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Transcript
Species fact sheet Field Fleawort Tephroseris integrifolia ssp. integrifolia Field fleawort is a member of the daisy family (Asteraceae). It can grow from 7-30 cm tall and has a single stem with a basal rosette of leaves. The 3-5 cm rosette leaves lie flat on the ground, are round-oval shaped, untoothed, may be cottony and have a short stalk. There are very few stem leaves which are lanceolate and stalkless, clasping the stem. Each plant produces 1-10 orange-yellow flowers that are 1.5-2.5 cm across. The involucre, a collar of bracts at the base of a flower, is 5-8 mm long and the individual bracts have a tuft of hairs at the tip. Field fleawort plants in Anglesey are of the rare endemic ssp. maritima and grow slightly taller, up to 60 cm (not included on the map). Larger plants formerly found in Westmorland and now presumed to be extinct (mapped as this subspecies) may have represented an undescribed taxon. © Bob Gibbons Lifecycle Field fleawort is a biennial or short-lived perennial, flowering in May and June. Seed longevity is thought to be short and grasslands require regular sympathetic management to maintain the right conditions for this scarce plant. Habitat This native plant grows on shallow soils over chalk or more rarely on oolitic limestone. It occurs mainly on species-rich south-facing short calcareous grassland and downland in lowland areas and favours ancient earthworks and tracksides which create a suitable micro-climate. The NVC community that this species is typically associated with is CG2 Festuca ovina – Avenula pratensis grassland. Distribution In England it is confined to the south, particularly the Chilterns, Dorset, the Cotswolds and the South Downs. Field fleawort of the nominate ssp. integrifolia is not present in Wales, Scotland or Ireland but the endemic ssp. maritima occurs on Anglesey. Field fleawort distribution across Britain and Ireland The data used to create these maps has been provided under licence from the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) and accessed from the Society’s online distribution database. Species fact sheet Field Fleawort Tephroseris integrifolia ssp. integrifolia Habitat management for field fleawort Habitat management for field fleawort should focus on restoring the appropriate levels of grazing to maintain a short fine species-rich sward, particularly on ancient earthworks and along tracks. Historical site management should always be reviewed as the baseline if the populations of field fleawort are still present and appear in a similar condition to historical records. Grazing by cattle and ponies and mixed grazing with a few sheep will reduce the coarse grasses and sedges opening up the sward for this species. Mixed grazing will also maintain some bare ground which is important for the germination of this shortlived perennial, and might be the reason why field fleawort is often associated with used trackways. Grazing only by sheep in the flowering period may be detrimental as they may consume the leaf rosettes and especially the flowering stems stopping the plant from completing its lifecycle. Moderate livestock grazing should be undertaken outside of the flowering period, primarily over the autumn and winter period on these dry grasslands. No fertiliser should be applied to calcareous grasslands with field fleawort and over-seeding with more vigorous grasses will potentially increase the sward height and shade-out the more delicate field fleawort. Targeted scrub control will also help populations of field fleawort to survive by removing taller vegetation that out-shades the plants. In particular, scrub clearance on ancient earthworks and along disused trackways with historical records of field fleawort would be particularly beneficial although the possible short longevity of seeds may result in a low rejuvenation rate from the soil seed bank. Scrub management work around surviving populations will help them in the short-term but continuity or re-instatement of adequate grazing is vital for long-term management. Linking neighbouring grasslands with field fleawort using suitable management regimes may enable longerterm survival of the species by connecting populations. Habitat management should focus on restoring appropriate levels of grazing to maintain a short fine species-rich sward, particularly on ancient earthworks and along tracks. GB Status and rarity It is classified as ‘Endangered’ in The Vascular Plant Red Data List for Great Britain 2005 and has suffered a marked decline since 1960 which is still continuing. Outlying sites are considered most vulnerable and in need of urgent action and all surviving populations need to be assessed to establish the factors causing the decline. Field fleawort is a good indicator of high quality grassland and is associated with a suite of declining calcareous grassland plants including purple milk-vetch Astragalus danicus, frog orchid Coeloglossum viride and early gentian Gentianella anglica. Reasons for decline These are not fully understood but include agricultural improvement of grasslands through application of artificial fertilisers, ploughing of grassland to create arable land and re-seeding with more vigorous grass varieties. Abandonment or discontinuity of livestock grazing has resulted in scrub encroachment or replacement of short extremely species-rich communities with coarser less diverse swards. It has declined on some sites that appear well managed and retain otherwise diverse calcareous grassland. Protection under the law This plant is included as a species “of principal importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity” under Section 41 (England) of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Survey method Individual plants are easily distinguishable from neighbours, each one comprising a single rosette and flowering stem. As this species only forms a rosette of leaves in the first year an additional search for these firstyear individuals should also be undertaken, although they will be much harder to detect. The flowering period is quite short, after which plants will be hard to find. © John Lees/Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 14 Rollestone Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 1DX. UK Tel: 01722 342730 [email protected] Funded by Natural England Speaking out for wild plants www.plantlife.org.uk Plantlife International - The Wild Plant Conservation Charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales, Charity Number: 1059559 Registered in Scotland, Charity Number: SC038951 Registered Company Number: 3166339. Registered in England and Wales.