Wyedale

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 53.8057, -0.6047

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East Riding of Yorkshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SE919352 — Unfavourable Recovering 12.69 2023-11-14

Habitats

Mixed scrub, Montane scrub

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

Area, 12.5 hectares 30.9 ac Description Wyedale comprises a small chalk dale incised in the western edge of the Yorkshire Wolds. Both the north and south facing slopes remain uncultivated and support a rich flora, being invaded by hawthorn scrub due to lack of grazing. The dale's slopes support large populations of pyramidal Anacamptis pyramidalis common spotted Dactylorhiza fuchsii and twayblade Neottia ovata orchids. Such orchid rich grassland is very unusual on the northern chalk. The floristically rich turf includes many characteristic species including harebell Campanula rotundifolia, crosswort Cruciata laevipes, lady's bedstraw Galium verum, fairy flax Linum catharticum, burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga, hoary plantain Plantago media, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, cowslip Primula veris, selfheal Prunella vulgaris, small scabious Scabiosa columbaria and wild thyme Thymus praecox. Grasses include sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, downy oat grass Avenula pubescens, quaking grass Briza media, crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, red and sheep's fescue Festuca rubra and Festuca ovina and yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens. The valley bottom grasslands in Wyedale, whilst not of intrinsic nature conservation interest in themselves, are included in the SSSI by agreement with the owner for management reasons.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
downy oat grass Avenula pubescens LC grass poaceae
quaking grass Briza media VU grass poaceae
crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus LC grass poaceae
sheep's fescue Festuca ovina LC grass poaceae
red fescue Festuca rubra LC grass poaceae
yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens LC grass poaceae
pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis LC herb orchidaceae
harebell Campanula rotundifolia LC herb campanulaceae
cross-wort Cruciata laevipes LC herb rubiaceae
spotted orchids Dactylorhiza fuchsii LC herb orchidaceae
lady's bedstraw Galium verum LC herb rubiaceae
fairy flax Linum catharticum LC herb linaceae
common twayblade Neottia ovata NT herb orchidaceae
burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga NT herb apiaceae
hoary plantain Plantago media LC herb plantaginaceae
salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba VU herb rosaceae
cowslip Primula veris LC herb primulaceae
selfheal Prunella vulgaris LC herb lamiaceae
small scabious Scabiosa columbaria LC herb caprifoliaceae
creeping thyme Thymus praecox Not listed in GB list herb lamiaceae

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