Glannau Tonfanau i Friog

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.6483, -4.1066

Also within

Gwynedd County Eryri / Snowdonia National Park

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Coastal

Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.

Habitats

Hard cliff and cliff slope

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian

Landscape processes: Coastal, Glacial, Volcanic / Igneous

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Species	Season
cormorant	Breeding
cormorant	Roosting
eider	Breeding
eider	Roosting
fulmar	Breeding
fulmar	Roosting
herring gull	Breeding
herring gull	Roosting
peregrine	Breeding
peregrine	Roosting
sand martin	Breeding
sand martin	Roosting

Description

Description This site is of special interest for both its geological and marine biological features. Glannau Tonfanau i Friog is a stretch of coastline, of approximately 11 km, situated in the northern part of Cardigan Bay, Gwynedd. Fairbourne lies just beyond the northern boundary and Broadwater SSSI forms the southern limit of the site. The northern shore is backed by high rocky cliffs, while the majority of the coastline is made up of eroding soft sedimentary cliffs, which descend almost to sea level at the southern end. Glannau Tonfanau i Friog is of special interest for its structural geological and mineralogical features which provide important evidence regarding the age of the Dolgellau Gold-Belt. This coast is also of special interest for its biogenic reefs, specialised rockpools and its extensive, natural, mixed substrate shore. The cliffs and intertidal zone between Tonfanau and Friog are composed of folded and faulted, south-easterly-dipping sedimentary rocks which range in age from the Middle Cambrian (St David’s Series) to Lower Ordovician (Tremadoc Series). The shore is strewn with boulders derived from both the cliffs and re-worked glacial material. Extending off-shore from the southern end of the site is Sarn y Bwch, one of three Sarnau which are unique reef features within Cardigan Bay. They were formed by the action of glacial deposition from the mountains of Snowdonia and are composed of boulders, cobbles and pebbles which provide an unusual habitat for marine life. GEOLOGY The geological interest is located south-west of Friog in a 1.4 km section of coastal cliffs together with the wave-cut platform beneath. The section is underlain by a south-easterly dipping succession of sedimentary rocks which consist of interbedded mudstones, siltstones and sandstones belonging to the Clogau and Maentwrog formations. These rocks are of Middle to Upper Cambrian age and were deposited in a marine sedimentary basin, the Welsh Basin, approximately 520 million years ago. The section is located at the south-western end of the Dolgellau Gold-Belt and displays Cambrian rocks intruded by minor sills and cut by numerous quartz sulphide veins. The latter are strongly enriched in arsenic and bismuth, a geochemical signature which is characteristic of veins within the Gold-Belt, and clearly exhibit a variety of deformational textures including folding, boudinage and fracture cleavage. These important observations provide critical structural evidence which confirms that emplacement of the Gold-Belt veins predated the end- Silurian phase of Caledonian folding and cleavage formation. This conclusion is contrary to the long-held and well-established belief that the veins were emplaced after the Caledonian Orogeny and represents an important discovery with regard to the relative timing of Gold-Belt mineralization and deformation. BIOLOGY The coast here is of special interest for its extensive natural mixed substrata shore, its nationally important honeycomb worm Sabellaria alveolata biogenic reefs, and its associated highly diverse coralline rockpools. The Tonfanau to Friog coast is north-west facing and moderately exposed to wave action. The mixed sediment shore (boulder, cobble, gravel and sand), derived from glacial debris, is typical of this part of Cardigan Bay, and is the second most extensive. Many of the marine intertidal fauna and flora found here are characteristic of these substrata. The barnacle Verruca stroemia is found on the undersides of cobbles and boulders, as are the sea slugs Onchidoris bilamellata and Doris pseudoargus. The peacock worm Sabella pavonina is found living in the sand between the cobbles which protect it from wave action, and the sand tolerant red alga Gracilaria longissima is common. A community of dense, turf-forming red seaweeds including Furcellaria lumbricalis, Gracilaria species, Rhodomela confervoides and Polysiphonia elongata, occur towards the south of the site where the lower shore is influenced by sand scour Close to Sarn y Bwch, brown seaweeds such as bladder wrack Fucus vesiculosus dominate the boulder shore and in places the seaweeds are replaced by a dense covering of edible mussel Mytilus edulis. Sarn y Bwch itself has a sparse covering of barnacles on its cobble substrate and on the south side of the Sarn a small mussel bed is