. In the understory, some areas have a fairly well-developed [[heath]] [[shrub layer]], others a [[graminoid]] layer, the latter particularly common under deciduous trees such as oaks.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchSystemUid=ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.723009 |title = Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland |publisher = NatureServe Explorer |accessdate= 4 November 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Harriman state park.jpg|thumb|center|600px|[[Harriman State Park (New York)|Harriman State Park]] in [[New York (state)|New York]].]]

===Successional plant communities===
These occur in formerly cleared land, such as old farms, that have been abandoned. Eastern red cedar (''[[Juniperus virginiana]]'') are some of the first trees to occupy these lands.<ref name = "PlantsNewJersey"/>

===Freshwater wetlands===
Marshes occur where standing water is present for most of the year. Common reed (''[[Phragmites australis]]'') and cattails (''[[Typha]]'' spp.) are often abundant.<ref name = "PlantsNewJersey"/>

Swamps and floodplains occur where standing water is present for only some parts of the year. Red maple is a common tree, and can be found with swamp tupelo, white ash, American elm, pin oak (''[[Quercus palustris]]''), swamp white oak (''[[Quercus bicolor]]''), and silver maple (''[[Acer saccharinum]]''). Spicebush is a common shrub. Skunk cabbage (''[[Symplocarpus foetidus]]'') is found here.<ref name = "PlantsNewJersey"/>