Natural History

Southern Marsh Orchid

SOUTHERN MARSH ORCHID, LOCALLY COMMON, BUT THREATENED BY OVERGRAZING OR LOSS OF WET MEADOW HABITAT
The river and river valley provide a wide range of habitats: management work needs to be directed at sustaining this diversity without favouring one set of species to the exclusion of others: the general loss of watermeadows and overshading of watercourses, and general changes in the management of farmland in the valley present particular challenges in the different world of the twenty-first century. DAMSEL FLY
Damsel Fly
In addition, water quality and flow problems (on the Southern Wey catchment most prevalent on the Slea tributary) have introduced new problems of habitat change and instability; alien introductions, from mink to pondweeds to balsam all pose threats (or the reality) of species loss and require new approaches to management.

 

Native Crayfish

NATIVE CRAYFISH: NOW SURVIVING MOSTLY IN SMALL POCKETS ON THE WEY, OUT-COMPETED AND INFECTED BY ESCAPED COMMERCIALLY REARED AMERICAN CRAYFISH
Nonetheless, the rivers and streams of the Southern Wey catchment still offer a rich and diverse environment for water and wetland flora and fauna.

MEADOW SPECIES RECORDED FROM HATCH FARM MEADOW 2

Agrostis capillaris   

Common Bent  

0

Agrostis stolonifera   

Creeping Bent   

0

Alopecurus geniculatus 

Marsh Foxtail 

0

Alopecurus pratensis   

Meadow Foxtail      

0

Anthoxanthum odoratum   

Sweet Vernal Grass       

0

Arrhenatherum elatius  

False Oat Grass         

R

Cynosurus cristatus   

Crested Dogstail         

F

Dactylis glomerate   

Cocksfoot                

0

Festuca rubra -

Red Fescue                       

0

Glyceria fluitans  

Floating Sweet-grass 

0

Glyceria maxima   

Reed Sweet-grass 

R

Holcus lanatus

Yorkshire Fog

A

Holcus mollis

Creeping Soft Grass

0

Lolium perenne

Perennial Rye Grass

0

Phalaris arundinacea

Reed Canary Grass         

0

Phleum pratense   

Timothy

R

Poa trivialis    

Rough Meadow Grass             

0

Achillea millefolium 

Yarrow                

0

Angelica sylvestris  

Angelica               

0

Caltha palustris    

Marsh Marigold           

F

Cardamine flexuosa  

Wavy Bittercress            

0

Cardamine pratensis 

Ladys Smock           

R

Carex acutiformis  

Lesser Pond Sedge           

F

Carex hirta   

Hairy Sedge                        

0

Carex nigra 

Black Sedge                        

R

Carex ovalis

Oval Sedge                          

R

Centaurea nigra         

Black Knapweed           

F

Cerastium fontanum

Common Mouse Ear             

F

cirsium arvense

Creeping Thistle               

R

Cirsium palustre

Marsh Thistle                  

0

Cirsium vulgare

Spear Thistle                  

R

Dactylorhiza praetermissa

Marsh Orchid         

0

Eleocharis palustris

Common Spike Rush        

0

Epilobium hirsutum

Hairy Willowherb              

0

Epilobium palustris

Marsh Willowherb         

R

Epilobium parviflorum

Small Willowherb         

0

Equisetum arvense

Field Horsetail               

R

Equisetum palustre

Marsh Horsetail                

0

Filipendula ulmaria

Meadowsweet

F

Galium uliginosum

Fen Bedstraw                      

R

Glechoma hederacea

Ground Ivy                    

0

Heracleum sphondylium 

Hogweed                 

R

Hypochaeris radicata  

Catsear                

0

Juncus acutiflorus   

Sharp-flowered Rush        

F

Juncus effusus

Soft Rush                   

0

Lathyrus pratensis  

Meadow Vetchling      

 

Leontodon autu=alis

Autumnal Hawkbit 

R

Leucanthemum vulgaris 

Ox-eye Daisy        

R

Lotus uliginosus

Great Birdsfoot Trefoil    

F

Lychnis flos-cuculi  

Ragged Robin         

0

Lysimachia nummularia  

Creeping Jenny      

R

Mentha aquatica

Water Mint                 

0

Myosotis scorpioides

Water Forget-me-not      

0

Oenanthe crocata

Hemlock Water Dropwort         

F

Plantago lanceolata

Ribwort                   

0

Plantago major  

Ratstail                         

0

Polygonum hydropiper

Biting Water Pepper        

R

Prunella vulgaris

Selfheal

0

Pteridium aquilinum

Bracken                    

R

Ranunculus acris

Meadow Buttercup               

p

Ranunculus flammula

Spearwort

R

Ranunculus repens

Creeping Buttercup          

F

Rhinanthus minor

Yellow Rattle           

0

Rumex acetosa

Sorrel

F

Rumex crispus

Curled Dock                    

R

Rumex obtusifolius 

Broad-leaved Dock      

R

Senecio aquaticus 

Marsh Ragwort              

p

Senecio jacobea   

Ragwort                       

R

Stellaria alsine   

Bog Stitchwort          

0

Stellaria graminea

Lesser Stitchwort         

0

Taraxacum officinale

Dandelion                 

R

Trifolium dubium

Lesser Trefoil                 

R

Trifolium pratense

Red Clover               

F

Trifolium repens

White Clover                  

0

Urtica dioica

Nettle                              

0

Valeriana officinalis 

Valerian               

0

Veronica beccabunga 

Brooklime               

0

Veronica chamaedrys 

Germander speedwell 

R

The River Wey Trust: F

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