Guidelines for the Selection of Biological Heritage Sites
7. Section 2: Species Guidelines
7.1 FLOWERING PLANTS AND FERNS
Application (all flowering plant and fern guidelines)
These guidelines relate to species occurring naturally in Lancashire as defined in paragraph 3.12 of the Introduction. Scientific and common names of flowering plants and ferns are from Stace 2nd Ed (1997).
Ff1 Any site which supports a population of a species listed on Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) or in British Red Data Books: Vascular Plants(1).
Application
Any site with a population of a plant in the above categories should be included, except for those which are the result of recent deliberate introductions (which do not form part of a species recovery programme) or localities where a species occurs as a short-term casual. Relevant species recorded for Lancashire include:
| Alchemilla acutiloba | Lady's-mantle |
| Alchemilla glaucescens | Lady's-mantle |
| Calamagrostis stricta | Narrow Small-reed |
| Cypripedium calceolus | Lady's-slipper |
| Eleocharis austriaca | Northern Spike-rush |
| Limonium britannicum_ cssp. celticum | Rock Sea-lavender |
| Sorbus lancastriensis | Lancaster Whitebeam |
Justification
The species in the above categories are either threatened or rare in Western Europe or Britain and for which there is either an international or national responsibility for their conservation.
Ff2 Any site which supports a native population of a species identified as "scarce" in Scarce Plants in Britain.(2)
Application
All sites with a population of a plant in the above category (Stewart et al. 1994) should be included, except for those which are the result of recent deliberate introductions (which do not form part of a species recovery programme) or localities where a species occurs as a short-term casual. However, the presence of blue moor-grass Sesleria caerulea in Landscape Character Tract D - Silverdale (3) does not, of itself, qualify a site for inclusion. Relevant species recorded for Lancashire include:
| Actaea spicatam | Baneberry |
| Atriplex longipes | Long-stalked Orache |
| Brassica oleracea | Wild Cabbage |
| Bromopsis benekenii | Lesser Hairy-brome |
| Cardamine impatiens | Narrow-leaved Bitter-cress |
| Carex digitata | Fingered Sedge |
| Carex ericetorum | Rare Spring-sedge |
| Centaurium littorale | Seaside Centaury |
| Coincya monensis ssp. monensis | Isle-of-Man Cabbage |
| Crepis mollis | Northern Hawk's-beard |
| Daphne mezereum | Mezereon |
| Dryopteris submontana | Rigid Buckler-fern |
| Epipactis atrorubens | Dark-red Helleborine |
| Epipactis leptochila (including var. dunensis) |
Narrow-lipped Helleborine (Dune Helleborine) |
| Epipactis phyllanthes | Green-flowered Helleborine |
| Equisetum variegatum | Variegated Horsetail |
| Euphorbia portlandica | Portland Spurge |
| Euphrasia rostkoviana ssp. rostkoviana | Eyebright |
| Fumaria purpurea | Purple Ramping-fumitory |
| Galeopsis angustifolia | Red Hemp-nettle |
| Gymnocarpium robertianum | Limestone Fern |
| Helleborus foetidus | Stinking Hellebore |
| Hordelymus europaeus | Wood Barley |
| Impatiens noli-tangere | Touch-me-not Balsam |
| Juncus filiformis | Thread Rush |
| Lepidium latifolium | Dittander |
| Limonium humil | Lax-flowered Sea-lavender |
| Limosella aquatica | Mudwort |
| Minuartia verna | Spring Sandwort |
| Myosotis stolonifera | Pale Forget-me-not |
| Myriophyllum verticillatum | Whorled Water-milfoil |
| Persicaria mitis | Tasteless Water-pepper |
| Polygonatum odoratum | Angular Solomon's-seal |
| Potamogeton coloratus | Fen Pondweed |
| Potamogeton trichoides | Hairlike Pondweed |
| Potentilla neumanniana | Spring Cinquefoil |
| Primula farinosa | Bird's-eye Primrose |
| Pyrola rotundifolia ssp. maritima | Round-leaved Wintergreen |
| Ribes spicatum | Downy Currant |
| Sesleria caerulea | Blue Moor-grass |
| Sorbus rupicola | Rock Whitebeam |
| Stratiotes aloides | Water-soldier |
| Vulpia fasciculata | Dune Fescue |
Justification
The species in the above categories are scarce nationally, occurring in more than 16 but less than and including 100 10km squares in Britain, and there is a national responsibility for their conservation. Blue moor-grass Sesleria caerulea is scarce or absent in all parts of Lancashire with the exception of Landscape Character Tract D(3) where the species is abundant, even on roadside verges, and is not there considered under any overall threat. The most significant sites for this species within Landscape Character Tract D will be covered by other guidelines, eg. Grassland Gr1 and Rock Habitats Ro1.
