Huntingdonshire - Botanical Society of the British Isles

Holme Lode Covert
Middle Covert
TL20278896
TL203892
2008 (DB)
2007 (DB)
Monks Wood SSSI TL19667985 2008 (DB)
This species is a scarce constituent of ancient woodland rides, although it is much better
recorded now than previously. It is best searched for in late summer, once there has been an
opportunity for the fruit to form.
Primula elatior (L.) Hill
Oxlip
National Status: Nationally Scarce, Near
Threatened
County Status: Rare (2 sites, 3 tetrads)
Waresley Wood SSSI
Site Grid Reference Last Record
TL2554
TL2654
2008 (DB)
2008 (DB)
Wennington Wood TL2478 2004 (PB)
Primula elatior is a native perennial herb that is restricted to a compact area of Great Britain,
where it is found, sometimes in local abundance, in ancient woods and copses on the chalky
boulder clay in East Anglia. It is a shade tolerant species, but only flowers in profusion in the
increased light levels that follow tree felling or coppicing. It is confined to an area where the
soils are seasonally waterlogged and ill-aerated and it has a poorly developed drought
tolerance. There has been a steady reduction in the density of this species in woodland sites
during the past centuries, but there has been little change in its hectad distribution. Changes
in climate, woodland management practices and intensities of deer grazing are likely to
adversely affecting populations of this species. Since it colonises new or secondary
woodlands very slowly, management needs to focus on the conservation of ancient seminatural
woodlands. Where this species occurs with Primrose (Primula vulgaris) the two
species are highly inter-fertile, producing a hybrid swarm of the next taxon (Taylor & Woodell,
2008). The population present in Wennington Wood is of introduced origin.
Primula x digenea A. Kerner
Primula elatior x Primula vulgaris
National Status: Nationally Scarce
County Status: Rare (3 sites, 4 tetrads)
Site Grid Reference Last Record
Gamlingay Wood, Hazelcroft TL24075366 2009 (DB)
Waresley Wood SSSI
TL2554
TL2654
2008 (DB)
2008 (DB)
Wennington Wood TL2478 2004 (PB)
This hybrid is fertile and gives rise to hybrid swarms wherever both parents occur together
(Taylor & Woodell, 2008). On this basis this hybrid fails the criteria set out in Section 2. It has
been included in the Register because it can only be found at those few sites where both of
the parent species, one of which is nationally scarce, occur together. The population in
Wennington Wood has arisen in situ but one of its parents, Primula elatior, is an introduction
at this site.
58