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| The setting of Woodsides Meadow within the larger complex of ancient grassland of Wendlebury Meads and Mansmoor Closes SSSI. Intensive arable farming and the M40 are but a stone's throw away. |
Woodsides Meadow Nature Reserve just to the north of Charlton-on-Otmoor is a small ridge-and-furrow field of about 3.7 hectares owned by the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBWOT). It is part of a larger complex of ancient grassland known as the Wendlebury Meads and Mansmoor Closes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The hay meadows and pastures of the SSSI represent what would probably once have been common vegetation types around Otmoor and on clay soils across Oxfordshire until they were replaced with economically more viable agricultural grasslands in the second half of the twentieth century. The Nature Reserve is a truly fabulous place, and ones heart aches to think that a much greater area of the countryside may once have resembled it.
This page describes the vascular plant species found at Woodsides Meadow and the beautiful plant communities they form. The importance of this glorious little place I hope should be apparent.
Flora
Ridge-and-furrow is still fairly common at least in the Otmoor area but, even if a site escaped deep ploughing, much has been improved for agriculture through fertiliser application and re-seeding. Woodsides Meadow is very much an exception and is a hotspot of plant diversity in the county. The site has been well botanised over the years: 177 taxa have been recorded, including 14 locally rare/scarce species, 12 sedges, 33 grasses, 16 dandelions, 5 orchids and 3 hybrids. A full list of all the plants recorded from the Nature Reserve (meadow and hedges) is provided below, showing the date each was last seen there. For some a short description of where it can be found is also given. Species on the draft Oxfordshire Rare Plants Register are highlighted in red. The list is compiled from records held by me and from John Killick's Flora of Oxfordshire.
While they might not appeal to more conventional 'wildflower lovers', Woodsides is a particularly good place for sedges, with four of the twelve species rare or scarce in the county. Indeed, Woodsides is one of the very few sites in the county for Carex pulicaris (flea sedge), where it is confined to meadows like Woodsides.
Vegetation
In addition to a diverse flora, the uninterrupted ecological history of Woodsides manifests in its very distinctive plant communities and the patterns among them. Most striking and attractive is the differentiation between the vegetation of the well-drained ridges and the low-lying furrows of the meadow, a feature for which ridge-and-furrow grasslands are widely celebrated.
Most of the sedges are found in the damper furrows, with C. caryophyllea (spring sedge) on the ridges. C. pulicaris, C. distans (distant sedge) and C. hostiana (tawny sedge) are particularly characteristic of old damp meadows and with the grass Molinia caerulea (purple moor-grass) and forbs such as Cirsium dissectum (meadow thistle) and Thalictrum flavum (common meadow rue) lend a fenny feel to the furrows.
The ridges are more colourful dominated by bulky forbs such as...
... Ongoing
| Scientific Name | English Name | Recorder(s) | Date Last Recorded | Comment |
| Acer campestre | field maple | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Hedges |
| Achillea millefolium | yarrow | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Achillea ptarmica | sneezewort | Morris, D. | 2016-07-02 | |
| Agrostis canina | velvet bent | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | Furrow |
| Agrostis capillaris | common bent | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Agrostis stolonifera | creeping bent | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Ajuga reptans | bugle | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Alisma plantago-aquatica | water plantain | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | Pond |
| Alopecurus geniculatus | marsh foxtail | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Alopecurus pratensis | meadow foxtail | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Anacamptis morio | green-winged orchid | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Anthoxanthum odoratum | sweet vernal-grass | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Anthriscus sylvestris | cow parsley | Killick, H.J. | 2008-05-24 | |
| Arctium minus | lesser burdock | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Arrhenatherum elatius | false oat-grass | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Arum maculatum | lords and ladies | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Avenula pubescens | downy oat-grass | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Bellis perennis | daisy | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Betonica officinalis | betony | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Brachypodium sylvaticum | wood false-brome | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Briza media | quaking grass | Morris, D. | 2016-05-26 | |
| Bromopsis ramosa | hairy brome | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Bromus commutatus | meadow brome | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Bromus hordeaceus | soft brome | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Bromus racemosus | smooth brome | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | |
| Calamagrostis epigejos | wood false-reed | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Western edge |
| Cardamine pratensis | cuckoo flower | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Carex caryophyllea | spring sedge | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Carex distans | distant sedge | Killick, H.J. | 2008-05-24 | Furrow |
| Carex disticha | brown sedge | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | |
| Carex flacca | glaucous sedge | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Carex hirta | hairy sedge | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | |
| Carex hostiana | tawny sedge | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | Furrow |
