BED 4 - ESTABLISHED CHALK DOWNLAND
Communities grow larger, soil is formed from decayed plant remains and then the fine leaved grass seeds blow in on off-shore winds. These roots bind the communities together forming the wonderful plant mixes of grasses and broad-leaved plants that we see on Seaford Head and the South Downs. These plants are all chalk-loving and one of our most beautiful plant communities in the British Isles. By tradition South Downs chalk grassland is grazed by sheep, cows, rabbits to prevent the further evolution to scrubland and eventual forest which is known as a CLIMAX COMMUNITY.
Plant species in Bed 4 may include: Agrimony, Basil, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Black Medic, Broad-leaved Plantain, Clary, Common Centuary, Cowslip, Daisy, Devil's-bit Scabious, Dropwort, Field Scabious, Goat's Beard, Greater Knapweed, Hedge Bedstraw, Horseshoe Vetch, Kidney Vetch, Lady's Bedstraw, Lesser Knapweed, Marjoram, Meadow Cranesbill, Musk Mallow, Ox-eye Daisy, Red Clover, Rest Harrow, Salad Burnet, Selfheal, Silverweed, Small Scabious, St John's Wort, Thyme, White Clover & Yarrow.
To see a pictures of a plant enter its name in "quotes" in the search function but ignore the B&W ones that come from my photographic website
