Coombe Valley Woods
Also within
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Carboniferous Limestone, Limestone
Description
Description This complex of woods lies in a narrow steep-sided valley of the Cas Troggy brook on strongly calcareous soils overlying dolomotized Carboniferous Limestone. The ancient semi-natural high forest and old coppice-with-standards contain important examples of calcareous woodland types with a diversity of canopy trees including beech Fagus sylvatica, small-leaved lime Tilia cordata, oak Quercus robur, ash Fraxinus excelsior, field maple Acer campestre and wych elm Ulmus glabra. The many subordinate tree and shrub species include whitebeams Sorbus spp and extensive areas of yew Taxus baccata and hazel Corylus avellana. The rich ground flora has a number of rare and local species including lily of the valley Convallaria majalis, fetid hellebore Helleborus foetidus and birds nest orchid Neottia nidus-avis.
Species mentioned
Show the 11 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lilly of the valley | Convallaria majalis | LC | herb | liliaceae |
| foetid hellebore | Helleborus foetidus | LC | herb | ranunculaceae |
| birdsnest orchid | Neottia nidus-avis | VU | herb | orchidaceae |
| field maple | Acer campestre | LC | tree | aceraceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| beech | Fagus sylvatica | LC | tree | fabiaceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
| common oak | Quercus robur | LC | tree | fagaceae |
| yew | Taxus baccata | LC | tree | taxaceae |
| lime small leaved | Tilia cordata | LC | tree | malvaceae |
| wych elm | Ulmus glabra | LC | tree | ulmaceae |