Wildlife Area full Report

MAYER PARK NATURE AREA BOTANICAL SURVEY SJ33508445
Hilary Ash & Mike Inger 15/6/21 (including some records at other dates)
Species abundance is estimated within the habitat on the DAFOR scale: D=dominant, A=abundant, F=frequent, O=occasional, R=rare, L=locally.
Trees and shrubs
Mostly trees from the former allotments or self-sown in recent decades, so no division into canopy and understory. Shade cover about 50%.
Acer platanoides Norway maple R edge
Acer pseudoplatanus sycamore F
Aesculus hippocastanum horse chestnut O
Alnus glutinosa alder R sapling
Betula pendula silver birch R sapling
Buddleja davidii buddleia R
Carpinus betulus hornbeam R
Corylus avellana hazel F
Cotoneaster sp tree cotoneaster R
Crataegus monogyna hawthorn F,LA
Eucalyptus sp eucalyptus R
Fagus sylvatica beech R edge
Fraxinus excelsior ash O
Ilex aquifolium holly
Larix decidua larch R
Ligustrum ovalifolium Aureum golden privet R
Malus pumila apple cultivar R
Prunus avium wild cherry R
Prunus lusitanica Portuguese laurel R
Rosa canina dog rose R
Quercus robur pedunculate oak O saplings
Salix caprea goat willow A
Salix cinerea sallow A
Salix viminalis osier O
Sambucus nigra elder O
Sorbus aria whitebeam R
Sorbus aucuparia rowan R sapling
Spiraea cultivar bridewort R,LA
Taxus baccata yew O
Ulmus glabra wych elm R sapling
Viburnum opulus guelder rose R

Ash – one mature tree plus occasional saplings. Some of saplings showing Ash Dieback Disease.
Horse chestnut – one mature tree and occasional saplings.Recent planting just outside the main block on south side, in brambly triangle: a few trees of whitebeam and a hawthorn relative. Two

silver birch planted on south edge of main block. All planted as heavy standards.

Field layer - bramble scrub and tall herb
A mix of survivors from allotment days e.g. mint, raspberry, gooseberry and colonists since. MI remembers the allotments being worked when he first started at Unilever in 1986. Vandalism, shade and lack of vehicular access led to their abandonment in the 1990s/early 2000s.
Acer pseudoplatanus sycamore seedling O
Aegopodium podagraria ground elder A
Agrostis capillaris common bent R
Allium ursinum ramsons R,LA by railway
Anthriscus sylvestris cow parsley R,LA
Aster sp Michaelmas daisy R
Bambusoideae family bamboo R
Calystegia silvatica large bindweed O,LA
Carex pendula pendulous sedge R
Chamaenerion angustifolium rosebay willowherb O,LA
Cirsium arvense creeping thistle O,LA
Crataegus monogyna hawthorn seedling R
Cyclamen sp cyclamen R,LA in Dell
Dactylis glomerata cocksfoot R
Digitalis purpurea foxglove R
Dryopteris filix-mas male fern O
Epilobium hirsutum great willowherb F,LA
Epilobium montanum broad-lvd willowherb R
Equisetum arvense field horsetail O,LA
Galium aparine cleavers O,LF
Geranium endressii French’s cranesbill R
Geranium `Johnson’s blue’ Johnson’s blue R
Geum urbanum wood avens O,LA
Hedera helix ivy O
Hedera `Atlantica’ Irish ivy R,LA climbing
Heracleum sphondylium hogweed O
Holcus lanatus Yorkshire fog O
Holcus mollis soft-grass R,LA
Hyacinthoides x massartiana hybrid bluebell O
Ilex aquifolium holly seedling R
Iris foetidissima stinking iris R
Iris pseudacorus yellow flag R,LA
Lolium perenne ryegrass R
Lonicera periclymenum honeysuckle R
Lupinus x regalis lupin cultivar R
Mentha x villosa apple-mint O,LA path edge
Narcissus cultivar garden daffodil R in Dell
Pentaglottis sempervirens green alkanet R
Plantago major plantain O,E
Poa trivialis rough meadow-grass O
Ranunculus repens creeping buttercup O
Ribes uva-crispa gooseberry O,LA edge
Rubus fruticosus bramble A
Rubus idaeus raspberry F
Rumex crispus curled dock O
Rumex obtusifolius broad-lvd dock F
Sagina procumbens pearlwort R,E
Senecio jacobaea ragwort O,LA
Sisymbrium officinale hedge mustard R
Stachys sylvatica hedge woundwort O
Symphytum x uplandicum Russian comfrey O
Tanacetum vulgare tansy R,LA
Taraxacum agg. Dandelion R
Tilia platyphyllos large-leaved lime R seedling
Trifolium repens white clover O,E
Urtica dioica stinging nettle A
Veronica filiformis slender speedwell R
Viola riviniana dog violet R,LF in Dell