Scabiosa ochroleuca, commonly called cream pincushions or cream scabious, is a species of scabious with creamy yellow flower heads. It is native to Europe and western Asia.
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Cephalaria alpina, commonly known as the yellow cephalaria, alpine scabious or yellow scabious, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae native to the Alps in Europe.
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Adults can be seen from May to October feeding on nectar of Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis), of Ferulago campestris and of the Giant Fennel (Ferula communis). Larva can reach a length of about . They have a sandy background colour with black and yellow spots. They are oligophagous, mainly feeding between June and September on Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis), Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis), cream scabious (Scabiosa ochroleuca ) and on various Dipsacus species.
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Members of this genus are native to Africa, Europe and Asia. Some species of Scabiosa, notably small scabious (S. columbaria) and Mediterranean sweet scabious (S. atropurpurea) have been developed into cultivars for gardeners.
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Scabiosa graminifolia, grass-leaved scabious is a species of scabious found in the Mediterranean region. The plant grows on rocky slopes. As its name indicates, this species has grass-like leaves. Its flowers are pink or lilac and open in summer.
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A small wildflower meadow has been created, featuring plants like corncockle, corn poppy and field scabious.
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Jasione montana is a low-growing plant in the family Campanulaceae found in rocky places and upland regions of Europe and western Asia. Common names include sheep's-bit, blue bonnets, blue buttons, blue daisy and iron flower. Due to the similarity of the common name of "sheep's-bit" with that of devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), it is sometimes called "sheep's-bit scabious" or "sheep scabious", but it is not related to the scabiouses (Dipsacoideae, Caprifoliaceae).
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Succisa is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caprifoliaceae. Species include the devil's-bit scabious, Succisa pratensis.
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Knautia arvensis, commonly known as field scabious, is a herbaceous perennial species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae.
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Andrena marginata, sometimes called the small scabious mining bee is a species of the sand bee (Andrena) genus. It feeds on different nectar-bearing plants of the family Dipsacaceae, like field scabious and Devil's-bit scabious (from which its common name derives), though has also been observed foraging on knapweed and creeping thistle. The female builds a nest in the ground and fills the cells with a mixture of nectar and pollen. One egg is placed in each cell and the larva hatches, grow and pupates within the nest.
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The meadow has a rich flora, including fragrant orchid, devil's-bit scabious and bitter vetch. There is access from Whitcrofts Lane.
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It still displays some characteristic chalk species, including cowslip, marjoram, field scabious and wild basil. Breeding birds include willow warbler and yellowhammer.
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Other plants include quaking grass! crested hair-grass, Bird's-foot-trefoil, dwarf thistle, small scabious (Scabiosa columbaria) and hoary plantain (Plantago media).
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Natural England The site is unploughed grassland with many wet areas. Flora include wild thyme, bugle, blue harebell, twayblade and devil's-bit scabious.
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There are flowering plants such as field scabious, greater knapweed, St John's wort, wild marjoram and bladder campion. There is access from Fordham Road.
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The common name 'scabious' comes from the herb's traditional usage as a folk medicine to treat scabies, an illness that causes a severe itching sensation.
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It is a perennial plant that grows between 25 and 100 cm. It prefers grassy places and dry soils, avoiding heavy soils, and flowers between July and September. The flowers are borne on inflorescences in the form of heads; each head contains many small florets. The head is flatter than in similar species, such as devil's bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) and small scabious (Scabiosa columbaria).
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This Surrey Wildlife Trust reserve consists of 6.6 acres of chalk grassland with flowers including small scabious, fairy flax, yellow-wort common rock-rose and autumn gentian.
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There is short grazed limestone grassland and taller neutral grassland. The former is herb rich. These include Devil's bit Scabious, Burnet Saxifrage, Mouse-ear Hawkweed and Lady's Bedstraw.
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A rich diversity of plants thrive in the wet conditions at Greena Moor including bog pimpernel, marsh violet, saw-wort and abundant meadow thistle and devil's-bit scabious.
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Scabiosa Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607 is a genus in the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) of flowering plants. Many of the species in this genus have common names that include the word scabious, but some plants commonly known as scabious are currently classified in related genera such as Knautia and Succisa; at least some of these were formerly placed in Scabiosa. Another common name for members of this genus is pincushion flowers.
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Adults are on wing year round, with a peak from July to November. The larvae feed on Basananthe sandersonii. Adults have been found feeding on flower nectar of Scabious species.
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Scabiosa atropurpurea - MHNT Scabiosa atropurpurea subsp. maritima Scabiosa atropurpurea, Sixalix atropurpurea, the mourningbride, the mournful widow, the pincushion flower, or sweet scabious, is an ornamental plant of genus Scabiosa in the family Caprifoliaceae.
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Slader's Leigh is a local nature reserve. It is a wildflower meadow with plants including devil’s-bit scabious, cowslip, betony, common spotted orchid and tormentil which provide a habitat for a range of butterflies.
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The meadows support a show of thousands (estimated at 45,000) of green-winged orchid in May, a colony of some size in this part of Gloucestershire. Also flowering in the late spring are common twayblade, adder's-tongue, cowslip, bluebell, and pignut. Taller grass and flowers develop over the summer and produce a haycrop at that time. Recordings include quaking-grass, common knapweed, meadow vetchling, downy oat-grass, field scabious, meadow buttercup, yellow-rattle, oxeye daisy, common bird's-foot trefoil, goat's-beard, fairy flax and Devil's-bit scabious.
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It is occasionally used by the marsh fritillary as a foodplant instead of its usual foodplant of devils bit scabious (Succisa pratensis). It is also the foodplant of the narrow-bordered bee hawk-moth (Hemaris tityus).
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Long Knoll is the most westerly part of the remains of a chalk plateau. It forms a ridge that runs east and west for about a mile, and is higher than the surrounding land. The south-facing slope has a mosaic of longer and shorter turfs and has a mixture of grasses, sedges and forbs. Here grow a typical calcareous community including glaucus sedge, sheep’s-fescue, meadow oat-grass, heath- grass and common quaking-grass, together with cowslip, salad burnet, rock- rose, betony, small scabious and devil’s-bit scabious.
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On one of his excursions, he discovered "on the evening, Trenta side of Triglav, a new species of scabious" and picked it for his herbarium collection, nowadays preserved in the Natural History Museum of Slovenia. He called the species Scabiosa trenta in the published description, and drew it. Many botanists have sought the mysterious pale yellow scabious, among them also the young Julius Kugy. He searched for the mysterious flower, and though he was not able to find it, this led him to become a great explorer and describer of the Julian Alps.
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Scabious flowers are nectar rich and attractive to many insects including butterflies and moths such as the six-spot burnet. Scabiosa species are food plants for the larvae of some species of Lepidoptera such as the grey pug moth.
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Aethes hartmanniana, the scabious conch, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It was described by Carl Alexander Clerck in 1759. It is found in most of Europe, Asia Minor, Armenia and the southern Urals. The species occurs in chalky and limestone habitats.
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Knautia is a genus in the family Caprifoliaceae. The common names of these flowers are a variant of "widow flower." Others are given the name "Scabious," although this word belongs to a related genus (Scabiosa). The name Knautia comes from the 17th-century German botanists, Drs.
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Adults feed primarily on bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.), carline thistle (Carlina vulgaris), devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica), hemp agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum), wild privet (Ligustrum vulgare), ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris), red clover (Trifolium patense), thistles (Cirsium and Carduus species), thyme (Thymus praecox), and water mint (Mentha aquatica).
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The reserve is typical unimproved London Clay grassland. Damp, herb rich areas have uncommon plants characteristic of old meadows such as great burnet, sneezewort and devil's bit scabious. The brook is lined by sedges and water-cress, while breeding birds include yellowhammer and spotted flycatcher. The reserve adjoins Edgwarebury Park.
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In the earlier half of the year (spring and summer), these are often popular sights: grizzled skipper, brown argus, purple hairstreak, eyebright, small scabious, kidney vetch, dingy, grayling, large thyme, marjoram autumn gentian and carline thistle. In the later half of the year (autumn and winter), purging buckthorns are popular.
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Part is maintained as wet meadow by annual mowing or grazing and devil's-bit scabious, knapweed, meadowsweet and wild angelica are abundant. Small remnants of raised mire vegetation including sphagnum moss, bog rosemary and royal fern. Birds to be seen are willow tits, woodcock, great spotted woodpeckers and willow warblers.
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Frieth Meadows is a 2.5 hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest in Frieth in Buckinghamshire. It is in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The site consists of traditionally managed and unimproved meadows on neutral to acid soils. Plants include quaking grass, green-winged orchid, lousewort and devil's bit scabious.
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The moth flies from June to September depending on the location. Often occurs singly, in broadleaf and mixed forests, on moors, at road-side ditches, on umbellifers or scabious. Egg oval, yellow. Larva grey, with blackish head, with long and dense hairs, hibernating, until June on lichens on walls and fences.
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In the area, there were only a few homesteads. In the 1950s, junipers began to grow in the area. In the 1990s, the junipers were removed and the landscape restored. On the heathland at Gamla Varberg, there are species like devils-bit scabious, wild thyme, Pedicularis sylvatica, and marsh gentian.
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The south-facing slope has deep rooted plants such as hawkweed and scabious, while the sheltered north-facing slope has lush grasses. There are many species of butterflies. There is access from French's Avenue, and a footpath from the Cutting leads to Totternhoe Chalk Quarry Site of Special Scientific Interest.
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It is mainly chalk grassland with some scrub. Its most important feature is a variety of unusual flowering plants, including greater knapweed, lady's bedstraw and field scabious. Sixteen species of butterflies have been recorded, such as the rare small blue and green hairstreak. There is access from Cuddington Park Close.
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The butterfly is on wing from June to September depending on the location. They usually feed on nectar of scabious (Scabiosa species), hemp agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) and other tall flowers. The larvae feed on grass species, such as Molinia caerulea, Arrhenatherum elatius, Oryza sativa, Avena, Dactylis, Poa, Festuca, Carex, Calamagrostis and Bromus species.
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There are several areas of scrubland, and several types of grassland, each with its characteristic flora of downland plants. These include cowslip, field scabious, greater and lesser knapweeds, marjoram, common St John's wort and basil, as well as the common spotted orchid, the bee orchid, the pyramidal orchid and the fragrant orchid.
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Species of scabious were used to treat scabies, and many other afflictions of the skin including sores caused by the bubonic plague1. The word scabies comes from the Latin word for "scratch" (scabere). Another name for this plant is gipsy rose3. The genus Knautia is named after a 17th-century German botanist, Christian Knaut.
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Brickfield Meadow is a nature reserve north of Maresfield in East Sussex. It is managed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust. This wildflower rich meadow has been traditionally managed for many years by cutting in the summer and grazing later in the year. Flowering plants include Dyer’s greenweed, devil's-bit scabious, bitter-vetch and zigzag clover.
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Kirby Frith is a Local Nature Reserve on the western outskirts of Leicester. It is owned and managed by Leicester City Council. This site is described by Natural England as the richest wildflower grassland in the county, with species such as devil's-bit scabious, betony and yellow rattle. Butterflies include speckled woods and meadow browns.
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Bird life at Lough Bane includes little grebe, cormorant, lapwing, curlew and snipe. The lake waters host a number of stonewort algae species: Chara rudis, Chara curta, Chara globularis and Chara contraria. Such healthy Chara ecosystems are increasingly rare. Shoreline vegetation includes the wetland species common club-rush, devil's-bit scabious, meadow thistle and meadowsweet.
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The moth has a wingspan of circa 10 mm and is on the wing in July. The larvae feed in a web on many herbs including common rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium), common bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), plantains (Plantago species), devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis); thyme (Thymus praecox subsp praecox) and wild thyme (Thymus polytrichus).
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These dales contain ancient ash and wych elm woodland. The many herbs and wild flowers include lady's bedstraw, bird's-foot trefoil, bloody cranesbill, devil's-bit scabious, saw-wort, ox-eye daisy, cowslip and common spotted-orchid. The upper valley sides are heathland habitat for bilberry and heather. The dale is also home to small heath and common blue butterflies.
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Woodford Halse Nature Reserve is a 5.7 hectare nature reserve south of Woodford Halse in Northamptonshire. It is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. This site in two disused railway cuttings has some plant species which are rare in Northamptonshire. Over 100 flower species have been recorded, including knapweed and devil's bit scabious.
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Racecourse Farm Fields is a 5 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Easton on the Hill in Northamptonshire. This former quarry is grassland on Jurassic limestone. The flora is diverse, with over thirty flowering plant species in each square metre. There are several locally rare plants, such as dodder, autumn gentian, clustered bellflower and small scabious.
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The meadows are surrounded by old lime hedgerows. Meadow plants include cowslip, lady's bedstraw, common milkwort, salad burnet, field scabious, yellow-wort and fragrant orchid. Woodland type plants still grow, such as wood anemone and primrose, indicating that the fields had a wooded past. Heath spotted-orchid, lesser butterfly-orchid and adder's-tongue have been recorded.
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Culver Down is a chalk down to the north of Sandown, Isle of Wight. It is believed that its name derives from "Culfre", which is Old English for dove. The down has a typical chalk downland wildlife on the uncultivated areas (generally the southern and eastern slopes). This includes plants such as Small Scabious, Harebell, Cowslip and Lady's Bedstraw.
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Southerham Farm is a nature reserve on the eastern outskirts of Lewes in East Sussex. It is managed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust. The thin and infertile soils on this chalk site result in a floristically very rich grassland. Plants which flower in the summer include horseshoe vetch, kidney vetch, mouse-ear hawkweed, field scabious, dropwort and salad burnet.
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Nemophora minimella is a moth of the Adelidae family. It is found in most of Europe, except Estonia, Ukraine, Slovenia, Switzerland and Portugal. Part of scabious head with larva and larval case Larva The wingspan is .microlepidoptera.nl Adult males have antennae which are almost twice the wing length, while those of the female are just over one wing length.
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This is the only known food plant for caterpillars of the Coleophoridae case- bearer moth Coleophora didymella. Centaurea scabiosa has been used in traditional herbal healing as either a vulnerary or an emollient. The plant is sometimes confused with devils-bit scabious, however the leaves on this plant are arranged alternately, whereas in devils-bit they are opposite.
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The unimproved grassland includes crested dog's-tail and common knapweed. There is heath-grass, meadow vetchling, lady's bedstraw. A large number of Cotswold sites was surveyed and Range Farm Fields was found to be the most diverse and to contain the three grassland types. Herbs include oxeye daisy, devil's-bit scabious, yellow rattle and dyer's greenweed.
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A regime of a hay cut followed by cattle grazing, without the use of artificial fertilisers, has resulted in a diverse grassland habitat now rare in England. Herbs include meadow buttercup, lesser knapweed and devil's bit scabious. Ditches and the riverbank provide a permanently wet habitat, encouraging wading birds such as snipe and curlew. Invertebrates include damselflies.
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Hopton Fen is a 15.3 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Hopton in Suffolk. It is managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. This reed-dominated fen has diverse flora, including devil's bit scabious, black bog-rush, bogbeana and early marsh orchid. The Trust is improving the site by excavating new pools, and introducing grazing to restore the open landscape.
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The chrysalis the colour of amber except for the wing-cases, smooth, somewhat elongate, without web. The butterflies occur usually singly, being locally frequent on open ground, on broad roads through shrubby woods, flying about 1 m above the ground. They rest with closed wings, particularly on Thymes and Scabious. On the wing from the end of June into August.
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The aim is to produce an uneven patchwork of short and long vegetation by the end of the grazing period, between . This is to allow the devil's bit scabious food plant to grow. This can be achieved through low intensity grazing (also known as extensive grazing) using cattle. Sheep are not so good as they are more efficient at removing wild plants.
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The central plateau supports a short grassland sward (due to stock grazing) with longer vegetation on the steeper slopes. The grassland includes upright brome, tor-grass, sheep's fescue, quaking grass and crested dog's-tail. Flowering herbs include common rock-rose, harebell, chalk milkwort and field scabious. The area has a significant population of orchids, including the bee orchid, fragrant orchid and frog orchid.
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The south-facing slope has a complex structure of narrow, steep-sided dry valleys and coombes and has a mixture of grasses, sedges and forbs. Here grow a typical calcareous community including glaucus sedge, sheep’s-fescue, meadow oat-grass, heath-grass and common quaking-grass, together with cowslip, salad burnet, rock-rose, betony, field fleawort, bastard-toadflax, round-headed rampion, small scabious, devil’s-bit scabious, horseshoe vetch, kidney vetch and chalk milkwort. Orchids found here include, early purple orchid, burnt orchid, fragrant orchid, beeorchid and frog orchid, the last three all being common here. The site is also excellent for invertebrates, hosting the small blue, chalkhill blue, Duke of Burgundy and marsh fritillary, as well as the rare wart-biter bush cricket and the uncommon bug Sehirus dubius The lime- loving heath snail Helicella itala is also found here.
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Habitats described as species rich wet grasslands are rare in Northern Ireland and are typically located in areas where traditional farming practices are still maintained. The meadows are categorised by botanists/ecologists as Fen-meadow, a specific type of purple moor-grass, rush pasture that is fed by a steady hydrological influence. The typical species found in Drumbegger are Devil’s-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), sharp-flowered rush (Juncus acutiflorus), meadow thistle (Cirsium dissectum), lesser spearwort (Ranunculus flammula) together with mosses such as glittering wood-moss (Hylocomium splendens) and neat feather-moss (Pseudoscleropodium purum). Drumbegger is also noteworthy as a habitat for two protected species, blue-eyed-grass (Sisyrinchium bermudiana) and the marsh fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia). Marsh fritillary caterpillars thrive on two plant species found in Drumbegger which are blue-eyed-grass and Devil’s-bit scabious.
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View from Burtonhole Lane Mill Hill Substation Pastures is a fifteen-hectare Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation in Mill Hill in the London Borough of Barnet. The reserve consists of pastures grazed by horses around Mill Hill Electricity Substation. These contain patches of unimproved herb-rich pasture on damp clay soil. Locally uncommon plants include devil's bit scabious, sneezewort, pepper-saxifrage and red bartsia.
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The name Grintovec is shared with several other settlements (e.g., Grintovec, Grintovec pri Osilnici, etc.). The name is derived from the Slovene common noun grintavec 'snowy/rocky bare area', 'dolomite', a univerbation of the phrase grintav (svet) 'empty area, rough area'. Simonič also suggests that the name could be derived from the plant field scabious (Knautia arvensis), known as grintavec in SlovenePetauer, Tomaž. 1993.
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Jasione montana Sheep's bit scabious is a low biennial or occasionally annual plant growing up to about one foot tall with suberect stems that branch near the base. The leaves are linear, lanceolate, narrow at the base, sinuate, stiffly hairy and forming a rosette. The small violet-blue flowers are in small heads. The bracts are smooth or hairy and the petals have narrow lobes.
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Bucknell Wood Meadows is a 9.2 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-west of Silverstone in Northamptonshire. This site consists of agriculturally unimproved fields on seasonally waterlogged soils. The flora is diverse with many herbs, including bird's-foot-trefoil, meadow buttercup and devil's-bit scabious. Variations in the types of flora are partly due to different soils and partly to previous management practices.
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Quarley Hill Fort is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Grateley in Hampshire. This site on the land surrounding the Iron Age hill fort on Quarley Hill has chalk grassland which is maintained by cattle grazing. It is rich in herbs, such as felwort, small scabious, dropwort, chalk milkwort, greater butterfly-orchid and bastard toadflax. The site is private land with no public access.
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In 1988 Hounslow Council secured the development of the area as a country park as a planning condition for development of the surrounding area. The site has lakes, wetlands, wildflower meadows and woodland. There are over 350 species of plants, including field scabious, lady's bedstraw and black poplar. There are also 156 species of birds, 124 of moths, 97 of fungi and 20 mammals.
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Cadbury Hill is a designated Local Nature Reserve. In 2009, a 19th-century agricultural stock pond – previously hidden by undergrowth – was restored by the Yatton & Congresbury Wildlife Action Group (YACWAG). The Local Nature Reserve comprises ancient semi-natural woodland, scrub and unimproved grassland. Species of interest include marsh tit, noctule bat, slow worm, wood anemone, bluebell, betony, small scabious, rock rose, small leaved lime.
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A view west along Woodnook Valley Bombus hortorum on field scabious, Woodnook Valley, July 2012 Woodnook Valley has been a SSSI since March 1986. It is an example of a calcareous grassland. On the site are two types of orchid - the early purple orchid, and the man orchid. There is also the carline thistle, the mouse-ear hawkweed, harebell, glaucous sedge and the common centaury.
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Wilbraham Fens is a 62.5 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Cambridge. This is an example of a fen habitat, which is now rare in Britain, with grassland, scrub, ponds and ditches. The dominant fen species is common reed, which is present in dense stands, together with plants such as purple loosestrife and meadow rue. Herbs include harebell and field scabious.
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Stonesfield Common, Bottoms and Banks is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Stonesfield in Oxfordshire. This site is composed of steeply sloping valleys and banks. Most of it is unimproved limestone grassland and scrub, but there is also an area of semi-natural ancient woodland. The grass in Stonesfield Common is mainly upright brome, and herbs include field scabious, greater knapweed, lady's bedstraw and pyramidal orchid.
