British NVC community H7
Encyclopedia
NVC community H7 is one of the heath
communities in the British National Vegetation Classification
system. It is one of two communities categorised as maritime heaths.
It is a fairly widespread coastal community. There are five subcommunities.
The following rare species are associated with the community:
, western Wales
, Devon
and Cornwall
.
Heaths in the British National Vegetation Classification system
This article gives an overview of the heath communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system.-Introduction:The heath communities of the NVC were described, along with the mire communities, in Volume 2 of British Plant Communities, first published in 1991.In total, 22 heath...
communities in the British National Vegetation Classification
British National Vegetation Classification
The British National Vegetation Classification or NVC is a system of classifying natural habitat types in Great Britain according to the vegetation they contain....
system. It is one of two communities categorised as maritime heaths.
It is a fairly widespread coastal community. There are five subcommunities.
Community composition
The following eleven constant species are found in this community:- HeatherCallunaCalluna vulgaris is the sole species in the genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing perennial shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on acidic soils in open sunny situations and in moderate shade...
(Calluna vulgaris) - Bell Heather (Erica cinerea)
- Sheep's FescueSheep's FescueSheep's Fescue or Sheep Fescue is a species of grass.-General Description:It is a perennial plant sometimes found in acidic ground, for example in the Portlethen Moss, Scotland and mountain pasture, throughout Europe and eastwards across much of Asia; it has also been introduced to North...
(Festuca ovina) - Yorkshire-fog (Holcus lanatus)
- Common Cat's-ear (Hypochaeris radicata)
- Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
- Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
- Sea Plantain (Plantago maritima)
- TormentilTormentilCommon Tormentil is a herbaceous perennial belonging to the rose family , also known as Septfoil or simply as "tormentil" .-Characteristics:It is a low, clumb-forming plant with slender, procumbent...
(Potentilla erecta) - Spring Squill (Scilla verna)
- Wild ThymeWild thymeThymus serpyllum, known by the common names of Breckland Thyme, Wild Thyme or Creeping Thyme is a species of thyme native to most of Europe and North Africa. It is a low, usually prostrate subshrub growing to 2 cm tall with creeping stems up to 10 cm long, with oval evergreen leaves...
(Thymus praecox)
The following rare species are associated with the community:
- ChivesChivesChives are the smallest species of the edible onions. A perennial plant, they are native to Europe, Asia and North America.. Allium schoenoprasum is the only species of Allium native to both the New and the Old World....
(Allium schoenoprasum) - Purple Milk-vetch (Astragalus danicus)
- Cornish HeathCornish heathThe Cornish heath is a species of heath that bears pink flowers and mid-green foliage. This is a shrub, reaching 0.75 m by 0.75 m. Its English name comes from the fact that, in Great Britain, it is only found on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall, where the unusual geology gives rise to the alkaline...
(Erica vagans) - Portland Spurge (Euphorbia portlandica)
- Hairy Greenweed (Genista pilosa)
- Fringed Rupturewort (Herniaria ciliolata)
- Land Quillwort (Isoetes histrix)
- Spring Sandwort (Minuartia verna)
- Scottish Primrose (Primula scotica)
- Autumn Squill (Scilla autumnalis)
- Spring Squill (Scilla verna)
- Autumn Ladies'-tressesAutumn Ladies'-tressesSpiranthes spiralis, commonly known as Autumn Lady's-tresses, is the latest-blooming native species of orchid, blooming in August and September. It is characterised by a spiral inflorescence produced after the leaves have died down. The inflorescence can be very small especially in short grazed...
(Spiranthes spiralis) - Twin-headed Clover (Trifolium bocconei)
- Western Clover (Trifolium occidentale)
Distribution
This community is found all around the coasts of ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, western Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
Subcommunities
There are five subcommunities:- the Armeria maritima subcommunity
- the Viola riviniana subcommunity
- the Erica tetralix subcommunity
- the Empetrum nigrum ssp. nigrum subcommunity
- the Calluna vulgaris subcommunity