- British NVC community W8
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NVC community W8 ("
Fraxinus excelsior -Acer campestre -Mercurialis perennis " woodland) is one of the woodland communities in theBritish National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of the six communities falling in the "mixed deciduous and oak/birch woodlands" group.This is a widely distributed community. There are seven subcommunities.
Community composition
Six constant species are found in this community:
*Field Maple ("Acer campestre")
*Hazel ("Corylus avellana")
* Ash ("Fraxinus excelsior")
*Dog's-mercury ("Mercurialis perennis")
*Bramble ("Rubus fruticosus" agg.)
*Common Feather-moss ("Eurhynchium praelongum")The following rare species are also associated with the community:
*Narrow-leaved Bittercress ("Cardamine impatiens")
*Mezereon ("Daphne mezereum")
*Wood Fescue ("Festuca altissima")
*Mountain Currant ("Ribes alpinum")
*Oxlip ("Primula elatior")
* "Primula × digenea", the hybrid between Oxlip andPrimrose ("P. vulgaris")
*Large-leaved Lime ("Tilia platyphyllos")Distribution
This community is widespread throughout lowland Britain, becmoing scarcer in the north and west, where it is replaced by community W9.
ubcommunities
There are seven subcommunities:
* the "Primula vulgaris" - "Glechoma hederacea" subcommunity
* the "Anemone nemorosa" subcommunity
* the "Deschampsia cespitosa" subcommunity
* the "Hedera helix" subcommunity
* the "Geranium robertianum" subcommunity
* the "Allium ursinum" subcommunity
* the "Teucrium scorodonia" subcommunityReferences
*
Rodwell, J. S. (1991) "British Plant Communities Volume 1 - Woodlands and scrub" ISBN 0-521-23558-8 (hardback), ISBN 0-521-62721-4 (paperback)
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