Stock Wood Meadows

Also within

Worcestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Jurassic

Description

Description Stock Wood Meadows are located in the east of the central Worcestershire plain, one and a half kilometres north west of the village of Inkberrow. The two meadows are maintained as traditional hay meadows, with aftermath grazing. A stream runs through part of the site and there is a pond in the not east corner. The neutral soils are poorly drained, derived from the underlying Lower Lias clays of the Jurassic Period. The special interest of the site lies in the diversity of the damp semi natural mesotrophic neutral grassland sward, characterised by crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra. The vegetation is typical of the lady’s bedstraw Galium verum sub community. Grasses include meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, downy oat grass Avenula pubescens, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and tall fescue Schedonorus arundinaceus. Herb species which occur throughout the sward are common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, cowslip Primula veris, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba and rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus. Wetter areas also support ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi and meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria. Locally uncommon species found are green winged orchid Anacamptis morio and adder’s tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum. An unusual feature is the presence of early purple orchid Orchis mascula, a species more characteristic of woodlands. The meadows are bounded by species rich hedges to the north and east, with guelder rose Viburnum opulus, hazel Corylus avellana, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, dogwood Cornus sanguinea, field maple Acer campestre, spindle Euonymus europaeus, pedunculateoak Quercus robur and elder Sambucus nigra.

Species mentioned

Plant communities