British NVC community W9

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NVC community W9 ("Fraxinus excelsior - Sorbus aucuparia - Mercurialis perennis" woodland) is one of the woodland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of the six communities falling in the "mixed deciduous and oak/birch woodlands" group.

This is a community of northern and western Britain, particularly widespread in Scotland and Wales. There are two subcommunities.

Community composition

Ten constant species are found in this community:
* Ash ("Fraxinus excelsior")
* Hazel ("Corylus avellana")
* Male Fern ("Dryopteris filix-mas")
* Dog's-mercury ("Mercurialis perennis")
* Wood-sorrel ("Oxalis acetosella")
* Common Dog-violet ("Viola riviniana")
* Common Feather-moss ("Eurhynchium praelongum")
* Common Striated Feather-moss ("Eurhynchium striatum")
* Hart's-tongue Thyme-moss ("Plagiomnium undulatum")
* Common Tamarisk-moss ("Thuidium tamariscinum")

The following rare species are also associated with the community:
* Baneberry ("Actaea spicata")
* Lesser Hairy-brome ("Bromus benekenii")
* Northern Hawk's-beard ("Crepis mollis")
* Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem ("Gagea lutea")
* Whorled Solomon's-seal ("Polygonatum verticillatum")

Distribution

This community is widespread throughout upland areas in northern and western Britain, where is replaces community W8. It is particularly well-represented in Scotland and Wales, and the far northern counties of England. It has also been recorded at a single site in Devon.

ubcommunities

There are two subcommunities:
* the so-called "typical" subcommunity
* the "Crepis paludosa" subcommunity

References

* Rodwell, J. S. (1991) "British Plant Communities Volume 1 - Woodlands and scrub" ISBN 0-521-23558-8 (hardback), ISBN 0-521-62721-4 (paperback)