Other plant species of floodplain meadows

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Plant Species
Other Plant Species of Floodplain Meadows

Look at these other fabulous plants found on floodplain meadows. Click on each one to find out more about their preferences for soil moisture, fertility, ecology and cultural references.

Plant species

Sweet vernal grass

Further information

Name:Sweet vernal grass

Identification:It is the first grass to flower in spring and has visible white hairs at the base of the leaves. This is a useful ID feature.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on 10-20 weeks dry soil per year and less than 10 weeks wet soil per year. It is very intolerant of waterlogged conditions.

Traditional medicial use:Sweet vernal grass contains coumarin; giving the smell of new hay when crushed. Chewing this grass gives a spicy sensation at the back of the throat.

Further Information:

Click here for a link to the online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora with details of the plant ecology, distribution, photos and habitats: https://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/plant/anthoxanthum-odoratum

Anthoxanthum odoratum

Quaking grass

Further information

Name:Quaking grass

Identification:Flowers June-July Pyramidal flower head with drooping, large flowers on very delicate wiry stems. Produces few leaves

Soil fertility tolerances:It tends to favour sites with a low soil fertility (<10 mg P/kg, or P index 0-1)

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with more than 20 weeks dry soil per year and less than 10 weeks wet soil per year. It is very intolerant of wet soil!

Suitability for floodplain:Very susceptible to increased competition from stronger growing neighbours. Loss of quaking grass suggests the sward is getting too long and rank.

Traditional medicial use:The flowers or “spikelets” of this grass tremble in the breeze – hence “Quaking”, and “Briza” is the Greek for “to nod.” Local names include totty grass, dothery dicks and silver spoons

Further Information:

Click here for a link to the biological flora; a summary of all that is known about the ecological requirements of the plant, published in the Journal of Ecology: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3072275

Briza media

Meadow foxtail

Further information

Name:Meadow foxtail

Identification:It has dense cylindrical seed heads 3-6 cm long on tall wiry stems. Flowers May-July.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with 10-20 weeks dry soil per year and 10-20 weeks wet soil per year, so it has moderate requirements.

Traditional medicial use:‘Alope’ was the fox-girl of Greek legend and ‘curus’ is from the Greek for tail. Its orange anthers make the flower resemble a fox’s tail

Further Information:

Alopecurus pratensis

Crested dog’s tail

Further information

Name:Crested dog’s tail

Identification:The flower head is flat on one side and resembles a dog’s tail. Folded leaf, yellow base. Flowers June-July.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with more than 20 weeks dry soil per year and less than 10 weeks wet soil per year. It is very intolerant of wet soil!

Suitability for floodplain:The scientific name directly translates from its common name. (Cyno = dog; urus = tail and cristatus = crested) with origins from the greek words ‘kuno’ and ‘oura’ and latin word “cristatus”.

Further Information:

Link to information from the Natural History Museum: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/uk-species/species/cynosurus_cristatus.html

Click here for a link to the biological flora; a summary of all that is known about the ecological requirements of the plant, published in the Journal of Ecology: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2257379

Cynosurus cristatus

Creeping bent grass

Further information

Name:Creeping bent grass

Identification:Late flowering July-August.Long trailing stems (stolons) growing horizontally close to the ground. Typical ‘grass’ panicle closing in fruit. Flowers very delicate.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.
Suitability for

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with 10-20 weeks of dry soil per year and more than 20 weeks wet soil per year. It is very tolerant of waterlogged conditions.

Suitability for floodplain:Able to spread rapidly sideways across bare mud, sometimes advancing several metres in a year through long trailing stems (stolons) growing horizontally. It is used extensively especially on golf courses.

Further Information:

Agrostis stolonifera

Common knapweed

Further information

Name:Common knapweed

Identification:Flowers July-Sept. Bright purple flower heads resembling thistles. Small glands on margins of leaves distinguish it from Devil’s bit scabious. Some strains have more showy flowers with the outer ring of florets developing long bases.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with 10-20 weeks dry soil per year and 10-20 weeks wet soil per year.

