Small cow-wheat  (Melampyrum sylvaticum)

Small cow-wheat in flower

Facts

Kingdom Plantae
Phylum Anthophyta
Class Magnoliopsida
Order Scrophulariales
Family Scrophulariaceae
Genus Melampyrum (4)
Size Height: up to 35 cm (3)
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Status

Classified as Nationally Scarce in Great Britain (1), and protected in Northern Ireland by Schedule 8 of the Wildlife Order, 1985 but is not protected elsewhere in the UK (1).

Description

Small cow-wheat has narrow leaves and produces deep brownish yellow flowers (2).

Range

A locally occurring species in northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, with historic records from Wales. It has become extinct in 70% of the former UK range (1). This species is endemic to Europe, with strongholds in Scandinavia, the Alps and the Balkans (1).

You can view distribution information for this species at the National Biodiversity Network GatewayDisplay NBN Map Button

Habitat

Inhabits relatively open (2), usually broadleaved birch woodlands (3), and occurs on banks, ledges, stream valleys, hollows, and the shores of lakes (1).

Biology

Small cow-wheat is a hemiparasitic plant, this means that it can obtain nutrients from other plants, but can also live independently due to the presence of a root system and the green pigment chlorophyll. It is an annual species, and flowers from June to August (2).

Threats

Current threats to the species include agricultural intensification, with fertiliser application at woodland edges, over grazing in woodlands or the abandonment of grazing, and the planting of non-native tree species (2).

Conservation

Small cow-wheat is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species, the Species Action Plan aims to halt the decline before the year 2005 and return the species to five sites from which it has been lost by 2010 (1). It occurs in three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), which are managed as reserves (1).

The UK Biodiversity Action Plan for this species is available at UK Biodiversity Action Plan

Authentication

Information authenticated by the Forestry Commission:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk

Glossary

Annual: lives or grows for just one year.
Chlorophyll: a group of green pigments found in photosynthetic organisms (photosynthesis is a metabolic process characteristic of plants in which carbon dioxide is reduced, using energy absorbed by the green pigment chlorophyll. Organic compounds are made and oxygen is given off as a by-product).
Hemi-parasitic: plant that obtains some nutrition from a host plant, but is able to survive independently as it possesses the pigment chlorophyll and a root system.

References

  1. UK BAP Species Action Plan (March 2002):
    www.ukbap.org.uk
  2. Press, B. & Gibbons, B. (1993) Photographic field guide: Wild Flowers of Britain and Europe. New Holland (Publishers) Ltd., London.
  3. Paul Gallagher, (2002) Forestry Commission. Pers. comm.
  4. National Biodiversity Network Species Dictionary ( 2002)
    http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nbn