present. The honeycomb worm occurs on the mid and lower shore in extensive reefs. These reefs are made up of tubes of coarse sand grains cemented together, forming rounded golden-brown hummocks, sheets and mounds. The reefs have an important stabilising influence on the shore by consolidating the cobbles and boulders and provide an important habitat for diverse communities of algae and animals. They are the most extensive honeycomb worm reefs in Cardigan Bay. Species associated with the reefs include the sponge Hymeniacidon perleve, the breadcrumb sponge Halichondria panicea, snakelocks anemone Anemonia viridis, dahlia anemone Urticina felina, the barnacle Balanus crenatus, and the bryozoan Flustrellida hispida. The brown algae Cladostephus spongiosus and toothed wrack Fucus serratus and the red algae Gelidium pusillum and Gymnogongrus crenulatus are frequent. The biogenic reef areas are occasionally interspersed with expanses of mobile sand which support communities of burrowing polychaete worms, such as the lug-worm Arenicola marina, the tube-worm Scolelepis squamata, Spirorbis tridentatus and the sand mason worm Lanice conchilega. There are also amphipods including Haustorius arenarius. Where the reefs are interspersed with boulders, these are dominated by bladder wrack and lava bread Porphyra linearis, or mixtures of barnacles such as Semibalanus balanoides and Chthamalus montagui. Species rich shallow rockpools, formed within the biogenic reefs, are the most extensive within Cardigan Bay. These rockpools support a specialised community of coralline algae including species such as Corallina officinalis and Lithophyllum incrustans. Other species include butterfish Pholis gunnellus, shanny Lipophrys pholis, green leaf worm Eulalia viridis and the starfish Asterias rubens. The pools support a variety of red algae including Ahnfeltia plicata, purple lava Porphyra purpurea, carragheen Mastocarpus stellatus, pepper dulse Osmundea pinnatifida and Dumontia contorta. Bladder wrack and C. spongiosus are the dominant brown seaweeds. The pools also provide shelter for numerous invertebrates. These include the barnacles S. balanoides and C. montagui, the shrimp Crangon crangon, the hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus and beadlet anemone Actinia equina. The shellfish include a diversity of species such as the dog whelk Nucella lapillus, the littorinids Littorina littorea and Littorina obtusata, the flat top shell Steromphala umbilicalis and chitons including Lepidochitona cinerea. Upper shore rockpools of varying salinity support communities of ephemeral green algae, along with periwinkles and common limpet Patella vulgata. Hard cliffs in the north of the site are characterised by the orange lichen Caloplaca marina, black-tar lichen Verrucaria maura and small periwinkle Melarhaphe neritoides. Areas of the upper shore influenced by freshwater runoff are dominated by ephemeral green seaweeds such as Enteromorpha species and the scarce Prasiola stipitata. Shell fish such as the grey top shell Steromphala cineraria and rough periwinkle Littorina saxatilis are also present. Of more local interest is the maritime grassland at Tonfanau which includes the following frequent species, common bent Agrostis capillaris, buck’s-horn plantain Plantago coronopus (abundant), bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus, common stork’s bill Erodium cicutarium, sheep’s-fescue Festuca ovina, crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and the lichen Cladonia rangiformis (abundant). Common milkwort Polygala vulgaris is also recorded here. Sand martin Riparia riparia breed within the southern cliffs and eider Somateria mollissima have nested on the shore. This is believed to be only the second record of nesting eider in Wales. Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis, herring gull Larus argentatus, raven Corvus corax , peregrine Falco peregrinus and chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax breed along the cliffs. Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo use the cliffs for roosting and most of these are likely to come from the nearby breeding colony at Craig yr Aderyn (Bird Rock) SSSI. At high tide grey seal Halichoerus grypus, harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena, bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus and common dolphin Delphinus delphis have all been recorded within the site. Grey seal on haul-out have been noted at Sarn y Bwch and otter Lutra lutra is thought to use the intertidal area for feeding. Remarks: The site is adjacent to the Pen Llín a’r Sarnau Special Area of Conservation and Broadwater SSSI. The site supports otter, grey seal, harbour porpoise, common dolphin and bottlenose dolphin, species which are listed under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended and under Annex II (with the exception of the common dolphin) and IV of the European Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora. Parts of the site above mean high water lie within the Snowdonia National Park.

