Bream Wood
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TQ523328 | — | Favourable | 7.78 | 2016-08-31 |
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Sandstone
Landscape processes: Karst
Description
Area, 7.6 ha. 18.78 ac. approx. Description Bream Wood is a typical example of a wealden ghyll woodland. The valley alder carr supports a rich 'Atlantic' flora including several locally rare ferns and mosses. The ghyll has been formed by a stream down cutting through the Lower Tunbridge Wells sandstone into the underlying Wadhurst clay. Alder Alnus glutinosa carr occupies the deep central valley and is characterised by small pools with abundant wood club rush Scirpus sylvaticus and sedges Carex species. Ash Fraxinus excelsior is more frequent in drier places with a ground flora which includes opposite leaved golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium. On steeper slopes ash is replaced by birch Betula pendula over a bracken Pteridium aquilinum dominated ground flora. Willows Salix species are locally frequent. The sheltered valley has a moist, mild microclimate which favours a number of ferns and mosses more commonly found in the west of Britain. Acid springs rising at the base of the sandstone produce rich flushed areas where the rare moss Dicranodontium denudatum is found at one of only two localities in the south east of England. Other uncommon species include royal fern Osmunda regalis, mountain fern Oreopteris limbosperma, hay scented buckler fern Dryopteris aemula and the mosses Chionoloma tenuirostre and Dicranodontium longirostre. The upper drier slopes carry ancient woodland dominated by oak Quercus robur and ash with an understorey of hazel Corylus avellana. Holly Ilex aquifolium is also present and the ground flora is dominated by bramble Rubus fruticosus. Small areas of conifer plantations are present on the eastern side of the valley. A small pond in the extreme south of the site supports a variety of species including rushes Juncus species and yellow iris Iris pseudacorus.
Species mentioned
Show the 16 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 |
| lemon-scented fern | Oreopteris limbosperma | LC | fern | thelypteridaceae |
| royal fern | Osmunda regalis | LC | fern | osmundaceae |
| bracken | Pteridium aquilinum | LC | fern | dennstaedtiaceae |
| opposite-leaved golden- saxifrage | Chrysosplenium oppositifolium | LC | herb | saxifragaceae |
| yellow iris or flag | Iris pseudacorus | LC | herb | iridaceae |
| bramble | Rubus fruticosus | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| Chionoloma tenuirostre | LC | moss | pottiaceae | |
| beaked bow moss | Dicranodontium denudatum | LC | moss | dicranales |
| wood club rush | Scirpus sylvaticus | LC | sedge | cyperaceae |
| alder | Alnus glutinosa | LC | tree | salicaceae |
| birch | Betula pendula | LC | tree | betulaceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
| holly | Ilex aquifolium | LC | tree | aquifoliaceae |
| common oak | Quercus robur | LC | tree | fagaceae |
Plant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa
A14 — Fast flowing river and stream
Myriophyllum alterniflorum community
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina
A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans
A18 — Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus fluitans community
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea
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