Phoenix United Mine

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.5249, -4.4479

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Also within

Cornwall County Cornwall Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SX265723 — Unfavourable Recovering 24.23 2018-03-26
SX267720 — Unfavourable Recovering 5.65 2018-03-26

Habitats

Bracken scrub, Fast flowing river and stream, Mixed scrub, Montane scrub

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Mine Spoil · Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Granite, Sandstone, Shale, Siltstone

Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous

Description

Phoenix United Mine SSSI Description Phoenix United Mine is of special interest for its nationally and internationally important populations of mosses and liverworts, including the only known population of Cornish path moss * Ditrichum cornubicum in the world, three nationally rare liverwort species, one nationally scarce liverwort species, two nationally scarce moss species together with several other notable liverwort species. No other mine site in Cornwall exhibits such high bryological interest as Phoenix United Mine. Phoenix United Mine is located near Minions on the south eastern edge of Bodmin Moor, approximately seven kilometres north of Liskeard. The site lies at an altitude of 280 metres and drains north eastwards via a small tributary of the River Lynher. The site is situated within the metamorphic aureole surrounding the Bodmin Moor granite. Granite and granitic head with boulders occur on the western edge of the site, although most of the site is underlain by interbedded sandstone, siltstone and shale of the Brendon formation of Lower Carboniferous age. Mine waste and made ground cover much of the central part of the site. The soils reflect this complex geology, with well-drained gritty loamy soils of the Moretonhampstead and Hexworthy Series overlying the granite with head, and brown earths of the Denbigh Series occurring over the Carboniferous strata. Rich metalliferous veins characterise this part of the metamorphic aureole, which was mined primarily for its rich tin and copper lodes in the 19th century. Evidence of this past mining activity is apparent in the disused mine buildings, engine house and associated mine spoil. The ecology of the site is strongly influenced by the presence of heavy metals in the mine waste and soils which have severely restricted the growth of vascular plants, favouring colonisation by bryophytes and lichens. Derelict mine buildings and old granite walls also provide an important substrate for lower plants, including calcicolous species which are restricted in the mortar. The site is of particular importance for its rare moss and liverwort populations, most notably as the only known extant site in the world for Cornish path moss. This is a pioneer species of bare or sparsely vegetated peaty soils within the areas of mine spoil. The continued survival of this rare and vulnerable species depends on the retention of these bare soil habitats. The site also supports three nationally rare liverwort species, ** Cephaloziella nicholsonii, ** C. integerrima and ** C. massalongi which are restricted to copper bearing substrates at a few localities mainly in Cornwall. These species occur here on the banks of the metal rich stream which flows through the site. C. nicholsonii does not occur outside of Britain. The lower plant interest is further enhanced by the presence of three nationally scarce species, the mosses Gymnostomum viridulum and G. calcareum and the liverwort Cephaloziella stellulifera. Additional bryological interest is provided by the occurrence of three liverwort species which have northern and/or western distributions and are very rare in southern England, Lophozia sudetica, Gymnomitrion obtusum and Marsupella funckii. Other habitats present on the site include dry acidic heath dominated by heather Calluna vulgaris and European gorse Ulex europaeus, occurring on the more vegetated mine waste. Granite clitter slopes to the north east with dense bracken Pteridium aquilinum stands merging into scrub woodland composed of pedunculate oak Quercus robur, pendulous birch Betula pendula and holly Ilex aquifolium. The oak supports rich moss and lichen communities including Usnea articulata. Open water habitats include small pools and derelict mine leats in addition to the fast-flowing stream rich in dissolved metals. Disused mine adits at the northern boundary of the site provide a winter roost site for the greater horseshoe bat *** Rhinolophus ferrumequinum. The site also provides feeding habitats for bat species.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LC bat vespertillonidae
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
lichen Usnea articulata NT lichen parmeliaceae
greater copperwort Cephaloziella nicholsonii VU liverwort jungermanniales
red heath threadwort Cephaloziella stellulifera NT liverwort jungermanniales
hill notchwort Lophozia sudetica Not listed in GB list liverwort jungermanniales
Cornish path-moss Ditrichum cornubicum EN moss dicranales
Luisier's tufa moss Gymnostomum viridulum LC moss pottiales
gorse Ulex europaeus LC shrub leguminosae
bell heather or ling Calluna vulgaris NT shrub dwarf ericaceae
birch Betula pendula LC tree betulaceae
holly Ilex aquifolium LC tree aquifoliaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae

Plant communities

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus 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

Isolepis 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

Berula 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

Fontinalis 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

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Hedera 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

Hedera 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

W25 — Bracken scrub

Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas