Clunton Coppice
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SO341805 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 23.41 | 2011-09-26 |
Habitats
Description
Area, 23.06 ha. 57 ac. Description A remnant of the oak coppice which was formerly abundant in this part of Shropshire. Like most of the broadleaved, semi natural woods remaining in this area, Clunton Coppice is situated on a steep slope and has an acid, comparatively infertile soil. The wood is dominated by sessile oak Quercus petraea, with well scattered birch Betula spp. and, locally, hazel Corylus avellana. Other tree species present are holly Ilex aquifolium and rowan Sorbus aucuparia. The ground flora consists of species which are characteristic of acidic soils, such as wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa, creeping soft grass Holcus mollis, greater wood rush Luzula sylvatica, bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, heather Calluna vulgaris, hard fern Blechnum spicant, common cow wheat Melampyrum pratense and bracken Pteridium aquilinum. A notable species, the oak fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris, which is scarce in Shropshire also occurs. The western mosses Dicranum majus and Rhytidiadelphus loreus are present in some abundance.
Species mentioned
Show the 15 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hard fern | Blechnum spicant | LC | fern | blechnaceae |
| oak fern | Gymnocarpium dryopteris | NT | fern | woodsiaceae |
| bracken | Pteridium aquilinum | LC | fern | dennstaedtiaceae |
| wavy hair grass | Deschampsia flexuosa | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| creeping soft grass | Holcus mollis | LC | grass | poaceae |
| common cowwheat | Melampyrum pratense | VU | herb | orobanchaceae |
| greater fork moss | Dicranum majus | LC | moss | dicranales |
| little shaggy moss | Rhytidiadelphus loreus | LC | moss | hypnales |
| great wood rush | Luzula sylvatica | LC | rush | juncaceae |
| billberry | Vaccinium myrtillus | LC | shrub | ericaceae |
| bell heather or ling | Calluna vulgaris | NT | shrub dwarf | ericaceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| holly | Ilex aquifolium | LC | tree | aquifoliaceae |
| sessile or durmast oak | Quercus petraea | LC | tree | fagaceae |
| rowan | Sorbus aucuparia | LC | tree | rosaceae |
Plant communities
W25 — Bracken scrub
Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub
Show 53 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas