British NVC community H7

NVC community H7 (Calluna vulgaris - Scilla verna heath) is one of the heath communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of two communities categorised as maritime heaths.

It is a fairly widespread coastal community. There are five subcommunities.

Community composition
The following eleven constant species are found in this community:
 * Heather (Calluna vulgaris)
 * Bell Heather (Erica cinerea)
 * Sheep's Fescue (Festuca ovina)
 * Yorkshire-fog (Holcus lanatus)
 * Common Cat's-ear (Hypochaeris radicata)
 * Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
 * Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
 * Sea Plantain (Plantago maritima)
 * Tormentil (Potentilla erecta)
 * Spring Squill (Scilla verna)
 * Wild Thyme (Thymus praecox)

The following rare species are associated with the community:


 * Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
 * Purple Milk-vetch (Astragalus danicus)
 * Cornish Heath (Erica vagans)
 * Portland Spurge (Euphorbia portlandica)
 * Hairy Greenweed (Genista pilosa)
 * Fringed Rupturewort (Herniaria ciliolata)
 * Land Quillwort (Isoetes histrix)
 * Spring Sandwort (Minuartia verna)
 * Scottish Primrose (Primula scotica)
 * Autumn Squill (Scilla autumnalis)
 * Spring Squill (Scilla verna)
 * Autumn Ladies'-tresses (Spiranthes spiralis)
 * Twin-headed Clover (Trifolium bocconei)
 * Western Clover (Trifolium occidentale)

Distribution
This community is found all around the coasts of Scotland, western Wales, Devon and Cornwall.

Subcommunities
There are five subcommunities:
 * the Armeria maritima subcommunity
 * the Viola riviniana subcommunity
 * the Erica tetralix subcommunity
 * the Empetrum nigrum ssp. nigrum subcommunity
 * the Calluna vulgaris subcommunity