British NVC community MG2 (Arrhenatherum elatius- Filipendula ulmaria tall-herb grassland) is one of the mesotrophic grassland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system.

It is a localised community found only in northern England. There are two subcommunities.

Community composition

The following constant species are found in this community:

• Wild Angelica (Angelica sylvestris)
• False Oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatius)
• Crosswort (Cruciata laevipes)
• Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata)
• Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)
• Broad-leaved Willowherb (Epilobium montanum)
• Red Fescue (Festuca rubra)
• Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
• Water Avens (Geum rivale)
• Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium)
• Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis)
• Rough Meadow-grass (Poa trivialis)
• Red Campion (Silene dioica)
• Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
• Common Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
• Swartz's Feather-moss (Eurhynchium swartzii)
• Hart's-tongue Thyme-moss (Plagiomnium undulatum)
• Dented Silk-moss (Plagiothecium denticulatum)
• Bifid Crestwort (Lophocolea bidentata sensu lato)

One rare species, Jacob's-ladder (Polemonium caeruleum), is associated with this community.

Distribution

This community is confined to a small number of localities in northern England - in Derbyshire, Craven and the Cheviots.

Subcommunities

There are two subcommunities:

• the Filipendula ulmaria subcommunity
• the Polemonium caeruleum subcommunity

References

• Rodwell, J. S. (1992) British Plant Communities Volume 3 - Grasslands and montane communities ISBN 0-521-39166-0 (hardback), ISBN 0-521-62719-2 (paperback)