| Carex leporina | oval sedge | Morris, D. | 2016-07-02 | |
| Carex nigra | common sedge | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Carex otrubae | false fox-sedge | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Carex panicea | carnation sedge | Morris, D. | 2016-05-26 | |
| Carex pulicaris | flea sedge | Morris, D. | 2016-05-26 | Furrow |
| Carex vesicaria | bladder sedge | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Centaurea nigra | black knapweed | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Centaurea scabiosa | greater knapweed | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Cerastium fontanum | common mouse-ear | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Cirsium arvense | creeping thistle | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Cirsium dissectum | meadow thistle | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Cirsium palustre | marsh thistle | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Cirsium vulgare | spear thistle | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Cornus sanguinea subsp. sanguinea | dogwood | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Hedges |
| Crataegus laevigata | hawthorn | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Hedges |
| Crataegus monogyna | midland hawthorn | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Hedges |
| Cynosurus cristatus | crested dog's-tail | Morris, D. | 2016-05-26 | |
| Dactylis glomerata | cock's-foot | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Dactylorhiza fuchsii | common spotted orchid | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Dactylorhiza incarnata | early marsh orchid | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Dactylorhiza maculata | heath spotted orchid | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | |
| Danthonia decumbens | heath grass | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | |
| Deschampsia cespitosa | tufted hair-grass | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Eleocharis palustris | common spike-rush | Morris, D. | 2016-05-26 | |
| Eleocharis uniglumis | slender spike-rush | Morris, D. | 2016-07-02 | Furrow |
| Epilobium hirsutum | great willowherb | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Equisetum arvense | field horsetail | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | |
| Festuca rubra | red fescue | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Ficaria verna | wild strawberry | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Filipendula ulmaria | meadowsweet | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Filipendula vulgaris | dropwort | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Fraxinus excelsior | ash | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | Hedges |
| Galium aparine | cleavers | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Galium palustre | marsh bedstraw | Morris, D. | 2016-05-26 | Furrow |
| Galium verum | lady's bedstraw | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Genista tinctoria | dyer's greenweed | Morris, D. | 2016-07-02 | |
| Geranium dissectum | cut-leaved cranesbill | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Glechoma hederacea | ground ivy | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Glyceria fluitans | floating sweet-grass | Killick, H.J. | 2008-05-24 | Pond |
| Glyceria maxima | reed sweet-grass | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Gymnadenia conopsea s.l. | fragrant orchid | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | |
| Heracleum sphondylium | hogweed | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Holcus lanatus | Yorkshire fog | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Hordeum secalinum | meadow barley | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | |
| Hyacinthoides non-scripta | bluebell | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Hypochaeris radicata | cat's-ear | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Juncus articulatus | jointed rush | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | Furrow |
| Juncus conglomeratus | compact rush | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Juncus effusus | soft rush | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Juncus inflexus | hard rush | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Lathyrus pratensis | meadow vetchling | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Leontodon hispidus | rough hawkbit | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Leucanthemum vulgare | oxeye daisy | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Linum catharticum | fairy flax | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | |
| Lolium perenne | perennial rye-grass | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Lotus corniculatus | bird's-foot-trefoil | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Lotus pedunculatus | greater bird's-foot-trefoil | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Luzula campestris | field wood-rush | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Lysimachia nummularia | creeping jenny | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Lythrum salicaria | purple loosestrife | Morris, D. | 2016-07-02 | Furrow |
| Malus pumila | apple | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Hedges |
| Mentha aquatica | water mint | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Mentha aquatica x arvensis = M. x verticillata | water / corn mint hybrid | Morris, D. | 2016-07-02 | Furrow |
| Molinia caerulea | purple moor-grass | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Myosotis discolor | changing forget-me-not | Killick, H.J. | 2008-05-24 | |
| Myosotis scorpioides | water forget-me-not | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Pond |
| Nasturtium officinale agg. | watercress | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Pond |
| Ononis repens | restharrow | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Ononis spinosa | spiney restharrow | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Ophioglossum vulgatum | adder's-tongue fern | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Persicaria amphibia | amphibious bistort | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Phalaris arundinacea | reed canary grass | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Phleum bertolonii | smaller cat's-tail | Morris, D. | 2016-07-02 | |