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There are many fields and meadows in the Telkkämäki heritage farm because of the mowing and grazing of the grounds associated with agriculture. Plant species in the old slash-and-burn clearings include the bluebutton (or field scabious), common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and rough hawkbit. Meadow flowers to be found in Telkkämäki include the fireweed, meadow buttercup, wild angelica and red campion. The bristly bellflower (Campanula cervicaria) grows in Telkkämäki.
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Bombus hortorum on Field Scabious, Woodnook Valley, July 2012'' Woodnook Valley has been a Site of Special Scientific Interest since March 1986. It is described by Natural England as "a very good representative example of calcareous [limy] grassland developed on soils derived from Eastern Jurassic Limestone." It consists of two grazed fields, one facing north and the other south. The grasses are generally short and typical limestone herbs can flourish.
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The species are abundant with variations from one meadow to the next. At the time of citation the meadows were reported as supporting some 75 meadow species, including some rarities such as corky- fruited water dropwort. The main grasses found are Yorkshire fog, meadow fescue, crested dog's-tail and meadow foxtail. The general meadow species found include great burnet, cowslip, devil's-bit scabious, saw-wort, lady's bedstraw and yellow rattle.
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The butterflies from July till September; they prefer chalky soil and love to settle on bare places of the ground and on boulders. The flight is low and hopping in the small northern form, stately, floating and rather fast in tlie large forms from Africa and Asia Minor. The butterfly now and again visits scabious thistles or other composites, keeping the wings tightly closed when resting.Seitz in Seitz, A. ed.
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Fuller information is available from the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust nature reserves handbook. Typical woodland flowers include bluebell, wood anemone, early-purple orchid, primrose, ramsons (wood garlic), common dog-violet and yellow archangel. Uncommon species are meadow saffron, herb-paris, common cow-wheat, bitter-vetch and violet helleborine. The grassy rides support betony, devil's-bit scabious, saw-wort, common spotted-orchid, greater knapweed, greater butterfly-orchid, cowslip and yellow-rattle.
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Insect life is apparent when grassland plants are in flower. Garden bumblebees can be seen on field scabious and lycaenid butterflies typical of this habitat such as the small copper and common blue, and a variety of browns including meadow brown, gatekeeper and ringlet can also be seen. Raptors such as the kestrel, buzzard and red kite also inhabit the area, hunting small rodents and rabbits which inhabit the grassland.
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Further information is in the nature reserves handbook. This oolitic limestone grassland supports a variety of plants and animals. These include the greater butterfly-orchid, bee orchid, common spotted orchid, wild columbine, common rock-rose, milkwort, kidney vetch, wild thyme, yellow rattle and devil's bit scabious during May and June. Green-winged orchid, cowslip, early purple orchid, wood anemone, hairy violet and bluebell can be seen early in the year.
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In late summer pyramidal orchid, autumn gentian, clustered bellflower, Carline thistle, betony, yellow-wort, marjoram, zigzag clover, small scabious and Dyer's greenweed flower. This site supports sainfoin, a fodder crop, which was sown many years ago on this and many other Cotswold grasslands. There are areas of hawthorn, hazel, ash, pedunculate oak, holly and blackthorn scrub. Toothwort, nettle-leaved bellflower, woodruff and sanicle may be found in these areas.
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Yerevan, 1999. “Amaras” (in Russian) The western rocky slopes of the Ijevan mountain range and Mount Abeghasar are rich in petrophytes and rare plants. Rocks and cliffs serves as a favorable habitat for numerous rare species such as Armenian Saint John's wort (Hypericum armenum, saxifrage (Saxifraga juniperifolia, S. tridactylites), scorzonera (Scorzonera rigida), cephalaria (Cephalaria media), small scabious (Scabiosa columbaria), jasmine (Jasminum fruticans) and others. Mount Abeghasar is especially rich in rare species.
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New Marston Meadows is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Oxford in Oxfordshire. These meadows in the floodplain of the River Cherwell are traditionally managed for hay or by grazing. Some plants are typical of those on ancient meadows, such as common meadow-rue, pepper-saxifrage, devil's-bit scabious, adder's-tongue fern, smooth brome and meadow barley. Snake's head fritillary, which is nationally scarce, is also found at the site.
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In 1782, a mysterious pale yellow scabious, called Scabiosa trenta, was described by Belsazar Hacquet, an Austrian physician, botanist, and mountaineer, in his work Plantae alpinae Carniolicae. It became a great source of inspiration for later botanists and mountaineers discovering the Julian Alps, especially Julius Kugy. The Austrian botanist Anton Kerner von Marilaun later proved Belsazar Hacquet had not found a new species, but a specimen of the already known submediterranean Cephalaria leucantha.
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It attracts a wide range of birds including marsh tit (Parus palustris), buzzard (Buteo buteo) and great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major). The pasture is of a kind now rare in the area. In summer the site has a wide variety of flowers such as betony (Stachys), oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) and heath spotted orchid (Orchidaceae). In late summer, it is covered with drifts of black knapweed (Centaurea) and devil's bit scabious (scabiosa).
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Rushy Meadows is an biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the western outskirts of Kidlington in Oxfordshire. This site consists of unimproved alluvial grasslands on the bank of the Oxford Canal. The species- rich sward is dominated by hard rush, and other plants include water avens, which is very uncommon in the Thames Basin, pepper saxifrage, devil's bit scabious, early marsh orchid and distant sedge. The site is private land with no public access.
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Examples of plant species found include bird's foot trefoil, vetches, greater knapweed, harebells, yarrow (Achillea millefolium), and scabious. It is one of a series of flower-rich habitats that Avon Wildlife Trust are trying to link together. The plants attract a range of insects including: the six-spotted burnet moth, hummingbird hawk-moth and a number of butterflies including chalkhill blues. A small population of common buzzard (Buteo buteo) nest in the area.
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A zone of acidic bog vegetation consisting of: purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea), common cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium), sedges (Carex spp.) including star sedge (Carex echinata), green-ribbed sedge (Carex binervis) and flea sedge (Carex pulicaris); bog moss (Sphagnum spp.), heath spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata), devils-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), bog asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum), marsh violet (Viola palustris), meadow thistle (Cirsium dissectum), wood horsetail (Equisetum sylvaticum), lesser butterfly-orchid (Platanthera bifolia) and pale butterwort (Pinguicula lusitanica).
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L-Moor, Shepreth is a 6.6 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Shepreth in Cambridgeshire. It is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. The site is unploughed calcareous grassland which has diverse flora such as horseshoe vetch and felwort in drier areas, and devil's bit scabious and fen bedstraw in wetter ones. A stream provides a habitats, and the site is regarded by Natural England as very valuable for its invertebrates.
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There is no public access to the northern pit but wildfowl may be viewed from a hide next to the by-pass. There are a number of seasonal ponds and a wide variety of mature natural habitats have grown up around the edges including scrub, wet woodland, marsh, and reedbed. The pits are colonised by a rich flora. In the southern site grassland plants include southern marsh-orchid, bee orchid, common fleabane, field scabious and parasitic knapweed broomrape.
