Biology:British NVC community CG1

Short description: UK plant community type

NVC community CG1 (Festuca ovina - Carlina vulgaris grassland) is one of the calcicolous grassland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of three short-sward communities associated with heavy grazing, within the lowland calcicolous grassland group, and is regarded as the south-west coastal counterpart of "typical" chalk grassland (community CG2).

It is a comparatively localised community. There are six subcommunities.

Community composition

The following constant species are found in this community:

• Carline Thistle Carlina vulgaris
• Cock's-foot Dactylis glomerata
• Sheep's Fescue (Festuca ovina)
• Mouse-ear Hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella)
• Common Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
• Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
• Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor)
• Wild Thyme (Thymus praecox)

The following rare species are also associated with the community:

• Bristol Rock-cress Arabis stricta
• Goldilocks Aster Aster linosyris
• Small Hare's-ear Bupleurum baldense
• Dwarf Sedge Carex humilis
• Dwarf Mouse-ear Cerastium pumilum
• Yellow Whitlowgrass Draba aizoides
• Portland Spurge Euphorbia portlandica
• Early Gentian Gentianella anglica
• White Rock-rose Helianthemum apenninum
• Hoary Rock-rose Helianthemum canum
• the hybrid between White and Hoary Rock-roses Helianthemum × sulfureum
• Spotted Cat's-ear Hypochoeris maculata
• Somerset Hair-grass Koeleria vallesiana
• Spring Cinquefoil Potentilla tabernaemontani
• Autumn Squill Scilla autumnalis
• Spring Squill Scilla verna
• Rock Stonecrop Sedum forsterianum
• Silver Ragwort Senecio cineraria
• Spiked Speedwell Veronica spicata
• Curving Feather-moss Scorpiurium circinatum
• Neat Crisp-moss Tortella nitida

Distribution

This community is found in scattered locations on limestone sites around the south and west coasts of Britain.

Subcommunities

There are six subcommunities:

• the Carex humilis subcommunity
• the Scilla autumnalis - Euphorbia portlandica subcommunity
• the Trinia glauca subcommunity
• the Helianthemum canum subcommunity
• the Koeleria macrantha subcommunity
• the Festuca rubra - Scilla verna subcommunity

References

• Rodwell, J. S. (1992) British Plant Communities Volume 3 - Grasslands and montane communities ISBN:0-521-39166-0 (hardback), ISBN:0-521-62719-2 (paperback)