Traditional medicial use:Other names include hardheads and paintbrush. Good nectar flower for insects including butterflies such as the gatekeeper, meadow brown, painted lady, red admiral and small copper. Also good nectar source for honey bees.

Further Information:

Centaurea nigra

Autumn Hawkbit

Further information

Name:Autumn Hawkbit

Identification:Small yellow-flowered ‘dandelion’ Be careful not to confuse with rough hawkbit (leontodon hispidus.) The autumn hawkbit has hairs on its leaves that come to a fine point, whilst the rough hawkbit has hairs which split at the ends to resemble the letter “Y” (you either need 20/20 vision or a good eye glass to see that.) Flowers June-Oct.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with more than 20 weeks dry soil per year and 10-20 weeks wet soil per year.

Suitability for floodplain:The autumn hawkbit is a useful indicator of old meadows, while the rough hawkbit is more of an opportunist, able to colonise areas of bare ground, Flowers June-Oct.

Traditional medicial use:Leontodon is from Lion’s tooth which describes the shape of the leaves.

Further Information:

Leontodon autumnalis

Amphibious bistort

Further information

Name:Amphibious bistort

Identification:Flowers July-September. Deep pink spikes. Has two forms, adapted to both water and land habitats.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with less than 10 weeks dry soil per year and more than 20 weeks wet soil per year. It is a plant of wetter places.

Suitability for floodplain:Amphibious bistort copes with floods by rapidly extending its stem to allow its leaves to float on the water’s surface just like a water lily.

Further Information:

Link to the Natural History Museum: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/uk-species/species/persicaria_amphibia.html

Click here for a link to the biological flora; a summary of all that is known about the ecological requirements of the plant, published in the Journal of Ecology: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2745.2001.00571.x/abstract

Persicaria amphibia

Meadow vetchling

Further information

Name:Meadow vetchling

Identification:Meadow vetchling is a legume (see birdsfoot trefoil) that scrambles up through tall plants. It is a relative of the gardeners’ sweet pea. It is in flower from May to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is foun on sites with more than 20 weeks of dry soil per year and 10-20 weeks wet soil per year. It is very tolerant of drought conditions, and less tolerant of waterlogging.

Traditional medicial use:Historically grown as an animal fodder due to its high protein content.

Further Information:

Click here for a link to the online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora with details of the plant ecology, distribution, photos and habitats: http://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/index.php?q=plant/lathyrus-pratensis

Lathyrus pratensis

Devil’s bit scabious

Further information

Name:Devil’s bit scabious

Identification:Flowers June-Oct. Large violet-blue flower heads

Soil fertility tolerances:It tends to favour sites with a low soil fertility (<10 mg P/kg, or P index 0-1)

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with less than 10 weeks dry soil per year and less than 10 weeks wet soil per year.

Traditional medicial use:It was used to treat scabies and other skin conditions and was apparently so effective that the Devil, in anger, bit off its root, which ends in an abrupt stub ('succisa' means 'cut off underneath'). It provides an important late season nectar source as it flowers into October.

Further Information:

Click here for a link to the biological flora; a summary of all that is known about the ecological requirements of the plant, published in the Journal of Ecology: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2257031

Pdf from ‘Save our Magnificent Meadows’: http://www.magnificentmeadows.org.uk/assets/pdfs/Devils-bit_scabious.pdf

Link to information from the Natural History Museum:

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/uk-species/species/succisa_pratensis.html

Link to Plantlife:

http://plantlife.love-wildflowers.org.uk/wildflower_garden/grow_in_the_garden/devils-bit_scabious

Succisa pratensis

Creeping buttercup

Further information

Name:Creeping buttercup

Identification:has low creeping stems (stolons) with leaves that are divided into 3 distinct lobes. Flowers are similar to those of meadow buttercup, but they tend to be larger, brighter and less numerous per stem.

Soil fertility tolerances:Can tolerate sites with a high fertility (>25 mg P/kg or P index 3 or above).

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with 10-20 weeks dry soil per year and 10-20 weeks wet soil per year.

