SM21: Suaeda vera-Limonium binervosum salt-marsh community

Summary

Synonymy

Suaedeto-Limonietum Chapman 1934 p.p.; Halimioneto-Limonietum Chapman 1934 p.p.;? Suaedetum fruticosae Tansley 1939 p.p.; Suaedeto-Limonietum binervosi Adam 1976; Halimiono-Frankenietum laevis Adam 1976 emend.; Norfolk Frankenia laevis stands Brightmore 1979.

Constant species

Armeria maritima, Halimione portulacoides, Limonium binervosum, Puccinellia maritima, Suaeda vera.

Rare species

Frankenia laevis, Limonium bellidifolium, L. binervosum, Suaeda vera.

Physiognomy

The rather open vegetation of this community is generally dominated by scattered bushes of Suaeda vera and Halimione portulacoides up to 40 cm high with a patchy cover of herbaceous halophytes between. Among the constants, Puccinellia maritima and Limonium binervosum are usually most abundant with smaller amounts of Armeria maritima. Suaeda maritima is fairly frequent throughout.

Sub-communities

Typical sub-community: Suaedeto-Limonietum binervosi Adam 1976. Festuca rubra, Plantago maritima and Artemisia maritima are frequent in this sub-community, the first sometimes in abundance. There are occasional records for a variety of species characteristic of disturbed places on the upper marsh and of strandlines.

Frankenia laevis sub-community: Halimiono-Frankenietum laevis Adam 1976 emend. Frankenia laevis and Limonium bellidifolium are constant in this sub-community which is more species-poor than the above.

Habitat

The community is characteristic of salt-marsh/dune interfaces, spit laterals, eroded dunes and some sanddune lows where there is a base of shingle covered with varying amounts of blown sand and inwashed silt (Chapman 1934, 1960b, Tansley 1939).