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Briff Lane Meadows is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Thatcham in Berkshire. These meadows have unimproved traditionally managed grassland, a small stream, blackthorn dominated scrub, belts of woodland along the field edges and hedges. Most of the site is poorly drained and seasonally waterlogged, but there are dry areas which have large populations of cowslip, heath-grass, devil's-bit scabious and dyer's greenweed. The site is private land with no public access.
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Succisa pratensis is a perennial herb up to 1m tall, growing from a basal rosette of simple or distantly-toothed, lanceolate leaves. Its unlobed leaves distinguish it from Knautia arvensis (field scabious).Usborne Spotter's Handbook of Birds, Trees, Wildflowers The plant may be distinguished from Centaurea scabiosa (greater knapweed) by having its leaves in opposite pairs, not alternate as in knapweed. The bluish to violet (occasionally pink) flowers are borne in tight compound flower heads or capitula.
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Scabiosa caucasica, the Caucasian pincushion flower, pincushion-flower or Caucasian scabious, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to the Caucasus, north eastern Turkey, and northern Iran. Growing to tall and broad, it is a clump-forming perennial with divided leaves. Pincushion-shaped buds, borne on erect stems, open to pale blue or lavender flower heads, in diameter, from late summer through to autumn. The plant is highly attractive to bees and other pollinating insects.
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Its main hosts are bumblebees of the subgenus Thoracobombus such as Bombus pascuorum (common carder bee). In continental Europe, it also parasitizes nests of brown-banded carder bees (Bombus humilis) and early bumblebees (Bombus pratorum; although the latter is a Pyrobombus, not a Thoracobombus). Both sexes visit green alkanet, devil's-bit scabious, and thistle flowers. The queen also flies to dandelion, red clover, germander speedwell, and ground ivy, while the male feeds on bramble and knapweed.
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The grasslands at Tuthill Quarry are typical of the type, being characterised by the presence of blue moor-grass, Sesleria albicans, and small scabious, Scabiosa columbaria, but a number of less common species are also present, including common butterwort, Pinguicula vulgaris, and adder's-tongue fern, Ophioglossum vulgatum. There is a small patch of the nationally scarce bird's-eye primrose, Primula farinosa, and one of the few records from lowland Durham of lesser clubmoss, Selaginella selaginoides, is from this site.
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Amongst these are found a number of species associated with limestone including kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), purging flax (Linum catharticum) and small scabious (Scabiosa columbaria). Downy birch (Betula pubescens), common sallow (Salix caprea) and alder (Alnus glutinosa) grow on sections of the site, beneath which can be found the narrow-lipped helleborine (Epipactis leptochila), characteristic of metalliferous sites in Northumberland and uncommon elsewhere. Ash (Fraxinus excelsior), hazel (Corylus avellana) and sessile oak (Quercus petraea) form woodlands at the outer margins of the site.
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In the shortest, rabbit-nibbled turf, there may be little grass, and small herbs such as purple milkvetch, early forget-me-not and little mouse-ear may predominate, along with lichens. Longer grassy areas have such plants as bird's-foot trefoil, lesser meadow-rue, lady’s bedstraw and small scabious. Where they can get a foothold, annual species such as common whitlowgrass, thyme-leaved sandwort and shepherd’s cress occur. Other areas of heathland are dominated by heather, and lichens and mosses.
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The Wren's Nest is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Dudley Metropolitan Borough, north west of the town centre of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. It is one of the most important geological locations in Britain. It is also a Local Nature Reserve, a national nature reserve (NNR) and Scheduled Ancient Monument. The site is home to a number of species of birds and locally rare flora, such as Small Scabious, Milkwort and Quaking Grass.
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Mill Field, London Gardens Online The upper part, which has good views across west London, is managed as a park and has a football pitch. The lower slopes are less managed, with grassland, hedgerows marking former field boundaries, scattered trees, and areas of creeping thistle. A small stream, probably a tributary of Burnt Oak Brook, flows from a spring fed pond, which has a rich wetland flora. Wild flowers include devil's-bit scabious and Common Tormentil, and the small copper butterfly is found there.
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The moths are mostly local, their stations being often restricted > to a mountain, a meadow, etc. They appear mostly in large numbers at their > special localities, swarming about flowers, which they suck, fore instance > Scabious, Thistles, Eryngium, etc., their flight being slow and straight on. > The body of these insects contains, as in the other Zygaenids, a yellow , > acrid, oily hquid which renders them nauseous, protecting them not only > against their enemies among the vertebrates, but apparently even against > predatory insects, fore instance Asilids.
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Lavernock Point is established as a particularly fine nature reserve where wildlife interest is combined with historical interests in a dramatic and picturesque coastal reserve. The unimproved limestone grassland supports varied and colourful plants such as dyer's greenweed, devil's-bit scabious, common spotted orchid and fleabane. Butterflies have been observed and recorded by the reserve's warden for over twenty years and more than twenty five species have been identified. Lavernock and the nearby Cosmeston Lakes continue to be an important landing point for migrating birds.
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Thrislington Plantation is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a national nature reserve in the Sedgefield district of County Durham, England. It is situated about 1 km east of Ferryhill, between the East Coast Main Line railway and the A1(M) road. The site has one of the most important expanses of primary magnesian limestone grassland in Great Britain. In particular, it has the largest area of the grassland type which is characterised by blue moor- grass, Sesleria albicans, and small scabious, Scabiosa columbaria.
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The moth flies in July and can be found on flowers, preferring dry sandy habitats. It has a wingspan of circa 9 mm. The larvae can be found in May and are polyphagous, feeding on the following species; kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), sea thrift (Armeria maritima), chickweed (Cerastium species), common rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium), common bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), restharrow (Ononis spinosa subsp. procurrens), mouse-ear hawkweed ( Pilosella officinarum), plantain (Plantago species), small scabious (Scabiosa columbaria), thyme (Thymus species) and rock-rose (Tuberaria species).
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It is managed on behalf of Dwr Cymru Welsh Water by the Radnorshire Wildlife Trust as a reserve both for its wetland plants and its birdlife. Some notable plants found here include bogbean, lesser skullcap, devil's bit scabious and globe flower. There are northern pike, European perch and common rudd in the lake and breeding birds include sedge warbler, Eurasian reed warbler and common reed bunting, as well as coot, moorhen and water rail. Winter visitors include teal, tufted duck, mallard, pochard and goldeneye.
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They live in grassy, moist or dry forest clearings with bushes but not in open places. There is a strong degree of attachment to woodland edges and blackberry bushes. The insect can also be very common where there are creeping thistles (Cirsium arvense) or swamp thistles (Cirsium palustre), oregano (Origanum vulgare), forest scabious (Knautia sylvatica), or hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) which are favorite food plants of the imagos. The males fly in search of newly hatched females in slow, uninterrupted flight and flutter round, about and between grass stems.
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Fishburn Grassland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Sedgefield district of County Durham, England. It lies between the villages of Fishburn and Trimdon, just north of the former. The site consists of a small area of species-rich magnesian limestone grassland, a vegetation type that is rare nationally and mainly restricted to County Durham and Tyne and Wear. There are two distinct plant communities, the larger of which, dominated by blue moor- grass, Sesleria albicans, and small scabious, Scabiosa columbaria, is known only from east Durham.
