Showground Meadow, Callow Hill
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SO738739 | — | Favourable | 0.8 | 2012-06-20 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Carboniferous
Description
Description Showground Meadow, Callow Hill is situated in north Worcestershire, within a dispersed area of small holding settlements to the south of the Wyre Forest. The site overlies the Upper Carboniferous Coal Measures which give rise to neutral to acidic soils. The meadow forms the northern slope of a larger field unit which is used for various recreational activities. The special interest of the site is the vegetation which demonstrates a transition between the heath grass Danthonia decumbens sub community of the mesotrophic neutral grassland type characterised by common knapweed Centaurea nigra and crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and the acidic sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina – common bent Agrostis capillaris – heath bedstraw Galium saxatile grassland type. The base of the slope is more characteristic of neutral grassland, merging into free draining acidic grassland at the top. Sites supporting this transition have become increasingly rare and Showground Meadow is one of the most representative examples of this transitional grassland type in Worcestershire. The most frequent grass species are common bent Agrostis capillaris, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, red fescue Festuca rubra and yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens, with heath grass also present. Herbs found in the sward include yarrow Achillea millefolium, tufted vetch Vicia cracca, common knapweed, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, mouse ear hawkweed Pilosella officinarum, meadow buttercup Ranunculus acris, common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus and cat’s ear Hypochaeris radicata. Indicators of acidic grassland include species such as squirrel tail fescue Vulpia bromoides, wild thyme Thymus praecox, wood sage Teucrium scorodonia and heath speedwell Veronica officinalis. The abundance in this open site of bitter vetch Lathyrus montanus, more usually associated with woodlands, suggests an ancient association with the nearby Wyre Forest. A notable feature of the sward is the abundance of the locally uncommon dyer’s greenweed Genista tinctoria. The meadow is only physically bounded on one side, to the north, where a species rich hedge occurs with Crataegus monogyna, hazel Corylus avellana and holly Ilex aquifolium.
Species mentioned
Show the 25 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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
W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub
Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Show 40 indicator speciesHedera helix, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Achillea millefolium, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Campanula rotundifolia, Jasione montana, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Pteridium aquilinum