Monkwood Green

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.2411, -2.2966

Also within

Worcestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (5)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SO798603 Favourable 7.82 2010-07-26
SO799604 Favourable 7.82 2010-07-26
SO800601 Favourable 7.82 2010-07-26
SO800602 Favourable 7.82 2010-07-26
SO802601 Favourable 7.82 2010-07-26

Description

Area, 7.5 ha. 18.5 ac. Description Monkwood Green is an area of permanent rough pasture lying on heavy clay loam soils to the north west of Worcester. The site has been selected as a damp, acidic species rich grassland of a kind which has become scarce in Worcestershire. Much of the grassland is slightly acidic and dominated by tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, creeping bent Agrostis stolonifera and fescues Festuca spp. These grasses are associated with herbs such as bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, grass vetchling Lathyrus nissolia, lady’ s bedstraw Galium verum and dyer’s greenweed Genista tinctoria. Some areas of more neutral grassland are also present, with species such as crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and timothy Phleum pratense. The western part of the site is damper than the east, with a greater predominance of tufted hair grass and rushes Juncus spp. There are a number of active ant hills, particularly in the drier grassland, which support herbs such as wild thyme Thymus praecox and devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis. The site contains a few small areas of dense scrub dominated by western gorse Ulex gallii, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. and dog rose Rosa canina. Of special importance is the presence of petty whin Genista anglica, which is more usually found on heaths and moors. This plant, known from only one other site in Worcestershire, here supports an uncommon moth Coleophora genistae. The conservation value of the Green is further enhanced by the presence of a pond and a small number of trees including pollarded crack willow Salix fragilis and black poplar Populus nigra which is uncommon in the county.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
creeping bent Agrostis stolonifera LC grass poaceae
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus LC grass poaceae
tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa LC grass poaceae
Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus LC grass poaceae
timothy Phleum pratense LC grass poaceae
lady's bedstraw Galium verum LC herb rubiaceae
petty whin Genista anglica EN herb fabaceae
dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria LC herb fabaceae
grass vetchling Lathyrus nissolia LC herb fabaceae
birdsfoot trefoil Lotus corniculatus LC herb fabaceae
dog-rose Rosa canina LC herb rosaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. Not listed in GB list herb rosaceae
devils-bit scabious Succisa pratensis VU herb caprifoliaceae
creeping thyme Thymus praecox Not listed in GB list herb lamiaceae
no common name Coleophora genistae Not listed in GB list moth coleophoridae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
western gorse Ulex gallii LC shrub leguminosae
black poplar Populus nigra LC tree salicaceae
crack willow Salix fragilis Not listed in GB list tree shrub salicaceae

Plant communities

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas