Burcombe Down
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SU065296 | — | Favourable | 45.58 | 2010-06-07 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Description Burcombe Down supports botanically rich, grazed, chalk grassland on a north facing scarp slope of the Middle Chalk and on the sides of a dry valley running south west to north east. Nationally restricted plant species are present in the turf. A flat topped spur separating the two areas supports a different grassland community with a higher nutrient status. The site supports a large number of chalk grassland plant species. Both sheep's fescue Festuca ovina and red fescue Festuca rubra are common in the sward and crested hair grass Koeleria macrantha, meadow oat grass Avenula pratensis, upright brome Bromus erectus and quaking grass Briza media are widespread. The glaucous sedge Carex flacca and spring sedge Carex caryophyllea also frequently occur but herbs make up a high proportion of the turf. The commoner species include salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, cowslip Primula veris, clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata, squinancywort Asperula cynanchica, horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa and common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium. Also present are devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis, chalk milkwort Polygala calcarea and saw wort Serratula tinctoria, these being particularly characteristic of the chalk of south west Wiltshire. Several orchids have been recorded, including fragrant orchid Gymnadenia conopsea, frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis and the rarer musk orchid Herminium monorchis. The nationally rare dwarf sedge Carex humilis, field fleawort Senecio integrifolius and bastard toadflax Thesium humifusum also occur. The spur between the two main downland areas supports a more nutrient rich sward. Here red fescue predominates with herb species such as burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga, red clover Trifolium pratense and bird's foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus. Herbs more typical of chalk grassland, such as harebell Campanula rotundifolia and dropwort Filipendula vulgaris also occur occasionally. The grassland supports a good range of annual and biennial plants which prefer more open turf. These include carline thistle Carlina vulgaris, eyebright Euphrasia nemorosa, autumn gentian Gentianella amarella, fairy flax Linum catharticum and hound's tongue Cynoglossum officinale. Other species associated with lighter grazing include marjoram Origanum vulgare, wild basil Clinopodium vulgare, common valerian Valeriana officinalis, perforate St. John's wort Hypericum perforatum and yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor. Species rich scrub has developed on parts of the slope. This includes the shrubs hawthorn, spindle, buckthorn, wayfaring tree, privet and, as young trees, whitebeam, ash and holly. Of particular note are the scattered individuals of juniper Juniperus communis, a declining species which, in southern England, is almost entirely restricted to chalk downland. Patches of gorse also occur at the tops of the slopes. Anthills, constructed by the yellow meadow ant Lasius flavus, are conspicuous towards the bottom of certain slopes and support typical plants such as wild thyme Thymus praecox and common rock rose.
Species mentioned
Show the 41 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix 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
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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