Mappp.co - Little Byefields Meadow

Also within

Herefordshire County Malvern Hills Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SO745490	—	Favourable	1.42	2016-05-24

Habitats

Lowland meadow and pasture

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Silurian

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Species	Season
cuckoo	Unknown

Description

Area, 1.29 ha. 3.2 ac. Description Little Byefields meadow is a species rich lowland meadow situated on the flanks, of the northern foothills of the Malvern hills. It lies on base rich soils, derived from the limestones of the Silurian series. Once common in this part of Herefordshire meadows like this have largely disappeared due to changes in agricultural practice. The grasses of the meadow are dominated by species such as meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus. Glaucous sedge Carex flacca is also present. The herbaceous flora is very diverse and contains such characteristic plants as the greater and lesser knapweeds Centaurea scabiosa and C. nigra, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, tufted vetch Vicia cracca and lady's bedstraw Galium verum. In wetter parts of the meadow, meadow sweet Filipendula ulmaria, cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis and creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia are common species. Amongst other plants found in the meadow are meadow saxifrage Saxifraga granulataa and frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis both of which are uncommon in this part of Britain.

Species mentioned

Show the 12 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status

English name search for this in other sites	Latin name search with Google	IUCN / Red List	Type	Family
meadow foxtail	Alopecurus pratensis	LC	grass	poaceae
sweet vernal grass	Anthoxanthum odoratum	LC	grass	poaceae
Yorkshire fog	Holcus lanatus	LC	grass	poaceae
cuckoo-flower	Cardamine pratensis	LC	herb	brassicaceae
greater knapweed	Centaurea scabiosa	LC	herb	asteraceae
frog orchid	Dactylorhiza viridis	VU	herb	orchidaceae
meadow sweet	Filipendula ulmaria	LC	herb	rosaceae
lady's bedstraw	Galium verum	LC	herb	rubiaceae
creeping-Jenny	Lysimachia nummularia	LC	herb	primulaceae
pepper saxifrage	Silaum silaus	EN	herb	saxifragaceae
tufted vetch	Vicia cracca	LC	herb	fabaceae
glaucus sedge	Carex flacca	LC	sedge	cyperaceae

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

Species	Status	Via host-plant
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Vicia cracca
Scarce blackneck Lygephila craccae	Endangered	Vicia cracca
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Filipendula ulmaria
Least minor Photedes captiuncula	Endangered	Carex flacca
Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	Centaurea scabiosa
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Centaurea spp., Filipendula ulmaria, Galium spp.
White-line dart Euxoa tritici	Vulnerable	Galium verum
Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii	Vulnerable	Galium spp.
Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata	Near Threatened	Vicia cracca
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Galium spp.
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Centaurea spp.
Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae	Near Threatened	Centaurea scabiosa
Wall Lasiommata megera	Near Threatened	Holcus lanatus
Rosy minor Litoligia literosa	Near Threatened	Carex flacca
The blackneck Lygephila pastinum	Near Threatened	Vicia cracca
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata	Near Threatened	Galium spp.

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Plant communities

MG5 — Lowland meadow and pasture, Traditional orchard

Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland

Matches 9 species from the description above: Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Cardamine pratensis, Carex flacca, Filipendula ulmaria, Galium verum, Holcus lanatus, Silaum silaus, Vicia cracca

Show 81 indicator species

Carex caryophyllea, Carex flacca, Carex panicea, Juncus articulatus, Juncus effusus, Juncus inflexus, Luzula campestris, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Pimpinella saxifraga, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Taraxacum officianalis, Cardamine pratensis, Knautia arvensis, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Colchicum autumnale, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium dubium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago media, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Agrimonia eupatoria, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla vestita, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla erecta, Potentilla reptans, Poterium sanguisorba, Galium verum, Silaum silaus, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Avenula pubescens, Briza media, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Danthonia decumbens, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Koeleria macrantha, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus arundinaceus, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Chara curta

MG4 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Lowland meadow and pasture

Alopecurus pratensis-Sanguisorba officinalis grassland

Matches 8 species from the description above: Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Cardamine pratensis, Filipendula ulmaria, Galium verum, Holcus lanatus, Silaum silaus, Vicia cracca

Show 71 indicator species

Carex acutiformis, Carex hirta, Carex panicea, Juncus articulatus, Juncus inflexus, Luzula campestris, Plagiomnium elatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Heracleum sphondylium, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Caltha palustris, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium palustre, Hypochaeris radicata, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Serratula tinctoria, Taraxacum officianalis, Cardamine pratensis, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Equisetum arvense, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium dubium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Vicia sepium, Fritillaria meleagris, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica serpyllifolia, Rumex acetosa, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Thalictrum flavum, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla anglica, Sanguisorba officinalis, Galium verum, Silaum silaus, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Briza media, Bromopsis erecta, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus arundinaceus, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens, Chara curta

MG8 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Lowland meadow and pasture

Cynosurus cristatus-Caltha palustris grassland

Matches 5 species from the description above: Anthoxanthum odoratum, Cardamine pratensis, Carex flacca, Filipendula ulmaria, Holcus lanatus

Show 70 indicator species

Carex demissa, Carex distans, Carex flacca, Carex nigra, Carex panicea, Eleocharis palustris, Juncus acutiflorus, Juncus articulatus, Juncus effusus, Luzula campestris, Plagiomnium rostratum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Achillea ptarmica, Bellis perennis, Caltha palustris, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium palustre, Crepis paludosa, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Senecio aquaticus, Taraxacum officianalis, Myosotis scorpioides, Cardamine pratensis, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana dioica, Cerastium fontanum, Silene flos-cuculi, Equisetum arvense, Equisetum palustre, Lotus corniculatus, Lotus pedunculatus, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Mentha aquatica, Euphrasia nemorosa, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Trollius europaeus, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Sanguisorba officinalis, Galium palustre, Galium uliginosum, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Avenula pubescens, Briza media, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Glyceria declinata, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus pratensis, Dryopteris expansa