British NVC community H7
# 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