Ff3 Any site which supports a population of a species categorized as "Endangered" in Provisional Lancashire Red Data List of Vascular Plants.
Application
All sites with a population of a plant in the above category (Lancashire County Council in prep.) not covered by Guidelines Ff1 or Ff2, should be included, except for those populations which are the result of recent deliberate introductions (which do not form part of a species recovery programme) or localities where a species occurs as a short-term casual. A list of relevant species includes:
| Alchemilla filicaulis ssp. filicaulis | Lady's-mantle |
| Allium oleraceum | Field Garlic |
| Alopecurus aequalis | Orange Foxtail |
| Anacamptis pyramidalis | Pyramidal Orchid |
| Anagallis minima | Chaffweed |
| Asperula cynanchica | Squinancywort |
| Asplenium marinum | Sea Spleenwort |
| Asplenium viride | Green Spleenwort |
| Blysmus compressus | Flat-sedge |
| Bromopsis erecta | Upright Brome |
| Calamagrostis canescens | Purple Small-reed |
| Callitriche brutia | Pedunculate Water-starwort |
| Calystegia soldanella | Sea Bindweed |
| Campanula trachelium | Nettle-leaved Bellflower |
| Carex bigelowii | Stiff Sedge |
| Carex diandra | Lesser Tussock-sedge |
| Carex lasiocarpa | Slender Sedge |
| Carex riparia | Greater Pond-sedge |
| Carex strigosa | Thin-spiked Wood-sedge |
| Carex viridula ssp. viridula | Yellow-sedge |
| Carum verticillatum | Whorled Caraway |
| Catabrosa aquatica | Whorl-grass |
| Ceologlossum viride | Frog Orchid |
| Cerastium arvense | Field Mouse-ear |
| Ceratophyllum submersum | Soft Hornwort |
| Cirsium acaule | Dwarf Thistle |
| Cladium mariscus | Great Fen-sedge |
| Cornus suecica | Dwarf Cornel |
| Crepis biennis | Rough Hawk's-beard |
| Crithmum maritimum | Rock Samphire |
| Cryptogramma crispa | Parsley Fern |
| Cynoglossum officinale | Hound's-tongue |
| Draba incana | Hoary Whitlowgrass |
| Dryopteris aemula | Hay-scented Buckler-fern |
| Dryopteris oreades | Mountain Male-fern |
| Eleocharis multicaulis | Many-stalked Spike-rush |
| Epilobium alsinifolium | Chickweed Willowherb |
| Eriophorum latifolium | Broad-leaved Cottongrass |
| Erodium lebelii | Sticky Stork's-bill |
| Euphorbia paralias | Sea Spurge |
| Euphrasia anglica | Eyebright |
| Euphrasia micrantha | Eyebright |
| Filago minima | Small Cudweed |
| Filago vulgaris | Common Cudweed |
| Gagea lutea | Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem |
| Galium boreale | Northern Bedstraw |
| Gentianella campestris | Field Gentian |
| Gnaphalium sylvaticum | Heath Cudweed |
| Groenlandia densa | Opposite-leaved Pondweed |
| Hordeum secalinum | Meadow Barley |
| Hydrocharis morsus-ranae | Frogbit |
| Hymenophyllum wilsonii | Wilson's Filmy-fern |
| Juncus balticus x J. inflexus | a hybrid rush |
| Ledum palustre | Labrador-tea |
| Listera cordata | Lesser Twayblade |
| Lotus glaber | Narrow-leaved Bird's-foot-trefoil |
| Monotropa hypopitys | Yellow Bird's-nest |
| Neottia nidus-avis | Bird's-nest Orchid |
| Nepeta cataria | Cat-mint |
| Orchis morio | Green-winged Orchid |
| Parentucellia viscosa | Yellow Bartsia |
| Pedicularis palustris | Marsh Lousewort |
| Persicaria minor | Small Water-pepper |
