OV6: Cerastium glomeratum-Fumaria muralis ssp. boraei community

Summary

Synonymy

Spergulo-Chrysanthemetum (Br.-Bl. de Leeuw 1936) R.Tx. 1937 sensu Silverside 1911 p.p.; Medicagi-Ranunculetum parviflori Silverside 1977 p.p.

Constant species

Anagallis arvensis, Cerastium glomeratum, Fumaria muralis ssp. boraei, Juncus bufonius, Poa annua, Senecio vulgaris, Sonchus asper.

Rare species

Allium babingtonii, Briza minor, Fumaria bastardii, Silene gallica.

Physiognomy

The Cerastium glomeratum-Fumaria muralis ssp. boraei community is one of the British weed assemblages in which fumitories figure with some prominence. F. muralis ssp. boraei is the most common taxon here and it can be abundant. Less frequent in the community, though locally prominent, are F. officinalis (a plant with a wider distribution nationally than F. muralis ssp. boraei), and the nationally scarce F. bastardii and F. occidentalis.

Other distinctive constants of this kind of vegetation are Cerastium glomeratum and Juncus bufonius with Anagallis arvensis, Poa annua, Senecio vulgaris and Sonchus asper. P. trivialis and Coronopus didymus are among the frequent associates but more striking is the common occurrence of Chrysanthemum segetum and the nationally rare or scarce Ranunculus parviflorus, Briza minor and Silene gallica. Gladiolus byzantinus is a common escape from the bulb crops among which this assemblage is often found.

Occasionals include Veronica persica, Medicago arabica and Rumex acetosella with the South African introduction Oxalis pes-caprae naturalised here, though with varying frequency in the different sub-communities, and another introduced sorrel O. corniculata occurring much more rarely.