Napleton Meadow

Also within

Worcestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Triassic

Description

Description Napleton Meadow is located in central Worcestershire immediately south east of the village of Kempsey. It is a former horse paddock which is now managed as a hay meadow. The meadow is in the central undulating plain of the Severn Valley and overlies Mercia Mudstones of the Triassic Period, which give rise to neutral soils. The special interest of the site lies in the diversity of the semi natural mesotrophic neutral grassland characterised by crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra. The vegetation is typical of the meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis subcommunity, with frequent common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, red clover Trifolium pratense, devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis and betony Betonica officinalis. Other characteristic species of neutral grassland include lady’s bedstraw Galium verum, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare and ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi. Locally uncommon species present include an abundance of dropwort Filipendula vulgaris, green winged orchid Anacamptis morio, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus and adder’s tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum. This site supports a colony of common blue butterflies Polyommatus icarus.

Species mentioned