British NVC community W9

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.

Subcommunities

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)