NVC community W8 (Fraxinus excelsior - Acer campestre - Mercurialis perennis woodland) is one of the woodland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of the six communities falling in the "mixed deciduous and oak/birch woodlands" group.

This is a widely distributed community. There are seven subcommunities.

Community composition[edit]

Six constant species are found in this community:

• Field Maple (Acer campestre)
• Hazel (Corylus avellana)
• Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
• Dog's-mercury (Mercurialis perennis)
• Bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.)
• Common Feather-moss (Eurhynchium praelongum)

The following rare species are also associated with the community:

• Narrow-leaved Bittercress (Cardamine impatiens)
• Mezereon (Daphne mezereum)
• Wood Fescue (Festuca altissima)
• Mountain Currant (Ribes alpinum)
• Oxlip (Primula elatior)
• Primula × digenea, the hybrid between Oxlip and Primrose (P. vulgaris)
• Large-leaved Lime (Tilia platyphyllos)

Distribution[edit]

This community is widespread throughout lowland Britain, becoming scarcer in the north and west, where it is replaced by community W9.

Subcommunities[edit]

There are seven subcommunities:

• the Primula vulgaris - Glechoma hederacea subcommunity
• the Anemone nemorosa subcommunity
• the Deschampsia cespitosa subcommunity
• the Hedera helix subcommunity
• the Geranium robertianum subcommunity
• the Allium ursinum subcommunity
• the Teucrium scorodonia subcommunity

References[edit]

• Rodwell, J. S. (1991) British Plant Communities Volume 1 - Woodlands and scrub ISBN 0-521-23558-8 (hardback), ISBN 0-521-62721-4 (paperback)