Species mentioned

Show the 64 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
hairy sand weed	Cladostephus spongiosus	Not listed in GB list	algae brown	sphacelariaceae
serrated wrack	Fucus serratus	Not listed in GB list	algae brown	fucaceae
bladder wrack	Fucus vesiculosus	Not listed in GB list	algae brown	fucaceae
no common name	Prasiola stipitata	Not listed in GB list	algae green	prasiolaceae
black scour weed	Ahnfeltia plicata	Not listed in GB list	algae red	ahnfeltiaceae
common coral weed	Corallina officinalis	Not listed in GB list	algae red	corallinaceae
Dumont's tubular weed	Dumontia contorta	Not listed in GB list	algae red	dumontiaceae
clawed forkweed	Furcellaria lumbricalis	Not listed in GB list	algae red	furcellariaceae
creeping straggle weed	Gelidium pusillum	Not listed in GB list	algae red	gelidiaceae
Norwegian fan weed	Gymnogongrus crenulatus	Not listed in GB list	algae red	phyllophoraceae
common pale paint weed	Lithophyllum incrustans	Not listed in GB list	algae red	corallinaceae
grape pip weed	Mastocarpus stellatus	Not listed in GB list	algae red	phyllophoraceae
pepper dulse	Osmundea pinnatifida	Not listed in GB list	algae red	rhodomelaceae
elongate siphon weed	Polysiphonia elongata	Not listed in GB list	algae red	rhodomelaceae
winter laver	Porphyra linearis	Not listed in GB list	algae red	bangiaceae
straggly bush weed	Rhodomela confervoides	Not listed in GB list	algae red	rhodomelaceae
beadlet anenome	Actinia equina	Not listed in GB list	anemone	actiniidae
snakelocks anemone	Anemonia viridis	Not listed in GB list	anemone	actiniidae
sand mason worm	Lanice conchilega	Not listed in GB list	annelid	terebellidae
peacock sand mason worm	Sabella pavonina	Not listed in GB list	annelid	sabellidae
acorn barnacle	Semibalanus balanoides	Not listed in GB list	barnacle	archaeobalanidae
wart barnacle	Verruca stroemia	Not listed in GB list	barnacle	verrucidae
	Phalacrocorax aristotelis	Not listed in GB list	bird	phalacrocoracidae
raven	Corvus corax	LC (Breeding)	bird-corvid	corvidae
chough	Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax	VU (Breeding)	bird-corvid	corvidae
eider	Somateria mollissima	VU (NonBreeding)	bird-duck	anatidae
cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo	NT (Breeding)	bird-frigate	fregatidae
fulmar	Fulmarus glacialis	CR (Breeding)	bird-fulmar	procellariidae
herring gull	Larus argentatus	EN (NonBreeding), EN (Breeding)	bird-gull	laridae
peregrine	Falco peregrinus	LC (Breeding)	bird-hawk	falconidae
sand martin	Riparia riparia	LC (Breeding)	bird-martin	hirundinidae
blue mussel	Mytilus edulis	LC	bivalve	mytilidae
bryozoan	Flustrellida hispida	Not listed in GB list	bryozoan	flustrellidridae
otter	Lutra lutra	LC	carnivore	mustelidae
	Chthamalus montagui	Not listed in GB list	crustacean	chthamalidae
hermit crab	Pagurus bernhardus	Not listed in GB list	crustacean	paguridae
common dolphin	Delphinus delphis	None	dolphin	delphinidae
bottlenose dolphin	Tursiops truncatus	None	dolphin	delphinidae
common starfish	Asterias rubens	Not listed in GB list	echinoderm	asteriidae
common bent	Agrostis capillaris	LC	grass	poaceae
crested dog's tail	Cynosurus cristatus	LC	grass	poaceae
sheep's fescue	Festuca ovina	LC	grass	poaceae
common stork's bill	Erodium cicutarium	LC	herb	hydrobiidae
buck's-horn plantain	Plantago coronopus	LC	herb	plantaginaceae
common milkwort	Polygala vulgaris	VU	herb	polygalaceae
bulbous buttercup	Ranunculus bulbosus	LC	herb	ranunculaceae
	Caloplaca marina	Not listed in GB list	lichen	teloschistaceae
coral moss	Cladonia rangiformis	LC	lichen	no common name
sea tar	Verrucaria maura	Not listed in GB list	lichen	no common name
sea slug	Doris pseudoargus	Not listed in GB list	mollusc	dorididae
periwinkle	Littorina littorea	LC	mollusc	littorinidae
	Littorina saxatilis	Not listed in GB list	mollusc	littorinidae
	Melarhaphe neritoides	LC	mollusc	littorinidae
	Steromphala cineraria	LC	mollusc	trochidae
	Steromphala umbilicalis	LC	mollusc	trochidae
red algae	Gracilaria longissima	Not listed in GB list	plant	gracilariaceae
blow lugworm	Arenicola marina	Not listed in GB list	polychaete	arenicolidae
honeycomb worm	Sabellaria alveolata	Not listed in GB list	polychaete	sabellariidae
harbour porpoise	Phocoena phocoena	None	porpoise	delphinoidea
grey seal	Halichoerus grypus	None	seal	phocidae
gammarid	Haustorius arenarius	Not listed in GB list	shrimp	haustoriidae
breadcomb sponge	Halichondria panicea	Not listed in GB list	sponge	halichondriidae
sponge	Hymeniacidon perleve	Not listed in GB list	sponge	halichondriidae
	Scolelepis squamata	Not listed in GB list	worm	spionidae

