Hardington Moor

Also within

Somerset County

Condition (Natural England)

Description

Description This site is an example of agriculturally unimproved, species rich, neutral grassland of a type which has been reduced significantly in extent in the recent past and is now rare in Britain including Somerset. The site is located on a south facing slope on neutral or slightly calcareous clay soils derived from the underlying Fullers Earth and Forest Marble strata. The sward is dominated by grasses which include crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, quaking grass Briza media and yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens. A special feature is the abundance of the French oat grass Gaudinia fragilis which is present as a major constituent of the sward at only four sites in Britain. There are a large number of herb species present including abundant common knapweed Centaurea nigra, cowslip Primula veris, green winged orchid Anacamptis morio, betony Betonica officinalis, dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria, devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, saw wort Serratula tinctoria and lady's bedstraw Galium verum. The nationally scarce corky fruited water dropwort Oenanthe pimpinelloides also occurs. Other species of note include greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha, bee orchid Ophrys apifera, pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis and adder's tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum.

Species mentioned