| Platanthera bifolia | Lesser Butterfly-orchid |
| Platanthera chlorantha | Greater Butterfly-orchid |
| Populus nigra ssp. betulifolia | Black-poplar |
| Potamogeton x lintonii | Linton's Pondweed |
| Potamogeton lucens | Shining Pondweed |
| Potentilla argentea | Hoary Cinquefoil |
| Puccinellia distans | Reflexed Saltmarsh-grass |
| Ranunculus circinatus | Fan-leaved Water-crowfoot |
| Ranunculus peltatus | Pond Water-crowfoot |
| Rhynchospora alba | White Beak-sedge |
| Rosa obtusifolia | Round-leaved Dog-rose |
| Rumex longifolius | Northern Dock |
| Rumex maritimus | Golden Dock |
| Salix myrsinifolia | Dark-leaved Willow |
| Salix phylicifolia | Tea-leaved Willow |
| Schoenoplectus lacustris | Common Club-rush |
| Schoenus nigricans | Black Bog-rush |
| Scutellaria minor | Lesser Skullcap |
| Silaum silaus | Pepper-saxifrage |
| Sorbus torminalis | Service-tree |
| Sparganium natans | Least Bur-reed |
| Spiranthes spiralis | Autumn Lady's-tresses |
| Stellaria palustris | March Stitchwort |
| Torilis nodosa | Knotted Hedge-parsley |
| Trientalis europaea | Chickweed Wintergreen |
| Utricularia spp. | Bladderwort (any species) |
| Verbena officinalis | Vervain |
| Vicia lathyroides | Spring Vetch |
| Viola tricolor ssp. curtisii | Wild Pansy |
| Wahlenbergia hederacea | Ivy-leaved Bellflower |
Justification
Species covered by this guideline are recorded from 3 or fewer localities in Lancashire and/or are considered at risk of extinction in a County context. The conservation of all sites supporting such species is seen as important in maintaining the biological diversity of Lancashire.
Ff4(a) Any site which supports a population of a species categorized as "Vulnerable" in Provisional Lancashire Red Data List of Vascular Plants where such populations contribute significantly to the distribution pattern, or the total population size, of that species in the County.
Application
Any site with a population of a plant in the above category (Lancashire County Council in prep.) not covered by Guidelines Ff1 or Ff2 may be considered for inclusion, where it significantly extends the geographical range of the species in Lancashire, or supports a significant proportion of the estimated total County population of that species. Populations which are the result of recent deliberate introductions, or localities where a species occurs as a short-term casual, should not be included. A list of relevant species includes:
| Agrimonia procera | Fragrant Agrimony |
| Alisma lanceolatum | Narrow Water-plantain |
| Andromeda polifolia | Bog Rosemary |
| Aphanes australis | Slender Parsley-piert |
| Apium inundatum | Lesser Marshwort |
| Aquilegia vulgaris | Columbine |
| Atriplex laciniata | Frosted Orache |
| Atropa belladonna | Deadly Nightshade |
| Baldellia ranunculoides | Lesser Water-plantain |
| Blackstonia perfoliata | Yellow-wort |
| Botrychium lunaria | Moonwort |
| Callitriche obtusangula | Blunt-fruited Water-starwort |
| Carex acuta | Slender Tufted-sedge |
| Carex elata | Tufted-sedge |
| Carex muricata ssp. lamprocarpa | Prickly Sedge |
| Carex vesicaria | Bladder-sedge |
| Centaurium pulchellum | Lesser Centaury |
| Clinopodium acinos | Basil Thyme |
