Woodeaton Wood

Also within

Oxfordshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Coppiced woodland

Description

Area, 14.1 hectares 34.9 ac Description Woodeaton Wood is an intact relic of the ancient Shotover Forest. It is noted for the occurrence of several locally uncommon plant species. The site, which lies on a gentle west facing slope, is an example of coppice with standards woodland typical of the calcareous soils prevailing in areas where the sandy Corallian beds lie against the poorly drained Oxford Clay. The coppice consists of ash, hazel and field maple with standards of oak and, locally, ash. Other trees include aspen, wild cherry and goat willow, together with some introduced hybrid poplars and Norway spruce. The diverse shrub layer includes calcicoles such as spindle, wayfaring tree and traveller's joy. The field layer contains wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, nettle leaved bellflower Campanula trachelium, early purple orchid Orchis mascula, ramsons Allium ursinum, goldilocks buttercup Ranunculus auricomus, sanicle Sanicula europaea, sweet violet Viola odorata and early wood violet Viola reichenbachiana among carpets of dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis and enchanter's nightshade Circaea lutetiana. Woodeaton Wood supports some plants which are very uncommon in Oxfordshire, including water avens Geum rivale, the hybrid between water avens and wood avens Geum x intermedia, meadow saffron Colchicum autumnale, stinking iris Iris foetidissima, wild daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus, herb paris Paris quadrifolia and greater wood rush Luzula sylvatica.

Species mentioned