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The line ran along the southern boundary of the Edward Richardson and Phyllis Amey reserve and was closed in the early 1960s. The track bed has disappeared under arable land, but this stretch remains as a haven for wildlife. It is raised above the adjacent fields, and has been colonised by a wide range of plants native to grassland, scrub, and woodland. The grassland flora is made up of a wide range of limestone-loving plants which include field scabious, lady's bedstraw, common bird's-foot-trefoil and oxeye daisy.
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Boxford Water Meadows is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Boxford in Berkshire. It is part of the Kennet & Lambourn Floodplain Special Area of Conservation. The site comprises disused water meadows and flood pastures in the valley of the River Lambourn. Recorded flora include seventeen species of grass, seven of sedge and seventy-six of grassland herb, some of which are characteristic of ancient meadows which have not been improved or disturbed, such as devil's-bit scabious, water avens and Blysmus compressus, which is an uncommon flat-sedge.
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Some of the less common chalk grassland herbs include clustered bellflower, early purple orchid, horseshoe vetch, kidney vetch and chalk milkwort. The north-facing slope, by contrast, has more mosses and bryophytes on the closely grazed turf, with tufted hair-grass, false oat-grass, red fescue and crested hair-grass. Common valerian is an unusual species to find on chalk soils, and other herbs include autumn gentian, fairy flax and an abundance of devil’s-bit scabious. Long Knoll is categorised as a Marilyn, a hill with topographic prominence of at least .
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The majority of the site is made up of species-rich grassland (subcommunity MG5c), which comprises three dominant species of grass and several other grass species at lower abundances. The dominant species are Red Fescue (Festuca rubra), Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris) and Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus). The less abundant species of grass include, Crested Dog’s-tail (Cynosurus cristatus), Heath-grass (Danthonia decumbens) and Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata). The subcommunity also has many broad-leaved herbs including Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra), Tormentil (Potentilla erecta), Devils-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) and Betony (Stachys officinalis).
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The Bottoms is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham, England. It lies just south of the A181 road, roughly midway between the villages of Cassop and Wheatley Hill, some 10 km south-east of Durham city. The site's interest lies in an area of unimproved magnesian limestone grassland, in which blue moor-grass, Sesleria albicans, and small scabious, Scabiosa columbaria, are the dominant species. This is a scarce vegetation type, which is found only in County Durham and the extent of which has been severely reduced by quarrying and intensive agriculture.
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B. bohemicus is an obligate parasite, and so it is almost always found in association with a host nest. It parasitizes Bombus locurum, Bombus cryptarum, and Bombus terrestris. In the short time that B. bohemicus is independently foraging, it feeds on the nectar of flowering plants. It shows preference to a diverse selection of scrub-type food plants across its large geographical range, such as: thyme, scabious, knapweed, ling, lavender, masterwort, marsh, and thistles for the male, and sallow, dandelion, clover, bilberry, sycamore, cornflowers, bistort, bugle, thyme, cotoneaster, heath, and raspberry for the female.
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Other plants include marsh pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris), marsh arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris) and great horsetail (Equisetum telmateia). The southern part of the flush is less diverse, supporting predominantly a mix of rushes (Juncus) and fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica). The flush is situated within an area of acidic grassland, part of which has not been improved, and is limited to a few plant species. Typical grass species are crested dog's-tail (Cynosurus cristatus) and heathgrass (Danthonia decumbens), while broad-leaved flowering plants include bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) and sheep's sorrel (Rumex acetosella).
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Sphagnum mosses are the key plants in the formation of a raised bog and nine species have been recorded at Moine Mhòr NNR. The marginal habitats mean that there is also a diverse flowering plant community, including purple heath orchid, round-leaved sundew, bog myrtle and bog asphodel.The Story of Moine Mhòr National Nature Reserve. p. 8 The plant life of the bog helps supports many types of invertebrates, including the marsh fritillary (one of Europe’s most threatened butterfly species), which lives on devil's-bit scabious, a plant of the drier fringes of the bog.
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Hogsmill River Park or Hogsmill Valley is a linear park along the banks of the Hogsmill River in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in London. It stretches from the junction of Surbiton Hill Park and Elmbridge Avenue in Berrylands in the north to the junction between the river and a footpath to Manor Close in Old Malden in the south. Most of the site is grassland, which has a rich variety of wildlife, including locally unusual plants such as grass vetchling, devil's-bit scabious, pepper-saxifrage. Birds which breed on the site include bullfinch, spotted flycatcher, lesser spotted woodpecker.
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The grassland is generally dominated by sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina), red fescue (Festuca rubra), and upright brome (Bromus erectus). There are also several varieties of herbs, characteristic to the Wiltshire downland, including for devil's bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria), and chalk milkwort (Polygala calcarea). There are also many other native and site specific plants, including for orchids, meadow grasses, nettles, and other flora. On the steep slopes horseshoe vetch (Hippocrepis comosa), Thymus, and Asperula is plentiful Within the hillfort, a more mesotrophic grassland is present, most probably reflecting past agricultural use and improvement.
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The lake is surrounded with fringing reedbeds, carr woodland and grassland, which are managed by Bristol Water. The water conditions are eutrophic with run off from local fields and streams. Open-water plant communities are rather sparse, largely comprising fennel pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus), lesser pondweed (Potamogeton pusillus), opposite-leaved pondweed (Groenlandia densa) and water-crowfoot (Ranunculus spp.). On neutral soils around the reservoir, pepper-saxifrage (Silaum silaus), burnet-saxifrage (Pimpinella saxifraga) and devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) occur, and on calcareous soils fairy flax (Linum catharticum), dwarf thistle (Cirsium acaule) and salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor subspecies minor) are found.
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The Arreton Down Site of Special Scientific Interest is a large area of south-sloping chalk grassland in the central part of the Isle of Wight. It is grazed by cattle and horses during the winter, and is dominated by fine grasses such as red fescue and sheep’s fescue. The flowering plants are typical of downland habitats and include horseshoe vetch, rock rose, wild thyme, carline thistle, pyramidal orchid, harebell, small scabious and the uncommon bastard toadflax. There are large numbers of chalkhill blue butterflies on the site as well as small blue, common blue and brown argus butterflies.
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Ferns found here include wall rue, maidenhair spleenwort, brittle bladder-fern, Hart's-tongue and hard shield- fern. In Upper Wharfedale the scars and screes support a range of plants including the alpine cinquefoil and hoary whitlowgrass. Also to be found are lesser meadow-rue, goldenrod, scabious and bloody crane's-bill with, to a lesser extent, mountain melick, limestone fern, wood crane's-bill and melancholy thistle, green spleenwort, wall lettuce and hairy stonecrop. Lower down the valley, species including alpine cinquefoil, lily-of-the-valley, mountain melick and herb paris, blue sesleria, common valerian and wild angelica.
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It contains a wide range of flowering plants, including wild carrot, yellow-wort and field scabious. Some unusual parasitic plants are also found here, such as common broomrape which feeds off clovers, and yellow rattle, which feeds partly off grass. Clarken Combe, at the western edge of the estate, is a woodland area with a range of plant species, including narrow-lipped helleborine, which grows here in small numbers under beech. In 2002 a 700-year-old oak tree, called the Domesday Oak, was selected by The Tree Council as one of 50 Great British Trees.