| Convallaria majalis | Lily-of-the-valley |
| Crambe maritima | Sea-kale |
| Daphne laureola | Spurge-laurel |
| Eleocharis quinqueflora | Few-flowered Spike-rush |
| Epipactis palustris | Marsh Helleborine |
| Equisetum hyemale | Rough Horsetail |
| Erophila glabrescens | Glabrous Whitlowgrass |
| Eryngium maritimum | Sea-holly |
| Euphorbia exigua | Dwarf Spurge |
| Euphrasia arctica ssp. borealis | Eyebright |
| Euphrasia scottica | Eyebright |
| Euphrasia tetraquetra | Eyebright |
| Festuca filiformis | Fine-leaved Sheep's-fescue |
| Frangula alnus | Alder Buckthorn |
| Fumaria bastardii | Tall Ramping-fumitory |
| Fumaria capreolata | White Ramping-fumitory |
| Genista anglica | Petty Whin |
| Geranium columbinum | Long-stalked Crane's-bill |
| Geranium pusillum | Small-flowered Crane's-bill |
| Geranium sanguineum | Bloody Crane's-bill |
| Geranium sylvaticum | Wood Crane's-bill |
| Glaucium flavum | Yellow Horned-poppy |
| Helleborus viridis | Green Hellebore |
| Hippocrepis comosa | Horseshoe Vetch |
| Huperzia selago | Fir Clubmoss |
| Hypericum montanum | Pale St.John's-wort |
| Jasione montana | Sheep's-bit |
| Juncus compressus | Round-fruited Rush |
| Juncus subnodulosus | Blunt-flowered Rush |
| Lithospermum officinale | Common Gromwell |
| Lycopodium clavatum | Stag's-horn Clubmoss |
| Melica nutans | Mountain Melick |
| Myosotis ramosissima | Early Forget-me-not |
| Myrica gale | Bog-myrtle |
| Myriophyllum alterniflorum | Alternate Water-milfoil |
| Oenanthe aquatica | Fine-leaved Water-dropwort |
| Oenanthe fistulosa | Tubular Water-dropwort |
| Ononis spinosa | Spiny Restharrow |
| Ophrys insectifera | Fly Orchid |
| Ornithopus perpusillus | Birds-foot |
| Orobanche minor | Common Broomrape |
| Parnassia palustris | Grass-of-Parnassus |
| Phleum arenarium | Sand Cat's-tail |
| Picris echioides | Bristly Oxtongue |
| Polygonum oxyspermum ssp. raii | Ray's Knotgrass |
| Polypodium cambricum | Southern Polypody |
| Potamogeton alpinus | Red Pondweed |
| Potamogeton pusillus | Lesser Pondweed |
| Ranunculus baudotii | Brackish Water-crowfoot |
| Ranunculus sardous | Hairy Buttercup |
| Rhinanthus minor ssp. stenophyllus | a Yellow-rattle |
| Rosa tomentosa | Harsh Downy-rose |
| Rubus chamaemorus | Cloudberry |
| Rubus saxatilis | Stone Bramble |
| Ruppia maritima | Beaked Tasselweed |
| Salsola kali | Prickly Saltwort |
| Saxifraga hypnoides | Mossy Saxifrage |
| Selaginella selaginoides | Lesser Clubmoss |
| Seriphidium maritimum | Sea Wormwood |
| Spirodela polyrhiza | Greater Duckweed |
| Trifolium striatum | Knotted Clover |
| Viola canina | Heath Dog-violet |
Justification
Species included here are recorded from 4 or more localities in Lancashire, and whilst not in immediate danger of extinction in the County, are nonetheless considered to be at risk and could fall into the endangered category without adequate preventative measures.
Ff4(b) Any site which supports a population of a species categorized as Sensitive in Provisional Lancashire Red Data List of Vascular Plants where such populations contribute exceptionally to the distribution pattern, or the total population size of that species in the County.
