British NVC community OV13 (Stellaria media - Capsella bursa-pastoris community) is one of the open habitat

Vegetation of open habitats in the British National Vegetation Classification system

This article gives an overview of the plant communities formed by vegetation of open habitats in the British National Vegetation Classification system.-Introduction:...

 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 eight arable weed and wasteland communities of fertile loams and clays.

It is a widespread community, in which four subcommunities are recognised.

Community composition

The following constant species are found in this community:

• Shepherd's-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
• Fat-hen (Chenopodium album
  Chenopodium album
  Chenopodium album is a fast-growing weedy annual plant in the genus Chenopodium.Though cultivated in some regions, the plant is elsewhere considered a weed...
  
  )
• Knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare
  Polygonum aviculare
  Polygonum aviculare or Common Knotgrass is a plant related to buckwheat and dock. It is also called birdweed, pigweed and lowgrass. It is an annual found in fields and wasteland, with white flowers from June to October....
  
  )
• Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)
• Common chickweed (Stellaria media)

There is one rare species associated with the community:

• Tall ramping-fumitory (Fumaria bastardii
  Fumaria bastardii
  Fumaria bastardii, commonly, tall ramping fumitory or bastard's fumitory, is a many-branched herbaceous plant native the British Isles. There are few plants that are only endemic to Britain. One of the plants on this list is possibly Fumaria bastardii or as it was later named Painter’s Fumitory...
  
  )

Subcommunities

Four subcommunities are recognised:

• the typical subcommunity
• the Matricaria perforata - Poa annua subcommunity
• the Fumaria officinalis - Euphorbia helioscopa subcommunity
• the Urtica dioica - Galium aparane subcommunity

Distribution

This community is widespread throughout lowland Britain. It is commonly found as a weed vegetation among root and vegetable crops, but is also found among cereal crops and on disturbed ground. Because many of the constituent species are tolerant of commonly-used herbicides, it is one of the commonest weed assemblages in intensively farms and market gardens.