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
Glanville fritillary Melitaea cinxia	Endangered	Plantago coronopus
Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	Plantago spp.
Garden dart Euxoa nigricans	Vulnerable	Plantago spp.
Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Festuca ovina
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Ranunculus spp.
Garden tiger Arctia caja	Near Threatened	Plantago spp.
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp., Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp.
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Festuca ovina, Plantago spp.
Silver-spotted skipper Hesperia comma	Near Threatened	Festuca ovina
Wall Lasiommata megera	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp.
Rosy minor Litoligia literosa	Near Threatened	Festuca ovina

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

H7 — Hard cliff and cliff slope, Lowland dry heath

Calluna vulgaris-Scilla verna heath

Matches 5 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Cladonia rangiformis, Festuca ovina, Plantago coronopus, Polygala vulgaris

Show 70 indicator species

Salix repens, Empetrum nigrum subsp.nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea, Erica tetralix, Erica vagans, Juniperus communis, Ulex europaeus, Carex caryophyllea, Carex flacca, Carex nigra, Carex panicea, Carex pulicaris, Carex serotina, Luzula campestris, Luzula multiflora, Selaginella selaginoides, Hypnum cupressiforme, Frullania tamarisci, Cladonia chlorophaea, Cladonia rangiformis, Daucus carota, Achillea millefolium, Hypochaeris radicata, Leontodon saxatilis, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Serratula tinctoria, Jasione montana, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium diffusum, Cerastium fontanum, Silene uniflora, Sedum anglicum, Anthyllis vulneraria, Astragalus danicus, Genista pilosa, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium repens, Centaurium erythraea, Thymus praecox, Scilla verna, Dactylorhiza purpurella, Euphrasia officinalis, Plantago coronopus, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Polygala serpyllifolia, Polygala vulgaris, Rumex acetosa, Primula vulgaris, Filipendula vulgaris, Potentilla erecta, Galium verum, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Aira caryophyllea, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Dactylis glomerata, Danthonia decumbens, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Koeleria macrantha, Molinia caerulea, Nardus stricta, Chara curta

