R. G. Stapledon and T. J. Jenkin 35 



taken the place of A. vulgaris, whilst Festuca rubra has almost completely 

 replaced F. ovina. Lolium perenne, Poa spp. and Dactylis glomerata 

 now contribute substantially to the flora. Trifolium repens is abundant 

 and Lotus major is a distributed plant. Amongst the miscellaneous 

 herbs a number of species are met with as distributed plants which 

 are quite exceptional on the ex-heath types, e.g. Ranunculus acrisj 

 Cardamine pratensis, Carex ovalis, and Ophioglossum vulgatum, whilst 

 on river side alluvia in Radnor and Brecon Poterium officinale is a 

 characteristic plant. 



(6) Permanent pastures (below 300') on ill-drained alluvia, or on 

 glacial drift. This type differs from that on well-drained land chiefly 

 in the Leguminosae and miscellaneous herbs. Lotus major becomes a 

 characteristic and often abundant plant; whilst Trifolium pratense 

 is not plentiful. The chief point in the miscellaneous flora is the advent 

 of such typical monocotyledons as Juncus conglomeratus, J, effusus, 

 and ./. articulatus^ , and a number of Carices of which the following are 

 the most general : Carex panicea, C echinata, C. flava, C. Goodenovii, 

 and C. pulicaris. A number of typical dicotyledons are also proper to 

 this type, e.g. Caltha palustris, Spiraea Ulmaria, Potentilla palusiris, 

 Lychnis Flos-Cuculi and Ranunculus Flammula. 



The gramineous herbage is not very different from that on the well 

 aerated lands, but Deschampsia caespitosa is here a frequent addition, 

 and Briza media, a very rare plant in this district, has only been met 

 with on this type^. Agrostis alba tends to become very plentiful, 

 whilst the true A. stolonifera is more frequent here than elsewhere, and 

 A. alba var. coarctata Hoffm. is to be met with on this type near the 

 sea. Molinia caerulea, Nardus stricta and Triodia decumbens are also 

 occasional plants. 



The essential dift'erence between the grassland on well- and ill-drained 

 land is well seen in the case of rush-sedge pastures which have been 

 almost completely neglected for 50 years and upwards. These then 

 show unmistakable evidence of a return to the more stable moorland 

 vegetation. The Leguminosae fall off considerably being usually only 

 represented by Lotus major and Genista tinctoria ; the dominant grasses 

 become Molinia caerulea, Nardus stricta, and Triodia decumbens, Agrostis 



^ J. articulatus is often relished by stock (in particular dairy cattle) especially in spring 

 when it is tender; and on some experimental plots in Anglesey where the plant was 

 growing on peat, it was much encouraged by phosphatic manures. 



2 Briza media is however a fairly common plant on calcareous loams in Pembroke- 

 shire, on the Cotswolds and in N. Wales. 



3—2 



