Skelmorlie Glen

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 55.8542, -4.8689

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Also within

Ayrshire and Arran County

Condition (NatureScot)

Unfavourable Declining (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
F1 Upland mixed ash woodland Unfavourable Declining — 2009-09-14

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Description

Skelmorlie Glen Skelmorlie Glen, lying around 1km south east of the town of Skelmorlie, is one of the best examples of semi-natural woodland in North Ayrshire. It is a botanically-rich mixed deciduous valley woodland, the stream sides and lower slopes of which are dominated by alder, but in the higher areas ash/elm and eventually oak/birch assume dominance. The understorey is predominantly of hazel but bird cherry, rowan and regenerating canopy species are locally abundant. The ground flora is diverse and indicative of undisturbed woodland cover. Higher plants present include woodruff (Galium odoratum), sanicle (Sanicula europaea), dog's mercury (Mercurialis perennis) and wood melick (Melica uniflora), as well as less common species such as alternate leaved golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium alternifolium), smooth-stalked sedge (Carex laevigata), giant bellflower (Campanula latifolia) and wood stitchwort (Stellaria nemorum).

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
wood melick Melica uniflora NT grass poaceae
giant bellflower Campanula latifolia VU herb campanulaceae
alternate leaved golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium alternifolium LC herb saxifragaceae
woodruff Galium odoratum LC herb rubiaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
sanicle Sanicula europaea LC herb apiaceae
wood stitchwort Stellaria nemorum LC herb carophyllacaea
smooth stalked sedge Carex laevigata LC sedge cyperaceae

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