MC5 — Hard cliff and cliff slope

Armeria maritima-Cerastium diffusum ssp. diffusum maritime therophyte community

Matches 4 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Cladonia rangiformis, Festuca ovina, Plantago coronopus

Show 77 indicator species

Carex flacca, Hypnum cupressiforme, Tortella flavovirens, Cladonia chlorophaea, Cladonia foliacea, Cladonia rangiformis, Collema spp., Daucus carota, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Cirsium acaule, Echium vulgare, Jacobaea vulgaris, Leontodon saxatilis, Pilosella officinarum, Senecio vulgaris, Sonchus oleraceus, Taraxacum officianalis, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Myosotis ramosissima, Brassica oleracea, Cochlearia danica, Cochlearia officinalis, Diplotaxis muralis, Jasione montana, Arenaria serpyllifolia, Cerastium diffusum, Cerastium fontanum, Herniaria ciliolata, Sagina apetala, Sagina maritima, Silene uniflora, Spergularia rupicola, Atriplex littoralis, Sedum acre, Sedum anglicum, Euphorbia portlandica, Anthyllis vulneraria, Hippocrepis comosa, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium arvense, Trifolium occidentale, Trifolium repens, Trifolium scabrum, Vicia sativa, Centaurium erythraea, Eriodium cicutarium, Salvia verbenaca, Thymus praecox, Scilla autumnalis, Scilla verna, Radiola linoides, Plantago coronopus, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago maritima, Veronica arvensis, Armeria maritima, Ranunculus acris, Reseda lutea, Filipendula vulgaris, Poterium sanguisorba, Galium verum, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Aira caryophyllea, Aira praecox, Brachypodium pinnatum, Bromus hordeaceous, Catapodium marinum, Catapodium rigidum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Koeleria macrantha, Lolium perenne, Schedonorus arundinaceus

MG1 — Brownfield, Hard cliff and cliff slope

Arrhenatherum elatius grassland

Matches 4 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca ovina, Ranunculus bulbosus

Show 102 indicator species

Hedera helix, Luzula campestris, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Aegopodium podagraria, Anthriscus sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Daucus carota, Heracleum sphondylium, Pimpinella major, Pimpinella saxifraga, Achillea millefolium, Artemisia vulgaris, Carduus nutans, Centaurea nigra, Centaurea scabiosa, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Sonchus asper, Taraxacum officianalis, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Campanula rotundifolia, Knautia arvensis, Scabiosa columbaria, Cerastium fontanum, Silene nutans, Stellaria graminea, Convolvulus arvensis, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Lotus pedunculatus, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Vicia sativa, Vicia sepium, Geranium dissectum, Hypericum perforatum, Clinopodium vulgare, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium album, Origanum vulgare, Teucrium scorodonia, Thymus praecox, Linum catharticum, Chamerion angustifolium, Epilobium hirsutum, Epipactis purpurata, Rhinanthus minor, Papaver dubium, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Rumex crispus, Rumex obtusifolius, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Ficaria verna, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Agrimonia eupatoria, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla reptans, Poterium sanguisorba, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium verum, Urtica dioica, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus pratensis, Anisantha sterilis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Avenula pubescens, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Briza media, Bromopsis erecta, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens, Pteridium aquilinum, Chara vulgaris