Suitability for floodplain:Creeping buttercup can be an invasive weed, producing many stolons (horizontal stems) that enable it to ‘creep’ across a site. It is successful in damp conditions where fertility is high. If it is a problem, then there may be a need to improve surface drainage or alleviate soil compaction.

Further Information:

Click here for a link to the online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora with details of the plant ecology, distribution, photos and habitats: https://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/plant/ranunculus-repens

Link to information from the Natural History Museum:

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/uk-species/species/ranunculus_repens.html

Ranunculus repens

Oxeye daisy

Further information

Name:Oxeye daisy

Identification:Flowers May-September. A tall, very large ‘daisy’ flower

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with more than 20 weeks dry soil per year and less than 10 weeks wet soil per year. It is very intolerant of wet soil!

Traditional medicial use:Also called moon daisy, horse daisy, dog daisy or marguerite. The unopened buds can be marinated and used in similar way to capers. The rhyme ‘He loves me he loves me not’ is associated with this flower.

Further Information:

Click here for a link to the biological flora; a summary of all that is known about the ecological requirements of the plant, published in the Journal of Ecology: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2258252

Leucanthemum vulgare

Red clover

Further information

Name:Red clover

Identification:Flowers May-September. Hairy leaves, red flower

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with 10-20 weeks dry soil per year and less than 10 weeks wet soil per year. It is very intolerant of wet conditions.

Suitability for floodplain:Can be one of the smaller forbs to disappear first once the hay is not cut for a year or more, or if the site is wet for a prolonged period. Its disappearance is due to a combination of shading by bulkier species and an intolerance to saturated soil.

Traditional medicial use:It is a nitrogen fixer and has therefore been sown as a fodder crop and also as a green manure to increase soil fertility. It has a range of therapeutic uses including the treatment of coughs, exzema, and mouth ulcers. Trifolium means 3-leaved and pratense means “of the meadow.”

Further Information:

Trifolium pratense

Marsh marigold

Further information

Name:Marsh marigold

Identification:Flowers March-May. The most conspicuous golden flower of early spring on damp meadows. Very large flat leaves.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with less than 10 weeks dry soil per year and 10-20 weeks wet soil per year.

Traditional medicial use:Alternative names are kingcup, molly blobs or in Shakespeare “Marygold.” The sap is irritating to the skin. ‘Palustris’ means ‘of the swamp’. It is an ancient plant that is thought to have survived the ice age and flourished after the retreat of the glaciers.

Further Information:

Caltha palustris

Meadow buttercup

Further information

Name:Meadow buttercup

Identification:It has tall upright stems with highly divided leaves and bright yellow flowers. Flowers May-Aug.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with 10-20 weeks dry soil per year and less than 10 weeks of wet soil per year. It is very intolerant of waterlogged conditions.

Traditional medicial use:Acris means bitter hence cattle often avoid it, allowing the stems to grow tall above the cropped grass.

Further Information:

BSBI archive: http://archive.bsbi.org.uk/Wats8p237.pdf

Click here for a link to the biological flora; a summary of all that is known about the ecological requirements of the plant, published in the Journal of Ecology: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2257092

Link to wildlife trusts: http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/species/meadow-buttercup

Ranunculus acris

Pepper saxifrage

Further information

Name:Pepper saxifrage

Soil fertility tolerances:It tends to favour sites with a low soil fertility (<10 mg P/kg, or P index 0-1)

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with 10-20 weeks dry soil per year and 10-20 weeks wet soil per year.

Suitability for floodplain:It is a very good indicator of ancient grasslands.

Further Information:

Click here for a link to the online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora with details of the plant ecology, distribution, photos and habitats: https://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/plant/silaum-silaus

Link to information from the Natural History Museum: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/uk-species/species/silaum%20silaus.html?lang=cy

Silaum silaus

Cuckoo Flower

Further information

Name:Cuckoo Flower

Identification:Flowers April-June. Rosettes of pinnate leaves with a flowering stem rising to 20 cm and carrying numerous 4-petaled flowers. Pink flowers stand out on long stems before the grass grows

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with 10-20 weeks dry soil per year and 10-20 weeks wet soil per year.