Application
Any site with a population of a plant species in the above category (Lancashire County Council in prep.) not covered by Guidelines Ff1 or Ff2 may be considered for inclusion, where the population concerned is either isolated geographically or represents an exceptionally high proportion of the total Lancashire population of that species. Populations which are the result of recent deliberate introductions, or localities where a species occurs as a short-term casual, should not be included. A list of relevant species includes:
| Allium scorodoprasum | Sand Leek |
| Anagallis tenella | Bog Pimpernel |
| Apium graveolens | Wild Celery |
| Arenaria serpyllifolia ssp. leptoclados | Slender Sandwort |
| Atriplex glabriuscula | Babington's Orache |
| Atriplex littoralis | Grass-leaved Orache |
| Berberis vulgaris | Barberry |
| Blysmus rufus | Saltmarsh Flat-sedge |
| Callitriche hermaphroditica | Autumnal Water-starwort |
| Carduus tenuiflorus | Slender Thistle |
| Carex dioica | Dioecious Sedge |
| Carex extensa | Long-bracted Sedge |
| Carex hostiana | Tawny Sedge |
| Carex spicata | Spiked Sedge |
| Carex viridula ssp. brachyrrhyncha | Yellow-sedge |
| Catapodium marinum | Sea Fern-grass |
| Centaurea scabiosa | Greater Knapweed |
| Cerastium semidecandrum | Little Mouse-ear |
| Cirsium heterophyllum | Melancholy Thistle |
| Clematis vitalba | Traveller's-joy |
| Cochlearia pyrenaica | Pyrenean Scurvygrass |
| Crocus nudiflorus | Autumn Crocus |
| Dactylorhiza maculata | Heath Spotted-orchid |
| Dactylorhiza purpurella | Northern Marsh-orchid |
| Eleocharis uniglumis | Slender Spike-rush |
| Euonymus europaeus | Spindle |
| Festuca altissima | Wood Fescue |
| Filipendula vulgaris | Dropwort |
| Galium sterneri | Limestone Bedstraw |
| Gymnadenia conopsea | Fragrant Orchid |
| Hippurus vulgaris | Mare's-tail |
| Hottonia palustris | Water-violet |
| Hypericum androsaemum | Tutsan |
| Hypericum x desetangsii | Des Etangs' St. John's-wort |
| Hypericum humifusum | Trailing St. John's-wort |
| Hypericum maculatum | Imperforate St. John's-wort |
| Inula conyza | Ploughman's-spikenard |
| Juncus ambiguus | Frog Rush |
| Juniperus communis | Common Juniper |
| Lamiastrum galeobdolon | Yellow Archangel |
| Lathraea squamaria | Toothwort |
| Limonium vulgare | Common Sea-lavender |
| Lythrum portula | Water-purslane |
| Menyanthes trifoliata | Bogbean |
| Narcissus pseudonarcissus | Wild Daffodil |
| Nymphaea alba | White Water-lily |
| Ophrys apifera | Bee Orchid |
| Osmunda regalis | Royal Fern |
| Paris quadrifolia | Herb Paris |
| Polygonatum multiflorum | Solomon's-seal |
| Polypodium interjectum | Intermediate Polypody |
| Polystichum setiferum | Soft Shield-fern |
| Ranunculus lingua | Greater Spearwort |
| Ranunculus penicillatus | Stream Water-crowfoot |
| Ranunculus trichophyllus | Thread-leaved Water-crowfoot |
| Rosa pimpinellifolia | Burnet Rose |
| Rosa rubiginosa | Sweet-briar |
| Rumex hydrolapathus | Water Dock |
| Salix triandra | Almond Willow |
| Samolus valerandi | Brookweed |
| Scirpus sylvaticus | Wood Club-rush |
| Scleranthus annuus | Annual Knawel |
| Scrophularia umbrosa | Green Figwort |
| Sedum telephium | Orpine |
| Serratula tinctoria | Saw-wort |
| Stellaria neglecta | Greater Chickweed |
| Stellaria pallida | Lesser Chickweed |
| Symphytum tuberosum | Tuberous Comfrey |
| Thalictrum flavum | Common Meadow-rue |
| Tilia cordata | Small-leaved Lime |
| Trifolium fragiferum | Strawberry Clover |
| Trifolium micranthum | Slender Trefoil |
| Trollius europaeus | Globeflower |
| Vaccinium vitis-idaea | Cowberry |
| Valerianella lacusta | Common Cornsalad |
| Veronica scutellata | Marsh Speedwell |
| Viola hirta | Hairy Violet |
| Viola riechenbachiana | Early Dog-violet |
| Zannichellia palustris | Horned Pondweed |
Justification
Species included here are generally recorded from 10 or more localities in Lancashire, but have very restricted geographical distributions in the County, small total populations, have shown recent rapid decline in abundance or whose habitats are especially vulnerable to loss or change.
(1) Wigginton (1999)
(2) Stewart et al (1994)
(3) See Appendix 1.