Dungee Corner Meadow

Also within

Northamptonshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Glacial Till

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Description A traditionally managed hay meadow on well drained calcareous boulder clay where the hay is cut late and the aftermath grazed until the autumn. No artificial fertiliser or herbicide has been used so the sward retains a diverse array of grasses and herbs. The grassland is a rich but somewhat atypical example of the crested dog’s tail common knapweed lady’s bedstraw sub community, unusual for the presence of tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum and upright brome Bromus erectus. In this respect the site is similar to Sudborough Green Lodge Meadows SSSI. Calcareous clay swards consist of a balanced mixture of many of the more common and widespread species of agricultural grasslands. Prior to the farming innovations of the last forty years they were among the most typical and widespread of the grazed lowland hay meadows but are now very scarce and restricted to a very few sites in Northamptonshire. The upright brome variant, as represented here, is of extremely limited distribution and has particular value for the study of ecological relationships between British grasslands. The sward is composed of many grass species over 20 are recorded and the more abundant include, sweet vernal Anthoxanthum odoratum, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina, red fescue F. rubra, quaking grass Briza media and crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus. Characteristic herbs with a high cover are, bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus, common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, field wood rush Luzula campestris and red clover Trifolium pratense. There are differences in the composition of the grassland reflecting past management and the least disturbed area has a strong population of green winged orchid Anacamptis morio a county rarity.

Species mentioned