The ''Juncus subnodulosus''–''Cirsium palustre'' fen-meadow is a

plant association A plant community is a collection or association of plant species within a designated geographical unit, which forms a relatively uniform patch, distinguishable from neighboring patches of different vegetation types. The components of each plant ...

J.S. Rodwell. 1998. p. 227 characteristically found on damp ground in portions of western

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

. This type of fen-meadow appears to have co-evolved with human agriculture in Europe since the earlier

Holocene The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togeth ...

.C. Michael Hogan. 2009

Species

The dominant

flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...

species within this

fen-meadow A fen-meadow is a type of peatland, common in North America and Europe, that receives water from precipitation and groundwater. Habitat The continuous flow of mineral-rich and nutrient-poor acidic groundwater through fen-meadow topsoil fosters ...

are:C. Michael Hogan. 2009 *''

Juncus subnodulosus ''Juncus subnodulosus'', the blunt-flowered rush, is a species of rush. It natively occurs from the Mediterranean region across temperate Europe, but it does not range far into Scandinavia. Introduced populations exist in New Zealand and No ...

'' and *''

Cirsium palustre ''Cirsium palustre'', the marsh thistle or European swamp thistle, is a herbaceous biennial (or often perennial) flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. ''Cirsium palustre'' is a tall thistle which reaches up to in height. The strong stems ha ...

''. The ''Juncus subnodulosus-Cirsium palustre'' fen-meadow association typically has the following species present:C. Michael Hogan. 2009 *''

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 ...

'', *''

Equisetum palustre ''Equisetum palustre'', the marsh horsetail, is a plant species belonging to the division of horsetails (Equisetopsida). It is widespread in cooler regions of North America and Eurasia. Description ''Equisetum palustre'' is a perennial crypt ...

'', *''

Holcus lanatus ''Holcus lanatus'' is a perennial grass. The specific epithet ' is Latin for 'woolly' which describes the plant's hairy texture. Common names include Yorkshire fog, tufted grass, and meadow soft grass. In North America, where it is an invasive ...

'', *''

Lotus pedunculatus ''Lotus pedunculatus'' (formerly ''Lotus uliginosus''), the big trefoil, greater bird's-foot-trefoil or marsh bird's-foot trefoil, is a member of the pea family ( Fabaceae). It is a herbaceous perennial growing throughout Europe in damp, open lo ...

'' *''

Mentha aquatica ''Mentha aquatica'' (water mint; syn. ''Mentha hirsuta'' Huds.Euro+Med Plantbase Project''Mentha aquatica'') is a perennial flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae. It grows in moist places and is native to much of Europe, northwest Africa ...

''.

References

* C. Michael Hogan. 2009
''Marsh Thistle: Cirsium palustre'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Strömberg
* J.S. Rodwell. 1998. ''British Plant Communities'' 640 pages

Line notes

Habitats Grasslands Wetlands . British National Vegetation Classification mire communities {{habitat-stub