Traditional medicial use:It has many different names although cuckoo flower is widely accepted, so called due to its flowering coinciding with the arrival of the cuckoo. Other names include ladies smock and may flower. Young leaves taste peppery and can be used in salads. Orange tip butterflies lay their eggs on this plant and their larvae consume its leaves. Said to be sacred to the fairies and bad luck if brought in doors!

Further Information:

Link to information from the Natural History Museum: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/uk-species/species/cardamine_pratensis.html

Cardamine pratensis

Meadowsweet

Further information

Name:Meadowsweet

Identification:Flowers June-September. Root smells of antiseptic. White frothy flowers with sweet fragrance.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:t is found on sites with less than 10 weeks of dry soil per year but 10-20 weeks wet soil per year. It is more tolerant of water logging than drying.

Suitability for floodplain:Meadowsweet is a key plant found on floodplain meadows. It prefers damper soils and can indicate the soils are rarely dry. If it dominates to the detriment of other smaller species, then an earlier cut and improved drainage should help to re-establish a balance of meadow species.

Traditional medicial use:Meadowsweet is widely used in herbal medicine and cooking. It can be added to wine, beer, vinegars, stewed fruits and jam to add flavour, and contains salicylic acid, a derivative of which was used to create aspirin. It was once grown commercially for this purpose. Traditional medicine recommends pressing the crushed leaves to your forehead. The root smells of antiseptic

Further Information:

Filipendula ulmaria

Snake’s head fritillary

Further information

Name:Snake’s head fritillary

Distribution:Snake’s head fritillary is now a rare plant found on less than 30 sites in the UK. It cannot tolerate grazing in spring and so relies on the meadow system for survival.

Identification:Pendulous lily flower with chequered pattern - purple or white forms. Flowers April-May. It is a member of the lily family and many local names reflect this origin (e.g. Oaksey lily, Leper lily).

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with more than 20 weeks dry soil per year and 10-20 weeks wet. So it is quite tolerant of drought conditions, and slightly less tolerant of water logging.

Traditional medicial use:Other names are chequers, Oaksey lily, Leper’s bells and Sulky ladies

Further Information:

Fritillaria meleagris

Great burnet

Further information

Name:Great burnet

Distribution:It is a species of floodplains across Europe and also occurs in North America, wherever the climate is cool and moist. It is even found as far south as Iran in Asia, but only at altitude, where the summers are cool, as the species cannot survive intense drought.

Identification:It is a member of the rose family but the similarity to a rose is not obvious. The flowers have no petals, but the four sepals of the calyx are coloured deep crimson-red and are clustered into globulose heads up to 3 cm long. It is a very long-lived perennial with an extensive rhizome system lying just below the soil surface. This system of underground stems is so dense and persistent that the species is used in North America to stabilise soils on steep banks. A single clone can spread over many square metres and be several decades old. It flowers June-September.

Soil fertility tolerances:It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.

Soil moisture tolerances:It is found on sites with more than 20 weeks of dry soil per year and with 10-20 weeks wet soil per year, so it is quite tolerant of soil drying, but less tolerant of waterlogging.

Suitability for floodplain:Great burnet is well adapted to floodplain grasslands because following a flood that is long enough to kill most grasses, the shoots of burnet are destroyed too, but once the flood has receded, burnet is one of the earliest species to produce a new canopy of shoots from its abundant reserves stored in its rhizomes. Although well adapted to the effects of flood, it prefers well drained soils, so the traditional floodplain meadow with its unpredictable inundations, combined with its rapid post-flood drainage is a tailor-made environment for the species.

Traditional medicial use:Burnet wine was traditionally made from its flower heads. The latin name Sanguis (blood) and sorba (absorb) points to its medicinal use; to staunch the flow of blood, including nosebleeds. It can also used to treat burns and insect bites and the leaves can be eaten in salads; they taste like cucumber!

Further Information:

Link to information from the Natural History Museum:

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/uk-species/species/sanguisorba_officinalis.html

Link to Northern Ireland Priority species page: http://www.habitas.org.uk/priority/species.asp?item=3387

Sanguisorba officinalis