Galley Down Wood
Encyclopedia
Galley Down Wood is a 16.5 hectare
biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Hampshire
, notified in 1988.
The wood is a beech
plantation on a chalk
scarp
slope and plateau. The plantation dates from the mid-twentieth century, and although originally under-planted with larch
, this has now mostly been removed.
Although the ground flora largely consists of ivy (Hedera helix
) and sanicle (Sanicula europaea
), there are several other species present, including three scarce orchids: bird's-nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), white helleborine (Cephalanthera damasonium
), fly orchid (Ophrys insectifera), greater butterfly orchid (Platanthera chlorantha
) and sword-leaved helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia).
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, notified in 1988.
The wood is a beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
plantation on a chalk
Chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. It forms under reasonably deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores....
scarp
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
slope and plateau. The plantation dates from the mid-twentieth century, and although originally under-planted with larch
Larch
Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. Growing from 15 to 50m tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south...
, this has now mostly been removed.
Although the ground flora largely consists of ivy (Hedera helix
Hedera helix
Hedera helix is a species of ivy native to most of Europe and western Asia. It is labeled as an invasive species in a number of areas where it has been introduced.-Description:...
) and sanicle (Sanicula europaea
Sanicula europaea
Sanicula europaea is a perennial plant of the family Apiaceae. It is widespread in shady woodland across Europe.-Growth:...
), there are several other species present, including three scarce orchids: bird's-nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), white helleborine (Cephalanthera damasonium
Cephalanthera damasonium
The White Helleborine is a species of orchid. It is the type species of the genus Cephalanthera....
), fly orchid (Ophrys insectifera), greater butterfly orchid (Platanthera chlorantha
Platanthera chlorantha
Platanthera chlorantha, commonly known as the Greater Butterfly-orchid, is a species of orchid in the genus Platanthera. It can be found throughout Europe and Morocco. The name Platanthera is derived from Greek, meaning "broad anthers", while the species name, chlorantha, means "greenflowered".The...
) and sword-leaved helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia).
Source
- Natural England citation sheet for the site (accessed 27 May 2007)
External links
- Natural England website (SSSI information)