British NVC community CG1
NVC community CG1 (Festuca ovina - Carlina vulgaris grassland) is one of the calcicolous grassland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of three short-sward communities associated with heavy grazing, within the lowland calcicolous grassland group, and is regarded as the south-west coastal counterpart of "typical" chalk grassland (community CG2).
It is a comparatively localised community. There are six subcommunities.
Community composition
The following constant species are found in this community:
- Carline Thistle Carlina vulgaris
 - Cock's-foot Dactylis glomerata
 - Sheep's Fescue (Festuca ovina)
 - Mouse-ear Hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella)
 - Common Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
 - Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
 - Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor)
 - Wild Thyme (Thymus praecox)
 
The following rare species are also associated with the community:
- Bristol Rock-cress Arabis stricta
 - Goldilocks Aster Aster linosyris
 - Small Hare's-ear Bupleurum baldense
 - Dwarf Sedge Carex humilis
 - Dwarf Mouse-ear Cerastium pumilum
 - Yellow Whitlowgrass Draba aizoides
 - Portland Spurge Euphorbia portlandica
 - Early Gentian Gentianella anglica
 - White Rock-rose Helianthemum apenninum
 - Hoary Rock-rose Helianthemum canum
 - the hybrid between White and Hoary Rock-roses Helianthemum × sulfureum
 - Spotted Cat's-ear Hypochoeris maculata
 - Somerset Hair-grass Koeleria vallesiana
 - Spring Cinquefoil Potentilla tabernaemontani
 - Autumn Squill Scilla autumnalis
 - Spring Squill Scilla verna
 - Rock Stonecrop Sedum forsterianum
 - Silver Ragwort Senecio cineraria
 - Spiked Speedwell Veronica spicata
 - Curving Feather-moss Scorpiurium circinatum
 - Neat Crisp-moss Tortella nitida
 
Distribution
This community is found in scattered locations on limestone sites around the south and west coasts of Britain.
Subcommunities
There are six subcommunities:
- the Carex humilis subcommunity
 - the Scilla autumnalis - Euphorbia portlandica subcommunity
 - the Trinia glauca subcommunity
 - the Helianthemum canum subcommunity
 - the Koeleria macrantha subcommunity
 - the Festuca rubra - Scilla verna subcommunity
 
References
- Rodwell, J. S. (1992) British Plant Communities Volume 3 - Grasslands and montane communities ISBN 0-521-39166-0 (hardback), ISBN 0-521-62719-2 (paperback)