Briff Lane Meadows

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.4287, -1.2187

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Berkshire County North Wessex Downs Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1) Unfavourable Recovering (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SU543702 — Favourable 7.52 2021-09-02
SU545705 — Unfavourable Recovering 1.35 2022-01-19

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream, Mixed scrub, Montane scrub

Description

Area, 8.69 hectares 21.47 ac Description Briff Lane Meadows largely comprises unimproved species rich neutral to slightly acidic grassland, a nationally rare and declining habitat. Also present are a small stream, hedges, belts of deciduous woodland at field edges and, locally, extensive patches of blackthorn dominated scrub. The predominantly westward facing gentle slopes support soils which are mostly poorly drained, seasonally water logged loams and clays derived from outcrops of Reading Beds and London Clay. In recent years all but one of the six meadows have been cut for hay and then grazed by sheep in the autumn. The whole site has a long history of traditional management, with no application of pesticides or artificial fertilisers and no ploughing or other disturbance of the turf. Grassland plants which occur frequently throughout Briff Lane Meadows include widespread species such as common knapweed Centaurea nigra, tormentil Potentilla erecta, selfheal Prunella vulgaris, red fescue Festuca rubra, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus. Other species are more restricted in distribution across the site, due partly to variation in soil moisture conditions. The driest and most sandy area has a distinctive flora with large populations of devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis, dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria, cowslip Primula veris and heath grass Danthonia decumbens. At present this area is ungrazed, other than by rabbits and is being progressively invaded by blackthorn scrub. Wet land to the south is characterised by abundant meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, greater bird's foot trefoil Lotus pedunculatus and tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, as well as patches of the locally scarce meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum. The remainder of the grassland is transitional, both in terms of soil moisture and botanical composition. It supports other species including meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, sharp-flowered rush Juncus acutiflorus, carnation sedge Carex panicea and pale sedge Carex pallescens. All the grassland at Briff Lane Meadows is considered to be representative of the Danthonia decumbens sub community of the Cynosurus cristatus Centaurea nigra meadow and pasture community. However, some of the sward shows affinity with the Lathyrus pratensis sub community, whilst other areas share characteristics of the Alopecurus pratensis Sanguisorba officinalis flood meadow community. All these vegetation types are now of extremely limited and still declining distribution in Berkshire and in much of England, due to the widespread use of modern intensive farming techniques. The hedges and woodland strips support a wide range of native tree, shrub and ground flora species, including oak, ash, hazel and moschatel Adoxa moschatellina.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis LC grass poaceae
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus LC grass poaceae
heath grass Danthonia decumbens NT grass poaceae
tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa LC grass poaceae
red fescue Festuca rubra LC grass poaceae
Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus LC grass poaceae
moschatel Adoxa moschatellina LC herb adoxaceae
black knapweed Centaurea nigra LC herb asteraceae
meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum EN herb asteraceae
spotted orchids Dactylorhiza fuchsii LC herb orchidaceae
meadow sweet Filipendula ulmaria LC herb rosaceae
dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria LC herb fabaceae
meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis LC herb fabaceae
greater bird's-foot trefoil Lotus pedunculatus LC herb fabaceae
tormentil Potentilla erecta LC herb rosaceae
cowslip Primula veris LC herb primulaceae
selfheal Prunella vulgaris LC herb lamiaceae
yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor DD herb orobanchaceae
great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis LC herb rosaceae
devils-bit scabious Succisa pratensis VU herb caprifoliaceae
sharp-flowered rush Juncus acutiflorus LC rush juncaceae
pale sedge Carex pallescens VU sedge cyperaceae
carnation sedge Carex panicea NT sedge cyperaceae

Plant communities

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus 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

Isolepis 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

Berula 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

Fontinalis 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

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