Mills Rocks
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TQ414370 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 1.91 | 2014-02-28 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Sandstone
Description
Area, 2.25 ha. 5.5 ac. Description This site contains one of the few outcrops of Tunbridge Wells Sandstone in the county with a community of 'Atlantic' plants. This community is unusual and contains several plants with a restricted distribution. The rock outcrops support a number of rare plants and particularly notable is reed fescue grass Festuca altissima which has only one other southern English locality and occurs sparsely elsewhere in Britain. The hay scented buckler fern Dryopteris aemula also grows on the rocks and the rich bryophyte flora mosses and liverworts includes Odontoschisma denudatum, Cephalozia connivens and Calypogeia integristipula. Woodland around and on the plateau top, is very variable. Pedunculate oak Quercus robur, beech Fagus sylvatica, holly Ilex aquifolium, birch Betula pendula and hazel Corylus avellana are all present above bracken and bramble.
Species mentioned
Show the 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hay-scented fern | Dryopteris aemula | LC | fern | dryopteridaceae |
| wood fescue | Festuca altissima | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| forcipated pincerwort | Cephalozia connivens | LC | liverwort | jungermanniales |
| matchstick flapwort | Odontoschisma denudatum | LC | liverwort | jungermanniales |
| Calypogeia integristipula | LC | moss | calypogeiaceae | |
| birch | Betula pendula | LC | tree | betulaceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| beech | Fagus sylvatica | LC | tree | fabiaceae |
| holly | Ilex aquifolium | LC | tree | aquifoliaceae |
| common oak | Quercus robur | LC | tree | fagaceae |
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