Burcot Lane Cutting

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.3428, -2.0446

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Also within

Worcestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SO970716 — Favourable 0.38 2009-03-10

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Triassic · Rock Type: Sandstone, Siltstone

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

Description This narrow roadside cutting exposes the lower part of the Bromsgrove Sandstone Formation of Triassic age and its unconformable contact with the underlying Wildmoor Sandstone Formation. The Bromsgrove sandstones are of fluvial origin and consist of planar tabular and trough cross bedded pebbly sandstones which show variations in the direction of current flow. These sedimentary features are consistent with deposition in a meandering river. Two discrete sand bodies can be seen here, separated by a red siltstone. Near the top a calcrete layer has developed, composed of grains oolites and pisolites of various sizes bound together with a calcareous cement. The site shows a regionally significant unconformity and demonstrates a variety of Triassic environments.

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