Flora of Wales

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Daffodils at Penrhyn Castle, Bangor. Daffodils at Penrhyn Castle, Bangor - North Wales - geograph.org.uk - 28725.jpg
Daffodils at Penrhyn Castle, Bangor.

The flora of Wales is the assemblage of plant life in Wales.

Contents

Trees

The sessile oak ( Quercus petraea ), one of Wales' most common species, can be found across the region. English holly ( Ilex aquifolium ), one of the few native evergreen trees, can be found in southern Wales. The wych elm ( Ulmus glabra ), a native species, suffers from disease and competition introduced by exotic species. [1]

Flowers

The cuckoo flower ( Cardamine pratensis ), a herbaceous perennial, can be found throughout Wales. Bog rosemary ( Andromeda polifolia ), a small flowering shrub, can be found in central Wales. Within the British Isles, the Snowdon lily ( Gagea serotina ) is found only on the slopes of Snowdon. [2]

Important Plant Areas

Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in Wales are areas of "the highest botanical importance" as determined by Plantlife. [3]

County / Historic countySpeciesHabitat
Anglesey Spotted rock-rose (Tuberaria guttata)Dry, rocky places
Brecknockshire Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis)Wet grassland and pond margins
Caernarvonshire Snowdon lily (Gagea serotina)Mountain rocks
Cardiff Wild leek ( Allium ampeloprasum )Sandy and rocky places near the sea
Cardiganshire Bog-rosemary (Andromeda polifolia)Mid-Wales
Carmarthenshire Whorled caraway (Carum verticillatum)Damp meadows
Denbighshire Limestone woundwort (Stachys alpina)Roadsides and hedges
Flintshire Bell heather (Erica cinerea)Heaths and moors
Glamorgan Yellow whitlow-grass (Draba aizoides)Rocks and old walls
Merioneth Welsh poppy (Meconopsis cambrica)Damp, shady rocks
Monmouthshire Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)Woodland clearings, heaths and banks
Montgomeryshire Spiked speedwell (Veronica spicata)Limestone rocks
Pembrokeshire Thrift (Armeria maritima)Coastal cliffs or astride craggy islands
Radnorshire Radnor lily (Gagea bohemica)Limestone rocks

References

  1. ↑ John White, "Trees: A Field Guide to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe", 2005.
  2. ↑ R. G. Ellis, "Flowering Plants of Wales", 1993.
  3. ↑ Important Plant Areas (Wales) Archived 27 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine Plantlife, Retrieved 26 September 2012.
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