Kendall's Meadow
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP393980 | — | Favourable | 2.7 | 2023-09-26 |
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Alluvium, Glacial Till
Landscape processes: Fluvial, Glacial
Description
Area, 2.7 ha. 6.67 ac. Description A traditionally managed hay meadow with a diversity and richness of plant life unmatched in the south west of the county, an area otherwise sparse in interest. It is probably the best representative of this grassland community type in the central English Midlands. Biology More than a dozen grass species have been found on this meadow which lies partly on alluvium and partly on boulder clay. The sward is dominated by common bent Agrostis capillaris, red fescue Festuca rubra, crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens. Notably abundant herbs are yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis and cat’s ear Hypochaeris radicata. Well over fifty plant species have so far been recorded, including quaking grass Briza media, saw wort Serratula tinctoria and green winged orchid Anacamptis morio.
Species mentioned
Show the 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| common bent | Agrostis capillaris | LC | grass | poaceae |
| quaking grass | Briza media | VU | grass | poaceae |
| crested dog's tail | Cynosurus cristatus | LC | grass | poaceae |
| red fescue | Festuca rubra | LC | grass | poaceae |
| yellow oat grass | Trisetum flavescens | LC | grass | poaceae |
| green-winged orchid | Anacamptis morio | NT | herb | orchidaceae |
| cat's-ear | Hypochaeris radicata | LC | herb | asteraceae |
| yellow-rattle | Rhinanthus minor | DD | herb | orobanchaceae |
| great burnet | Sanguisorba officinalis | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| saw wort | Serratula tinctoria | VU | herb | asteraceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Reddish buff Acosmetia caliginosa |
Critically Endangered | Serratula tinctoria |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Serratula tinctoria |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Rhinanthus minor |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Festuca rubra |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Agrostis spp., Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp. |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Agrostis 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.