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Quarrington Hill Grasslands is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham, England. The site consists of three separate areas, two closely adjacent to the east of the village of Quarrington Hill, the third immediately west of the village, which lies 8 km south-east of Durham City. The area is important for its magnesian limestone grassland communities, which are largely confined to County Durham and increasingly scarce even there. The grasslands at Quarrington Hill are typical of the type, being characterised by the presence of blue moor-grass, Sesleria albicans, and small scabious, Scabiosa columbaria.
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It consists of two habitats namely, the marshy grass land and the dry neutral grassland. Plant species specific to this site are reported to be fen Meadow thistle (Cirsium dissectum), purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea), devil's-bit scabious, pepper saxifrage (Silaum silaus), saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria), meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), and marsh valerian in the marshy grassland, while the dry areas of the site have Centaurea nigra (Cynosurus cristatus), betony (Stachys officinalis), cowslips (Primula veris), knapweed, crested Dog's-tail and quaking grass (Briza media). The site is a mile away from Wick. Clemenstone Brook, a tributary of the Alun River, flows through the meadows and forms a shallow valley.
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Its habitat is the dune system where lyme grass (Leymus arenarius), cord grass (Spartina anglica) and marram grass (Ammophila arenaria), ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) and sow thistle (Sonchus spp) grow, along with limited amounts of cat's-ear (Hypochaeris radicata) and hawkweed (Hieracium spp). On the more consolidated back part of the dunes there is a richer flora which includes devil’s bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) as well as ragwort. A 2013 survey commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage found some specimens of the fly, and a potential association of the larvae with ragwort or sow thistle. The survey suggested that populations have declined since similar surveys conducted in the 1970s and 1980s.
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Freshwater marshes exist in many places around the shore but extensive reed-beds stretching out into the lake are rare. The margins of the marshes are mostly sedge dominated by such species as bottle sedge, bladder-sedge, tufted-sedge, common-sedge and occasionally water-sedge, water horsetail, marsh cinquefoil and bur-reeds also occur commonly. Also on the fringes occurs a more varied community characteristic of base-poor areas, with such species as marsh ragwort, lesser spearwort, devil's-bit scabious, marsh-bedstraw and hoary willowherb, creeping bent, sweet vernal-grass, Yorkshire fog and purple moor-grass. Cuckooflower occurs commonly and bog violet and greater spearwort are to be found in places.
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Winged form This aphid mainly overwinters as eggs on roses, but in mild winters, some adults may survive until spring. The eggs hatch in spring into wingless females which reproduce parthogenetically, and large colonies can quickly develop, being mainly found on the tips of shoots and around flower buds. The heaviest population densities are in June and July in the northern hemisphere, just when the bushes are flowering, and thereafter the populations decline. This is because at this time of year, some winged females develop, which migrate to other rose bushes or to certain secondary hosts such as holly, teasel, valerian, Knautia and scabious.
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The grassland is poorly drained and is dominated by tufted hair- grass Deschampsia caespitosa, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, red fescue Festuca rubra and great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis. Additionally, flora typical of relatively basepoor clay soils, such as pignut Conopodium majus, betony Betonica officinalis, heath bedstraw Galium saxatile, tormentil Potentilla erecta, devil's-bit scabious Succisa pratensis, and mat grass Nardus stricta, are present. The grassland also includes typical meadow species as saw-wort Serratula tinctoria, meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum, knapweed Centaurea nigra and lady's smock Cardamine pratensis. In 2008, the site was bought by the Friends of Holly Hayes Wood who wanted to see the meadow land restored to its former glory.
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The most notable plant species are found in the alder woodland along the spring-lines on the lower valley slopes. They include royal fern, Osmunda regalis, and narrow buckler fern, Dryopteris carthusiana, hemlock water dropwort, Oenanthe crocata, and smooth-stalked sedge, Carex laevigata, all of which are rare or have a localised distribution in North East England. Rare plants that occur in Wanister Bog include devil's-bit scabious, Succisa pratensis, and marsh violet, Viola palustris. The former is the food plant of the marsh fritillary, Euphydryas aurinia, and the narrow-bordered bee hawk-moth, Hemaris tityus, while the latter is the food plant of the pearl-bordered fritillary, Boloria euphrosyne, and the small pearl-bordered fritillary.
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Elham is situated deep in the heart of the North Downs and within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Whilst much of the countryside surrounding the village is arable farmland there are still patches of unimproved or semi- improved grassland where wildlife is allowed to flourish such as Baldock Downs and Hall Downs. These sites often support many typical chalk downland species such as Common Milkwort (Polygala vulgaris), Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis) and Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor) as well as orchids such as Fragrant (Gymnadenia conopsea), Common Spotted (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) and Pyramidal (Anacamptis pyramidalis). Park Gate Down nature reserve is situated within the parish and is well known for its extensive downland flora.
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More acidic areas provide habitat for sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina) and bell heather (Erica cinerea). A number of plants characteristic of the coastal location are found, including thrift (Armeria maritima), buck's-horn plantain (Plantago coronopus), common stork's-bill (Erodium cicutarium) and sea plantain (Plantago maritima). Heath areas exhibit heather (Calluna vulgaris) and bell heather with meadow oat-grass, bitter vetch (Lathyrus montanus), devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), hawkweeds (Hieracium spp), wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa) and the uncommon mountain everlasting (Antennaria dioica). Areas fed by freshwater springs support common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris), grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia palustris), marsh lousewort (Pedicularis palustris), marsh pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris), marsh arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris), sea arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima) and the rare seaside centaury (Centaurium littorale).
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The site consists of areas of calcareous fen wetland and associated carr woodland and meadow along the Little Ouse river which marks the county boundary. It is notable for being an internationally important site for the rare black bog rush Schoenus nigricans and saw sedge Cladium mariscus plant species. The site supports a "very large number of plant species" on the wetter fen areas. Dominant species tend to be black bog rush Schoenus nigricans, saw sedge Cladium mariscus and purple moor grass Molinia caerulea, with species such as fen orchid Dactylorchis praetermissa, devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis, long-stalked yellow sedge Carex lepidocarpa, quaking grass Briza media, parnassus Parnassia palustris and a number of rare mosses also found in these areas.
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South-west of the town is the Friar's Oven SSSI, site of herb-rich calcareous grassland classified as the Upright Brome (Bromus erectus) type, and north-east is the Windsor Hill Quarry geological SSSI and the Windsor Hill Marsh biological SSSI, a marshy silted pond with adjacent damp, slightly acidic grassland of interest for its diverse flora, largely due to the varied habitats present within a small area. Two species are present that are rare in Somerset: Flat-sedge (Blysmus compressus) and Slender Spike-rush (Eleocharis uniglumis). Other marshland plants there include Purple Loosestrife, Yellow Flag (Iris pseudacorus), Hard Rush (Juncus inflexus), Soft Rush (J. effusus), Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus), Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis), three species of Horsetail Equisetum spp.
