Cae Comin Coch
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Description
Description A small, but species-rich, unimproved pasture of a type now rare in mid Wales. Grasslands of this kind were probably more widespread in the past, but due to land improvement are now of very limited extent. At least a hundred species of flowering plants have been recorded from this site. The freely drained south-facing slopes of the northern half of the site, with many mounds of the yellow meadow and Lasius flavus, support an unusual mixture of both lime-loving and acid-loving plant species. Lime-loving species include cowslip Primula veris, not known now from any other pasture in north Brecknock, fairy flax Linum catharticum and quaking-grass Briza media, whilst more acid-loving species are represented by great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis and betony Betonica officinalis. Species of more neutral soils include oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare and burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga. The southern part of the site is damper, with wet flushes supporting such species as devil's-bit scabious Succisa pratensis, pale sedge Carex pallescens, heath spotted-orchid Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. ericetorum and ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yellow meadow ant | Lasius flavus | Not listed in GB list | ant | formicinae |
| quaking grass | Briza media | VU | grass | poaceae |
| betony | Betonica officinalis | VU | herb | lamiaceae |
| heath spotted orchid | Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. ericetorum | Not listed in GB list | herb | orchidaceae |
| oxeye daisy | Leucanthemum vulgare | LC | herb | asteraceae |
| fairy flax | Linum catharticum | LC | herb | linaceae |
| burnet saxifrage | Pimpinella saxifraga | NT | herb | apiaceae |
| cowslip | Primula veris | LC | herb | primulaceae |
| great burnet | Sanguisorba officinalis | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| ragged-robin | Silene flos-cuculi | LC | herb | carophyllaceae |
| devils-bit scabious | Succisa pratensis | VU | herb | caprifoliaceae |
| pale sedge | Carex pallescens | VU | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria |
Endangered | Linum catharticum |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia |
Vulnerable | Succisa pratensis |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Betonica officinalis, Pimpinella saxifraga |
| Swallowtail papilio Papilio machaon |
Near Threatened | Pimpinella saxifraga |
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.