| Plantago lanceolata | ribwort plantain | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Plantago major | greater plantain | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Plantago media | hoary plantain | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Poa annua | annual meadow-grass | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Poa nemoralis | wood meadow-grass | Morris, D. | 2016-05-08 | Northern Hedge |
| Poa trivialis | rough meadow-grass | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Polygala vulgaris | common milkwort | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Potentilla anglica x reptans = P. x mixta s.s. | cinquefoil hybrid | Morris, D. | 2016-07-02 | |
| Potentilla erecta | tormentil | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Potentilla reptans | creeping cinqufoil | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Primula veris | cowslip | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Prunus spinosa | blackthorn | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Hedges |
| Pulicaria dysenterica | fleabane | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | |
| Quercus robur | oak | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Hedges |
| Ranunculus acris | meadow buttercup | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Ranunculus bulbosus | bulbous buttercup | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Ranunculus flammula subsp. flammula | lesser spearwort | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | |
| Ranunculus repens | creeping buttercup | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Rhinanthus minor | yellow rattle | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Rosa arvensis x canina (R. x irregularis) | field / dog rose hybrid | Morris, D. | 2016-07-02 | |
| Rosa canina | dog rose | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Rubus caesius | dewberry | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Rubus fruticosus agg. | bramble | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Rumex acetosa | common sorrel | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Rumex crispus | curled dock | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Rumex sanguineus | wood dock | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Salix cinerea | grey sallow | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Hedges |
| Salix fragilis s.l. | crack willow | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Hedges |
| Sambucus nigra | elder | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Hedges |
| Sanguisorba officinalis | great burnet | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Schedonorus arundinaceus | tall fescue | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Schedonorus pratensis | meadow fescue | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Scorzoneroides autumnalis | autumn hawkbit | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Scutellaria galericulata | skullcap | Killick, H.J. | 2008-05-24 | Furrow |
| Senecio aquaticus | marsh ragwort | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Serratula tinctoria | saw-wort | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Silaum silaus | pepper saxifrage | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Silene flos-cuculi | ragged-robin | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Solanum dulcamara | bittersweet | Morris, D. | 2016-05-26 | |
| Stellaria holostea | greater stitchwort | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Hedges |
| Succisa pratensis | devils'-bit scabious | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Taraxacum agg. | a dandelion | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Taraxacum bracteatum | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum dilatatum | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum excellens | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum expallidiforme | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum fagerstroemii | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum gelertii | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum haematicum | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum hamatum | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum lacerifolium | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum necessarium | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum pseudohamatum | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum richardsianum | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum subbracteatum | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum sublaeticolor | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum subundulatum | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Taraxacum vastisectum | a dandelion | Flora of Oxfordshire | 1999-05-02 | |
| Thalictrum flavum | common meadow-rue | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | Furrow |
| Trifolium campestre | hop trefoil | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Trifolium dubium | lesser trefoil | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Trifolium medium | zig-zag clover | Killick, H.J. | 2008-05-24 | |
| Trifolium pratense | red clover | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Trifolium repens | white clover | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Ulmus procera | English elm | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | Hedges |
| Urtica dioica | stinging nettle | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Veronica catenata | pink water-speedwell | Morris, D. | 2016-06-17 | Pond |
| Veronica chamaedrys | germander speedwell | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Viburnum lantana | wayfaring tree | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 | |
| Vicia cracca | tufted vetch | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Vicia hirsuta | hairy tare | Morris, D., Powell, L. | 2016-05-08 | |
| Viola canina | heath dog-violet | Macdonald, A.W. | 1999-06-05 |
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