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The grassland sections of the site are colonised by adder's-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum and dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria, both uncommon in Northumberland, as well as yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, common knapweed Centaurea nigra, common milkwort Polygala vulgaris, cat's-ear Hypochaeris radicata, eyebright Euphrasia officinalis, and common spotted and lesser butterfly orchida Dactylorhiza fuchsii and Platanthera bifolia. Acid grassland on the site is a habitat for mat-grass Nardus stricta, tormentil Potentilla erecta, heath-grass Danthonia decumbens, devil's-bit scabious Succisa pratensis and betony Stachys officinalis, as well as, in wetter areas, glaucous sedge Carex flacca and pepper-saxifrage Silaum silaus. Heathland on the site is dominated by heather Calluna vulgaris. Scrub areas are composed of birch, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, gorse Ulex europaeus, blackthorn Prunus spinosa bramble Rubus fruticosus and creeping soft-grass Holcus mollis.
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In the eastern part of the mire Purple Moor-grass and Blunt-flowered Rush are again abundant, but the abundant sedge species are Lesser Pond-sedge (Carex acutiformis) and Greater Pond-sedge (Carex riparia). Common Reed (Phragmites australis) and Marsh Horsetail (Equisetum palustre) are also frequent. This part of the site supports plant species associated with more neutral conditions. The site has a species-rich flora; species that occur here but are localised or confined to specialised habitats in Avon are Flea Sedge (Carex pulicaris), Saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria), Meadow Thistle (Cirsium dissectum), Marsh Valerian (Valeriana dioica), Dyer’s Greenweed (Genista tinctoria), Marsh Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris), Southern Marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa), Fen Bedstraw (Galium uliginosum), Devil’s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) and Tawny Sedge (Carex hostiana) and Tufted-sedge (Carex elata).
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Particularly associated with long established turf on thin rendzina soils, and rabbit-grazed areas of the eastern and central ranges, are low-growing perennials including squinancy- wort (Asperula cynanchica), chalk milkwort (Polygala calcarea), dwarf thistle (Cirsium acaule), wild thyme (Thymus praecox), the nationally scarce bastard toadflax (Thesium humifusum) and purple milk-vetch (Astragalus danicus) in its most southerly British station. Devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), saw- wort (Serratula tinctoria) and betony (Stachys officinalis) are all abundant and exemplify the oceanic character of the chalk grassland on the plain, a feature which is confined to South West England. Similarly restricted is a community in which dwarf sedge Carex humilis forms a conspicuous component. This type of grassland has its stronghold in Wiltshire and occurs on the less disturbed areas of the central ranges.
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Flora on the site grades from species rich areas fed by lime-rich springs, through to a wooded fringe by the stream. The SSSI citation sets out four distinct groups of vegetation. Moss-donimated turf dominates areas where springs arise, and are characterised by stonewort (Charales), flea-sedge (Carex pulicaris), tawny sedge (Carex hostiana), long-stalked yellow-sedge (Carex lepidocarpa) and broad-leaved cottongrass (Eriophorum latifolium). A wider area is influenced by the springs, and in addition to the sedges and cottongrass, supports dioecious sedge (Carex dioica), marsh lousewort (Pedicularis palustris), creeping willow (Salix repens), devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea), marsh cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris), meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), jointed rush (Juncus articulatus) as well as common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris), grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia palustris), marsh valerian (Valeriana dioica), and early marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata).
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At the base of the valley slopes there are boggy areas with common cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium), cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix), common bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), marsh lousewort (Pedicularis palustris), and many-stalked spike-rush (Eleocharis multicaulis). The wet pasture supports uncommon species such as whorled caraway (Carum verticillatum), bog asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum), and heath spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. ericetorum). Along streamsides, linear areas of poor-fen vegetation occur, including various rushes (Juncus spp.), ragged- robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi), marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre), greater bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus uliginosus), marsh bedstraw (Galium palustre), sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica), marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), meadow vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis), devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), and lady-fern (Athyrium filix-femina). More open areas along these streamsides favour the uncommon ivy-leaved bellflower (Wahlenbergia hederacea) and bog pimpernel (Anagallis tenella).
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The site comprises a mixture of flower rich grassland, scrub and mature hedgerows. Three fields are designated as Burledge Sidelands and Meadows a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI), and, since November 2005, as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) covering 48.7 ha the citation says: :Burledge Sidelands and Meadows is nationally important for a wide variety of species- rich unimproved neutral grassland communities characterised by crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra.. These form part of a 3 km horseshoe of unimproved neutral grassland running around the top of Burledge Hill, forming the largest known concentration of this habitat recorded in Avon. Plant species found on the site include cowslip, Alchemilla (lady's mantle), saw-wort and devil's bit scabious. Birds such as willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), garden warbler (Sylvia borin) and whitethroat (Sylvia communis) can be heard singing from the scrub areas.
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As a consequence of the local geology and low intensity farming practices, the Boho area has a high biodiversity of floral habitat types that is almost unparalleled in the whole of Northern Ireland as evidenced by the number of Areas of Special Scientific Interest, provisional ASSI's (pASSI), candidate Special Areas of Conservation (cSAC) and proposed Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (pAONB). These range from open freshwater lakes to high calcareous grasslands and upland bogs. Fen meadow is a classic Boho habitat type, consisting of wet fields locally described as a bog meadow, typified by the species devil's-bit scabious, bog thistle, sedges and occasionally tormentil, purple moor grass and rushes (Juncaceae). In Northern Ireland, this type of terrain only covers 0.4% of the total land area and has decreased by 18% over the last ten years mainly due to the 21% decrease in Fermanagh coverage.
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The meadows are characterised by sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum) and an abundance of herbs including several lady’s mantle species Alchemilla spp., wood cranesbill (Geranium sylvaticum), ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata), hay rattle (Rhinanthus minor), self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) and pignut (Conopodium majus). Other species found include crested dog’s tail (Cynosurus cristatus), downy oat grass (Avenula pubescens), Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus), field woodrush (Luzula campestris), pale sedge (Carex pallescens) and red clover (Trifolium pratense). Damp areas within the meadows provide habitat for ragged robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi), great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis), northern marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza purpurella), devil’s bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), marsh ragwort (Senecio jacobea) and carnation-grass (Carex panicea). On a steep incline at the eastern edge of the site is found hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) scrub and the common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii), cat’s ear (Hypochoeris radicata), bitter vetch (Lathyrus montanus), water avens (Geum rivale) and bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta).
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Limestone grassland in the foreground of Boho hills In more upland areas, drier habitats include calcareous grassland, which is very rare in a Northern Ireland context covering only 0.1% of the total land area, and which in only ten years, between 1990–2000, underwent a 7% decrease in coverage. Calcareous grassland is species rich, typified by blue moor-grass, wild-mountain thyme, lady's bedstraw, fairy flax and lady's-mantle as well as fescue grasses, sweet vernal grass, bent grass, crested dog's-tail grass, carnation sedge Cyperaceae and devil's-bit scabious on the thin layer of soil which covers the limestone rock. Within this type of habitat, limestone pavement can also often be found, which can promote an even greater diversity of species. Limestone grassland habitat in Northern Ireland is exclusive to County Fermanagh from the Boho–Knockmore region to Cuilcagh Mountain Park, this habitat and its associated karst features are so environmentally important that the latter Marble Arch region was designated part of the European Geoparks Network, the Global Network of National Geoparks and the world's first International Geopark, consequently adding international significance to the Boho landscape.
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