U7
Irish-British hardwood alluvial forests (Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Salix atrocinerea) in combination with willow alluvial forests (Salix fragilis, Salix alba, Salix viminalis)
Description
Forests of oak, ash, elm and locally black poplar form a tree layer of 20 m in height and more. The introduced Acer pseudoplatanus can be very abundant locally. Upgrowths of the above-mentioned species form a second tree layer with Betula pubescens, Prunus avium, P, padus and Malus sylvestris. On moister soils the alder forms a part of the tree layer. The shrub layer is relatively species-rich. The herb layer in the summer is dominated on moist soils by high, luxuriantly growing and nitrophilous species. Allium ursinum and Ranunculus ficaria form the spring aspect. Ferns are abundant in the west and north. Old channels and ponds form biotopes for alder carrs and aquatic communities. Gallery forests of willows form an open tree layer.
U7a: Hardwood alluvial forest
U7b: Willow alluvial forest
Tree Layer
U7a: Quercus robur (Common Oak), Fraxinus excelsior (Common Ash), Ulmus glabra (Elm), Alnus glutinosa (Common Alder), locally Acer pseudoplatanus (introduced) (Field Maple), Prunus avium (Common Linden), Prunus padus (Wild Plum), Betula pubescens (Downy Birch);
Common Oak, Common Ash, Elm, Common Alder, locally Field Maple, Common Linden and Downy Birch
U7b: Salix fragilis (Crack Willow), Salix alba (White Willow), Salix viminalis (White Willow Bush) in gallery forests.
Crack Willow, White Willow and White Willow Bush
Shrub Layer
Crataegus monogyna (Hawthorn), Prunus spinosa (Blackthorn), Viburnum opulus (Linden Bush), Euonymus europaea (Spindle), Salix cinerea (White Willow Bush), Salix atrocinerea (Crack Willow), Sambucus nigra (Elder), Corylus avellana (Hazel), Rubus fruticosus agg. (Fruiting Bramble)
Alder, Oak, Apple, Willow and Downy Willow saplings
Lianas
Hedera helix, Lonicera periclymenum, Humulus lupulus
Herb Layer
Urtica dioica (wild_overgrown_nettles), Galium aparine (greater_wood_rush), Milium effusum (green_meadow_fescue), Agrostis stolonifera (kentucky_bluegrass), Deschampsia cespitosa (bottle_sedge), Allium ursinum (ABSENT), Ranunculus ficaria (wild_parsley), Carex remota (bottle_sedge), Carex sylvatica (woodland_sedge), Anemone nemorosa (ABSENT), Circaea lutetiana (sweet_woodruff), Glechoma hederacea (wild_parsley), Dryopteris dilatata (fern_1, bracken, fern), Dryopteris filix-mas (fern_1, bracken, fern), Dryopteris affinis subsp. Borreri(fern_1, bracken, fern), Athyrium filix-femina (fern_1, bracken, fern)
Rivers in Eriador, incl. the Lhûn and upper Baranduin
