The salt-marsh communities of the NVC were described in Volume 5 of
British Plant Communities, first published in 2000, along with the other maritime communities (those of
shingle strandline and sand-dunes and
maritime cliffs) and
vegetation of open habitats. In total, 28 salt-marsh communities have been identified. The salt-marsh communities consist of four separate subgroups: • three eel-grass and tassel-weed communities of tidal flats, pools and ditches (
SM1,
SM2 and
SM3) • thirteen communities of the lower salt-marsh (
SM4,
SM5,
SM6,
SM7,
SM8,
SM9,
SM10,
SM11,
SM12,
SM13,
SM14,
SM15 and
SM26) • nine communities of the middle salt-marsh (
SM16,
SM17,
SM18,
SM19,
SM20,
SM21,
SM22,
SM23 and
SM27) • three communities of the upper salt-marsh (
SM24,
SM25 and
SM28)
Other communities occurring on salt-marshes There are a number of other communities which occur on salt-marshes, but are not classified as salt-marsh communities within the NVC. Those listed in
British Plant Communities are as follows: ==List of salt-marsh communities==