H8 — Hard cliff and cliff slope, Lowland dry heath, Upland dry heath

Calluna vulgaris-Ulex gallii heath

Matches 2 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Festuca ovina

Show 59 indicator species

Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea, Erica tetralix, Vaccinium myrtillus, Ulex europaeus, Ulex gallii, Carex binervis, Carex caryophyllea, Carex flacca, Carex pilulifera, Campylopus flexuosus, Dicranum scoparium, Hypnum cupressiforme, Pleurozium schreberi, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Polytrichum juniperinum, Polytrichum piliferum, Cladonia impexa, Cladonia squamosa, Hypochaeris radicata, Jasione montana, Lotus corniculatus, Hypericum pulchrum, Teucrium scorodonia, Thymus praecox, Scilla verna, Linum catharticum, Pedicularis sylvatica, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago maritima, Polygala serpyllifolia, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Poterium sanguisorba, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium saxatile, Galium verum, Viola lactea, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis curtisii, Agrostis stolonifera, Agrostis vinealis, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Avenula pubescens, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Danthonia decumbens, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Molinia caerulea, Nardus stricta, Pteridium aquilinum, Chara curta

MC9 — Hard cliff and cliff slope

Festuca rubra-Holcus lanatus maritime grassland

Matches 2 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Festuca ovina

Show 67 indicator species

Empetrum nigrum subsp.nigrum, Carex caryophyllea, Carex flacca, Carex nigra, Carex panicea, Luzula campestris, Hypnum cupressiforme, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Trichostomum brachydontium, Cladonia chlorophaea, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Daucus carota, Heracleum sphondylium, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Centaurea nigra, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Leontodon saxatilis, Leucanthemum vulgare, Pilosella officinarum, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Serratula tinctoria, Solidago virgaurea, Cochlearia officinalis, Campanula rotundifolia, Cerastium diffusum, Cerastium fontanum, Sagina apetala, Silene uniflora, Sedum anglicum, Euphorbia portlandica, Anthyllis vulneraria, Genista tinctoria, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium repens, Geranium sanguineum, Thymus praecox, Scilla verna, Euphrasia officinalis, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Rumex crispus, Ficaria verna, Ranunculus acris, Potentilla erecta, Galium verum, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Danthonia decumbens, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Koeleria macrantha, Poa pratensis

MG10 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Hard cliff and cliff slope, Upland rush pasture

Holcus lanatus-Juncus effusus rush-pasture

Matches 2 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Cynosurus cristatus

Show 58 indicator species

Carex hirta, Carex panicea, Juncus articulatus, Juncus effusus, Juncus inflexus, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Oenanthe crocata, Caltha palustris, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium palustre, Pulicaria dysenterica, Senecio aquaticus, Taraxacum officianalis, Myosotis scorpioides, Cardamine pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Silene flos-cuculi, Stellaria alsine, Equisetum arvense, Equisetum palustre, Lotus pedunculatus, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Iris pseudacorus, Mentha aquatica, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago major, Polygonum hydropiper, Rumex acetosa, Rumex conglomeratus, Rumex crispus, Rumex obtusifolius, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla anserina, Urtica dioica, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus geniculatus, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Festulolium loliaceum, Glyceria fluitans, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Phalaris arundinacea, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus pratensis

MG12 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Hard cliff and cliff slope

Festuca arundinacea grassland

Matches 2 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Cynosurus cristatus

Show 56 indicator species

Atriplex portulacoides, Carex distans, Carex nigra, Carex otrubae, Eleocharis uniglumis, Juncus acutiflorus, Juncus articulatus, Juncus gerardii, Juncus inflexus, Juncus maritimus, Kindbergia praelonga, Odontites verna, Oenanthe crocata, Oenanthe lachenalii, Torilis japonica, Cirsium arvense, Hypochaeris radicata, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Sonchus arvensis, Taraxacum officianalis, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Cerastium fontanum, Stellaria media agg., Atriplex hastata, Equisetum palustre, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Iris pseudacorus, Triglochin maritimum, Triglochin palustre, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago major, Plantago maritima, Rumex crispus, Glaux maritima, Ranunculus acris, Potentilla anserina, Galium palustre, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia atherica, Elytrigia repens, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Phragmites australis, Poa pratensis, Schedonorus arundinaceus, Schedonorus pratensis