Coalville Meadows

Also within

Leicestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Triassic

Description

Area,6.2 ha15.3 ac Description The site comprises one of the best examples of neutral grassland developed on somewhat leached clay soils in Leicestershire and is representative of such grassland swards in Central and Eastern England. Biology Coalville Meadows have developed on soils derived from the clays of the Triassic Keuper Marl. The grassland is generally rather poorly drained being dominated by tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, red fescue Festuca rubra and great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis. Although there is some variation, the herb flora is essentially typical of relatively base poor clay soils being characterised by plants such as pignut Conopodium majus, betony Betonica officinalis, heath bedstraw Galium saxatile, tormentil Potentilla erecta, devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis and mat grass Nardus stricta. Nevertheless the grassland is essentially neutral in character and includes such typical meadow species as saw wort Serratula tinctoria, meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum, knapweed Centaurea nigra and lady's smock Cardamine pratensis.

Species mentioned