Mappp.co - Gwaun Bryn (Bryn Pasture)

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Description

Description A fine example of dry unimproved pasture supporting plant communities characteristic of slightly base-rich and more mesotrophic soils. The site comprises a single steeply-sloping field on a west-facing hillside. The upper slopes are dominated by common bent Agrostis capillaris with frequent sweet vernal-grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, sheep’s-fescue Festuca ovina, red fescue F. rubra, yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens and common bird’s-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus. Characteristic associates include quaking-grass Briza media, spring-sedge Carex caryophyllea, harebell Campanula rotundifolia, lady’s bedstraw Galium verum, mouse-ear hawkweed Pilosella officinarum, fairy flax Linum catharticum, common milkwort Polygala vulgaris and trailing tormentil Potentilla anglica. The lower slopes are dominated by common bent, sweet vernal-grass and Yorkshire-fog Holcus lanatus. A number of calcifuge species occur here, including heath-grass Danthonia decumbens, bitter-vetch Lathyrus montanus, field wood-rush Luzula campestris, tormentil Potentilla erecta and devil’s-bit scabious Succisa pratensis.

Species mentioned

Show the 19 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
sweet vernal grass	Anthoxanthum odoratum	LC	grass	poaceae
quaking grass	Briza media	VU	grass	poaceae
heath grass	Danthonia decumbens	NT	grass	poaceae
sheep's fescue	Festuca ovina	LC	grass	poaceae
Yorkshire fog	Holcus lanatus	LC	grass	poaceae
yellow oat grass	Trisetum flavescens	LC	grass	poaceae
harebell	Campanula rotundifolia	LC	herb	campanulaceae
lady's bedstraw	Galium verum	LC	herb	rubiaceae
bitter vetchling	Lathyrus montanus	Not listed in GB list	herb	fabaceae
fairy flax	Linum catharticum	LC	herb	linaceae
birdsfoot trefoil	Lotus corniculatus	LC	herb	fabaceae
mouse_ear hawkweed	Pilosella officinarum	LC	herb	asteraceae
common milkwort	Polygala vulgaris	VU	herb	polygalaceae
trailing tormentil	Potentilla anglica	LC	herb	rosaceae
tormentil	Potentilla erecta	LC	herb	rosaceae
devils-bit scabious	Succisa pratensis	VU	herb	caprifoliaceae
field wood rush	Luzula campestris	LC	rush	juncaceae
spring-sedge	Carex caryophyllea	NT	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
Black-veined moth Siona lineata	Critically Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
New forest Zygaena viciae	Critically Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria	Endangered	Linum catharticum, Lotus corniculatus
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Slender scotch Zygaena loti	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Dingy skipper Erynnis tages	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	Succisa pratensis
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Galium spp.
White-line dart Euxoa tritici	Vulnerable	Galium verum
Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Festuca ovina
Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii	Vulnerable	Galium spp.
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae	Vulnerable	Potentilla erecta
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp., Festuca spp.
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Festuca ovina, Galium spp.
Silver-spotted skipper Hesperia comma	Near Threatened	Festuca ovina
Wall Lasiommata megera	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp., Holcus lanatus
Rosy minor Litoligia literosa	Near Threatened	Festuca ovina
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.