together with scattered bluebell (Endymion non-scriptus (L.) Garcke) and a few
non-flowering wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa Linn.)
Grassland
A grasses survey was made in the wet summer of 1978, when 35 species
were positively identified with the possibility of three more following expert
verification. The roadside edges and the bulk of the Heath outside the heather
areas contain a representative sample of the robust, tall non-woodland species
common in Essex, including meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis Linn.),
slender foxtail (A. myosuroides Huds.), false oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatius
(L.) J. and C. Presl.), barren brome (Bromus sterilis Linn.) and yellow oat-grass
(Trisetum flavescens (L.) Beauv.)
Footpaths and firebreaks as well as grassy clearings in the gorse are grazed
quite heavily by rabbits. Several meadow species are found in these habitats,
such as meadow grass (Poa pratensis Linn.), rough meadow grass (P. trivialis
Linn.), timothy (Phleum pratense Linn.), small cats-tail (P. bertolonii D.C.)
and red fescue (Festuca rubra Linn.)
Recent clearings in the scrub and woodland and also burned areas on the
open Heath are quickly colonised by creeping soft-grass (Holcus mollis Linn.)
This may be only a temporary phase as older areas of gorse clearance seem to
consist mainly of Agrostis species, including velvet bent (A. canina Linn.),
common bent (A. tenuis Sibth.) and black bent (A. gigantea Roth).
The Heather area contains a number of pedigree acid heathland species,
heath grass (Sieglingia decumbens (L.) Bernh.) and purple moor grass (Molinia
caerulea (L.) Moench) are common. Local species include silvery hair grass
(Aira caryophyllea Linn.) and fine-leaved sheep's fescue (Festuca tenuifolia
(Sibth.) Peterm.); mat grass (Nardus stricta Linn.) is reputed to exist in the
heather but was not found during the survey.
The grassland areas of the Heath do not contain a great variety of flowering
plant species probably because of the many fires over the years, and also
because of the constant grazing they receive from rabbits. Rosette-type species
with foliage pressed close to the earth obviously benefit in this situation and the
plantains (Plantago spp.) and common centaury (Centaurium erythraea Rafn.)
are just two species which are extremely numerous.
Hypericum species are well represented, especially trailing St. Johns wort
(Hypericum humifusum Linn.) and elegant St. Johns wort (H. pulchrum Linn.).
Heath milkwort (Polygala serpyllifolia Hose) and harebell (Campanula
rotundifolia Linn.) are fairly common, but lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica
Linn.) has apparently gone. Fairy flax (Linum cartharticum Linn.) was found in
1977, and a spectacular colony of 30 clumps of common star of Bethlehem
(Ornithogalum umbellatum Linn.) is considered in Jermyn's "Flora" to be
probably native.
Colonies of marsh pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris Linn.) and Sneezewort
(Achillea ptarmica Linn.) exist in damp grass with field woodrush (Luzula
campestris (Linn.) DC) and heath woodrush (L. multiflora (Retz.) Lej.) plus its
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