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Whelford Meadow
Whelford Meadow () is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England, notified in 1985. Location and habitat The site lies on the gravels of the Upper Thames basin. It is of significant importance as it contains two nationally rare plants as well as uncommon plants. It is grassland (as its name implies). Whelford Pools (part of the Cotswold Water Park SSSI) are nearby. These are owned and managed by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve. Flora The meadow is dominated by species such as meadowsweet and common couch. A number of different species of sedge have been record and these include the nationally rare downey-fruited sedge (''Carex tomentosa''). Orchids present include southern marsh orchid. Adder's tongue flourishes on this site. The meadow supports fritillary Fritillary may refer to: * Fritillary (plant), a genus of flowering plants in the family Liliaceae * Fritillary (butterfly) This is a list of species of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hectare
The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), that is, square metres (), and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is about and one hectare contains about . In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the ''are'' was defined as 100 square metres, or one square decametre, and the hectare (" hecto-" + "are") was thus 100 ''ares'' or km2 ( square metres). When the metric system was further rationalised in 1960, resulting in the International System of Units (), the ''are'' was not included as a recognised unit. The hectare, however, remains as a non-SI unit accepted for use with the SI and whose use is "expected to continue indefinitely". Though the dekare/decare daa () and are (100 m2) are not officially "accepted for use", they are still used in some contexts. Description The hectare (), although not a unit of SI, is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biological Site Of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man. SSSI/ASSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in the United Kingdom are based upon them, including national nature reserves, Ramsar sites, Special Protection Areas, and Special Areas of Conservation. The acronym "SSSI" is often pronounced "triple-S I". Selection and conservation Sites notified for their biological interest are known as Biological SSSIs (or ASSIs), and those notified for geological or physiographic interest are Geological SSSIs (or ASSIs). Sites may be divided into management units, with some areas including units that are noted for both biological and geological interest. Biological Biological SSSI/ASSIs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire to the east, Wiltshire to the south, Bristol and Somerset to the south-west, and the Wales, Welsh county of Monmouthshire to the west. The city of Gloucester is the largest settlement and the county town. The county is predominantly rural, with an area of and a population of 916,212. After Gloucester (118,555) the largest distinct settlements are Cheltenham (115,940), Stroud (26,080), and Yate (28,350). In the south of the county, the areas around Filton and Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, Kingswood are densely populated and part of Bristol Built-up Area, Bristol built-up area. For Local government in England, local government purposes Gloucestershire comprises a non-metropolitan county, with six districts, and the Unitary authorities ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SSSI Notification
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man. SSSI/ASSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in the United Kingdom are based upon them, including national nature reserves, Ramsar sites, Special Protection Areas, and Special Areas of Conservation. The acronym "SSSI" is often pronounced "triple-S I". Selection and conservation Sites notified for their biological interest are known as Biological SSSIs (or ASSIs), and those notified for geological or physiographic interest are Geological SSSIs (or ASSIs). Sites may be divided into management units, with some areas including units that are noted for both biological and geological interest. Biological Biological SSSI/ASSIs ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn. The river rises at Thames Head in Gloucestershire and flows into the North Sea near Tilbury, Essex and Gravesend, Kent, via the Thames Estuary. From the west, it flows through Oxford (where it is sometimes called the Isis), Reading, Henley-on-Thames and Windsor. The Thames also drains the whole of Greater London. The lower reaches of the river are called the Tideway, derived from its long tidal reach up to Teddington Lock. Its tidal section includes most of its London stretch and has a rise and fall of . From Oxford to the estuary, the Thames drops by . Running through some of the drier parts of mainland Britain and heavily abstracted for drinking water, the Thames' discharge is low considering its length and bre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cotswold Water Park
The Cotswold Lakes (formerly known as Cotswold Water Park) is the United Kingdom's largest marl lake system, straddling the Wiltshire–Gloucestershire border, north-west of Cricklade and south of Cirencester. There are 180 lakes, spread over . The park is a mix of nature conservation activities, including nature reserves; recreation, including sailing, fishing, a country park and beach with water sports and play areas; rural villages; and holiday accommodation. It is a significant area for wildlife and particularly for wintering and breeding birds. The local wildlife trusts (Gloucestershire and Wiltshire) are involved in partnership with the Cotswold Lakes Trust charity in working with local communities and organisations in the area. History The lakes were created in the second half of the 20th century by extraction of glacial Jurassic limestone gravel, which had eroded from the Cotswold Hills, and these filled naturally from rivers and streams after workings began to b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust is the Gloucestershire local partner in a conservation network