Lang's Farm
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST170241 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 7.85 | 2012-07-05 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Triassic
Landscape processes: Fluvial
Description
Description This site is an example of unimproved, herb rich neutral grassland of a type now rare in Britain. It consists of a series of hay meadows which occupy a position on the narrow flood plain of a tributary of the River Tone and on land which rises gently to the west. The soils on the flood plain are alluvial clays and those on the slope are brown earths; the underlying rocks are Triassic Keuper Marls. The sward is mostly of the crested dog's tail common knapweed Cynosurus cristatus Centaurea nigra type. It consists of a wide variety of grasses including quaking grass Briza media, meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, hybrid fescue Festulolium loliaceum and crested dog's tail together with an abundance of herbs such as pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, pignut Conopodium majus, common knapweed and corky fruited water dropwort Oenanthe pimpinelloides which is a nationally scarce species. Also present are green winged orchid Anacamptis morio, cowslip Primula veris, meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum, saw wort Serratula tinctoria, devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis, betony Betonica officinalis and yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor.
Species mentioned
Show the 17 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus 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
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis 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
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula 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
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis 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