Cae Penmaes

Also within

Powys County

Habitats

Mesotrophic grassland

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Sandstone

Description

Description The site consists of a single field with a north-easterly aspect, situated at an altitude of 190m in the village of Llanfilo, near Talgarth. The semi-natural vegetation is influenced by the loamy soils derived from the underlying Old Red Sandstone. Cae Penmaes supports an excellent example of the common knapweed -crested dog's-tail Centaurea nigra - Cynosurus cristatus mesotrophic grassland community, characteristic of grazed, traditionally managed hay meadows. This grassland community, which typically supports a rich assemblage of meadow plants, has become scarce as a result of agricultural improvement, and this sizeable example at Penmaes is one of very few known to survive in Brecknock. The sward is dominated by grasses such as sweet vernal-grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and crested dog's-tail, with frequent red fescue Festuca rubra, Yorkshire-fog Holcus lanatus and cock's-foot Dactylis glomerata. The most frequent herbs are common knapweed, red clover Trifolium pratense, meadow buttercup Ranunculus acris, common bird's-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus and ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata. Other characteristic associates such as autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, common sorrel Rumex acetosella, tufted vetch Vicia cracca and cat's-ear Hypochoeris Radicata also occur. Where drainage is impeded, on gleyed soils, areas of meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria are present.The site, though situated on some of the lowest ground in Brecknock, supports several species which are usually more typical of upland hay meadows, such as pignut Conopodium majus and the scarce globeflower Trollius europaeus.

Species mentioned

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.

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