The woodland flora of the Forest of Writtle and surrounding area
found along grassy paths and rides in Birch, Coppice and Parson's Springs, Ellis Wood, Hockley Shaw,
Great Edney set-aside field and Mill Green Common and shares this habitat with ssp. congesta in Ellis
Wood and Coppice Spring.
Wood Club-rush Scirpus sylvaticus: Recorded in Gibson from Writtle, the site almost certainly being
the far end of the Writtle Belt extension of South Wood, close to the Writtle Gate (TL683053), where it
still occurs to this day.
Bristle Club-rush Isolepsis setacea: A scarce species in Essex, it has been recorded from just two sites
in the survey area, namely, in wet coppice along the south-east edge of College Wood in 1993-94 and
in damp grassland close to Hylands Park House in 2001.
Cyperaceae Sedge Family
Greater Tussock-sedge Carex paniculata: This handsome sedge is confined to The Hyde Lake, where
there are currently two large clumps and 12-15 smaller patches.
False Fox-sedge Carex otrubae: A sedge of stream banks and wet meadows that occasionally occurs
in woodland. Fairly common and widespread in the area as a whole but its only woodland habitats are
Park Ponds Spring, The Moors (Cooksmill Green) and a couple of plantations at Hylands Park.
Spiked Sedge Carex spicata: Again, not a true woodland sedge but recorded here as the only record
for the survey area appears to be in a spinney at Hylands Park.
Prickly Sedge Carex muricata ssp. lamprocarpa: Locally common on dry field banks and waysides
on acidic soils and has even been found on the occasional garden lawn. As a woodland plant it appears
to be confined to the Fryerning-Mill Green ridge, where it has been found in small quantity on the
margins of Mill Green Common, Stoneymore and College Woods.
Grey Sedge Carex divulsa ssp. divulsa: Found in similar habitats to the above but prefers slightly
chalkier soils. Widely distributed throughout the survey area but as a woodland plant appears to be
confined to the margins of Sandpit and Skreens Woods.
Brown Sedge Carex disticha: A declining species in Essex which appears to be confined to damp
acidic habitats in the survey area. Recorded in very small quantity from a coppiced area of Barrow
Wood, an old clay pit at Parson's Spring, the northern end of The Mores, the Writtle Belt (Hylands
Park), heather-grassland at Mill Green Common and a wet meadow alongside Elmfield Farm Copse.
Remote Sedge Carex remota: Common and widespread throughout the area in all manner of damp and
shady habitats, including all eight Forest Springs and their associated Commons, and most of the woods
on the chalky boulder-clay.
Oval Sedge Carex ovalis: Apart from single clumps found growing on a garden lawn at Ingatestone
and the formal gardens al Hylands Park this species appears Io be confined Io the acidic soils of the
main Forest, having been recorded in small quantity from Barrow Wood, Birch Spring, Stoneymore
Wood, The Mores, Mill Green Common, Fryerning Wood, King Wood, The Writtle Belt and a wet
meadow alongside Elmfield Farm Copse.
Hairy Sedge Carex hirta: Still fairly common in wet grassy habitats throughout the area but as a
woodland plant it appears to be confined to Birch Spring, Edney Common, The Moors (Cooksmill
Green) and Skreens Wood.
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 20 (2003)
213