of 46 The Wildlife Trusts partnership, Wildlife Trusts. The Wildlife Trusts are local charities with the specific aim of protecting the United Kingdom's natural heritage. The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust is managed by a board of trustees elected from its membership who provide overall direction for the development of the trust and there are advisory committees. The work of the trust is carried out through staff and volunteers. History The trust was founded in 1961 and was then named the Gloucestershire Trust for Nature Conservation. Founder members included Peter Scott, Sir Peter Scott, Christopher Cadbury and a group of other local people with the shared interest of nature conservation. The name was changed to the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust in 1991. In 1990, Philippa Scott, Lady Scott became the trust's patron succeeding her late husband, Sir Peter Scott. Originally the tru ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Filipendula Ulmaria
''Filipendula ulmaria'', commonly known as meadowsweet or mead wort, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Rosaceae that grows in damp meadows. It is native throughout most of Europe and Western Asia (Near East and Middle East). It has been introduced and naturalised in North America. Meadowsweet has also been referred to as queen of the meadow, pride of the meadow, meadow-wort, meadow queen, lady of the meadow, dollof, meadsweet, and bridewort. Description The stems, growing to tall, erect and furrowed, reddish to sometimes purple. The leaves are dark-green on the upper side and whitish and downy underneath, much divided, interruptedly pinnate, having a few large serrate leaflets and small intermediate ones. Terminal leaflets are large, 4–8 cm long, and three- to five-lobed. Meadowsweet has delicate, graceful, creamy-white flowers clustered close together in irregularly-branched cymes, having a very strong, sweet smell redolent of antiseptic. They flower from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Common Couch
''Elymus repens'', commonly known as couch grass, is a very common perennial species of grass native to most of Europe, Asia, the Arctic, and northwest Africa. It has been brought into other mild northern climates for forage or erosion control, but is often considered a weed. Other names include common couch, twitch, quick grass, quitch grass (also just quitch), dog grass, quackgrass, scutch grass, and witchgrass.Flora of NW Europe''Elytrigia repens''/ref>Flora of China''Elytrigia repens''/ref> Description It has creeping rhizomes which enable it to grow rapidly across grassland. It has flat, hairy leaves with upright flower spikes. The stems ( 'culms') grow to tall; the leaves are linear, long and broad at the base of the plant, with leaves higher on the stems broad. The flower spike is long, with spikelets long, broad and thick with three to eight florets. The glumes are long, usually without an awn or with only a short one. It flowers at the end of June through to A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyperaceae
The Cyperaceae () are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as wikt:sedge, sedges. The family (biology), family is large; botanists have species description, described some 5,500 known species in about 90 genus, generathe largest being the "true wikt:sedge, sedges" (genus ''Carex''), with over 2,000 species. Distribution Cyperaceae species are widely distributed with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in tropical Asia and tropical South America. While sedges grow in almost all environments, many thrive in wetlands or in poor soils. Community (ecology), Ecological communities dominated by sedges are known as s or as sedge meadows. Classification Some species superficially resemble the closely related Juncaceae , rushes and the more distantly related grasses. Features distinguishing members of the sedge family from grasses or rushes are stems with triangular cross-sections (with occasional exceptions, a notable example be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southern Marsh Orchid
''Dactylorhiza majalis'' subsp. ''praetermissa'', the southern marsh orchid or leopard marsh orchid, is a commonly occurring species of European orchid. Description ''Dactylorhiza majalis'' subsp. ''praetermissa'' grows to tall, with leaves generally unspotted. The flowers, appearing from May to July, are various shades of pink with variable markings. The basal lip of the flower is rounded. This species is able to form hybrids with other ''Dactylorhiza'' species, and crosses with ''Dactylorhiza maculata'' subsp. ''fuchsii'' occur especially often. Distribution and habitat It is native to northern and central Europe (Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Estonia and Latvia). It is also reportedly naturalized in Italy and in parts of Canada (Ontario and Newfoundland). This species is found close to water, in damp alkaline meadows, by ponds, lakes or reservoirs and in dune slacks. Ecology The flowers of this species are pollinated by insec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ophioglossum Vulgatum
''Ophioglossum vulgatum'', commonly known as adder's-tongue, southern adder's-tongue or adder's-tongue fern, is a species of fern in the family ''Ophioglossaceae''. The chloroplast genome was reported to have a size of 138,562 base pairs. Description ''Ophioglossum vulgatum'' grows from a rhizome base to 10–20 cm tall (rarely to 30 cm). It consists of a two-part frond, separated into a 4-12 cm rounded diamond-shaped leaf sheath and narrow branchless spore-bearing spike. The spike has around 10-40 segments on each side. It reproduces by means of spores. Taxonomy Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus species description, described adder's-tongue with the binomial nomenclature, binomial ''Ophioglossum vulgatum'' in his ''Species Plantarum'' of 1753. Distribution It is native to many regions with a wide scattered distribution: throughout temperate through tropical Africa and throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere in Europe, northeastern North America, temperate Asia, and Euras ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
