Eithinog
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Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Precambrian
Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous
Description
Description Eithinog is of special interest for the presence of a Red Data List fairy club fungus Ramariopsis crocea at its only location in Wales and for its diverse assemblage of grassland fungi, including 21 species of pinkgill Entoloma spp., making it one of the best sites in Wales for this group, and 10 species of fairy club Clavaria spp., together with species of waxcap Hygrocybe and earthtongue Geoglossum. The site comprises an area of undulating small fields and hedgerows on the top and northerly slopes of the Penrhosgarnedd ridge immediately to the west of Bangor. The soil is brown earth, neutral to moderately acidic and is underlain by highly metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic ash and lavas of Precambrian age. The fields largely support unimproved or semi-improved dry neutral grassland. They are generally lightly grazed by horses and the sward height is varied. In autumn, these areas support a range of colourful fungi, particularly the waxcap species. Fungi of particular note include an uncommon earthtongue Trichoglossum walteri, two small toadstools Hodophilus foetens and Camarophyllopsis schulzeri, together with a pinkgill Entoloma anatinum. In addition to the grassland fungi, the dry neutral grassland also supports a range of plants which are generally indicative of unimproved grassland, such as yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, eyebright Euphrasia nemorosa, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, field scabious Knautia arvensis, quaking grass Briza media and black knapweed Centaurea nigra. Well developed hedges separate the fields and are often on banks/cloddiau with mature trees including oak Quercus ssp., ash Fraxinus excelsior and sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus. A large part of the site is also bordered by woodland grading into a fringe of scrub which, in places, is spreading into the open fields. Species associated with the meadow and scrub edges include field woundwort Stachys arvensis, betony Betonica officinalis and burnet rose Rosa spinosissima. At the western end of the site, the nationally scarce greater broomrape Orobanche rapum-genistae is associated with an area of gorse.
Species mentioned
Show the 15 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
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IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fungi | Camarophyllopsis schulzeri | Not listed in GB list | fungus | clavariaceae |
| fungi | Hodophilus foetens | Not listed in GB list | fungus | clavariaceae |
| orange coral fungus | Ramariopsis crocea | Not listed in GB list | fungus coral | clavariaceae |
| quaking grass | Briza media | VU | grass | poaceae |
| betony | Betonica officinalis | VU | herb | lamiaceae |
| black knapweed | Centaurea nigra | LC | herb | asteraceae |
| common eyebright | Euphrasia nemorosa | LC | herb | orobanchaceae |
| field scabious | Knautia arvensis | LC | herb | caprifoliaceae |
| greater broomrape | Orobanche rapum-genistae | VU | herb | orobanchaceae |
| salad burnet | Poterium sanguisorba | VU | herb | rosaceae |
| yellow-rattle | Rhinanthus minor | DD | herb | orobanchaceae |
| field woundwort | Stachys arvensis | VU | herb | lamiaceae |
| burnet rose | Rosa spinosissima | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| sycamore | Acer pseudoplatanus | Not listed in GB list | tree | aceraceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
Plant communities
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix 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
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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