Monmouthshire

Monmouthshire soils vary considerably across the vice-county. The main arable areas are focussed along the M4 corridor and east of the River Usk up to the foothills of the Brecon Beacons. Large areas of the land are clay and impermeable soils with a band of free-draining soil between Abergavenny, Monmouth and Newport. Along the east boundary with Gloucestershire there are patches of limestone derived soil, around Chepstow and east of Monmouth.

Historically, small-scale arable cultivation was a feature of the mixed farming in the area as shown by the 1930s land use survey which is considered a low point in arable cultivation. Growing crops will probably have increased during the World Wars in the 20th Century as there was a greater need to be more self-reliant, and the advent of herbicides and inorganic fertilisers in the mid 20th Century has led to an increase in crop production in some areas as weed control has improved. The good transport links and soils along the M4 corridor, the A40 and A449 through the vice-county has supported a concentration in cultivation with an estimated 26% increase in arable land between the 1930s and 1990s land use surveys.

Monmouthshire is a rich vice-county with records of 20 out of 30 threatened plants. It is the only vice-county with populations of lesser quaking-grass Briza minor and it is a hotspot for stinking chamomile Anthemis cotula. Some of the records of the threatened arable plants are considerably old such as red hemp-nettle Galeopsis angustifolia, darnel Lolium temulentum, prickly poppy Papaver argemone and corn buttercup Ranunculus arvensis. There is one recent record of grass-poly Lythrum hyssopifolia from a market garden but it has not been found since. Both naturally occurring and sown populations of cornflower Centaurea cyanus and corn marigold Glebionis segetum are present in Monmouthshire. Other populations of threatened plants are known to occur on other habitats as well as arable land including henbane Hyoscyamus niger which has been found in a rubbish dump in Newport, weasel’s-snout

Misopates orontium which is present along the road verges near Penpergwm and annual knawel Scleranthus annuus which has been found growing in a stone wall on a farm. A large amount of recording has been undertaken at the tetrad (2x2km squares) level in Monmouthshire, and as a consequence corn mint

Mentha arvensis is well recorded compared to other vice-counties where only hectad (10x10km squares) have been recorded for this threatened species.

Corn spurrey Spergula arvensis and field woundwort Stachys arvensis are also widespread across Monmouthshire and Wales is probably the hotspot for these plants across the UK which can be sparsely distributed elsewhere. Sixty-four tetrads have three or more threatened arable plants and should be targeted for suitable management practices.

Monmouthshire has a large number of areas that qualify as Important Arable Plant Areas as they have good assemblages of arable plants. There are ten tetrads considered to be of National Importance and 29 considered to be of County Importance for arable plants. Many of these areas aren’t targeted for arable plant conservation measures and refinement of the targeting should be undertaken to encourage management measures for arable plants where land is under cultivation. This would help maintain the floral diversity of the farmland and support pollinating insects, farmland birds and small mammals.

Monmouthshire was included in a study of arable land between 2009 and 2012, but it was not comprehensive and there have been no other rigorous surveys of arable land in the vice-county. New populations of threatened arable plants are still being found in the Monmouthshire with both cornflower and lesser quaking-grass records being added in recent years. Monmouthshire is such a rich vice-county for threatened arable plants with good assemblages that further surveys are recommended across the county as it is likely that new populations of threatened arable plants may be found and that good assemblages of arable plants will be identified. In turn these support much of our farmland wildlife including pollinating insects, farmland birds and small mammals.

Monmouthshire 1933-1949 Arable Land Use

The extent of arable land in the 1933-49 period across Monmouthshire was restricted to the lower lying land covering 6965 ha. In total, 340 tetrads out of 426 tetrads had arable land use present. The 1930s are considered a low point in arable land use and the coverage of cultivated land may have been historically much greater.

Locations with little arable land include the uplands and valleys in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons and the Newport Levels and coast. Concentrations of arable land are present along the M4 corridor between Cardiff and Newport, the Usk valley between Newport and Chepstow and between Abergavenny, Monmouth and the vice-county boundary.

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Survey data © Crown 2014. © Natural Resources copyright and database Wales, 2014. right 2014.

± 5 km

Monmouthshire 1979-1991 Arable Land Use

Between the 1933-49 land use survey and 1979-1991 Phase 1 habitat survey of Wales there was a 26% increase in arable land use across Monmouthshire. This goes against the trend of a declining arable industry across Wales with the arable land decreasing in the majority of vice-counties. 9414 ha of arable land was identified in the Phase 1 habitat survey with cultivated parcels of land falling in 302 out of 426 tetrads. Thus, although arable land has increased it is more concentrated compared with arable land use in the 1930-40s.

An increase in arable land in Monmouthshire may be due to the good transport links that the county has as well as favourable loamy soils for growing crops. However, the increase in arable land may also be coupled with an increase in agro-chemical use, herbicides and fertiliser applications, all of which affect the growth of threatened arable plants.

There is less cultivated land in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons west of the A4042. However, concentrations of arable land use are present between Newport and Cardiff, the Usk and Monmouth valley, between the vice-county boundary, Abergavenny and Monmouth, around Devauden and along the M4 corridor between Newport and Chepstow including on the Newport Levels. Some of this land may be grass leys which were mapped as bare ground in the Phase 1 habitat survey.

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± 5 km

Monmouthshire Soil Map

The most common soils in Monmouthshire fall within the clay category and is the dominate substrate for 290 out of 426 tetrads.

Sandy soils are the dominant soil type for 100 tetrads.

In the south east of the vice-county along the border with Gloucestershire there is a seam of limestone bedrock. This has created some calcareous-based soils and lime is considered the dominant soil type for 20 tetrads.

The other category is the dominant substrate for 16 tetrads. This includes deep peat soils that are present on commons and in upland areas as well as disturbed soils following any industrial activity.

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Stinking Chamomile Anthemis cotula

Monmouthshire is a hotspot for stinking chamomile in Wales with many records located on the arable fields between Abergavenny and Usk. The majority of these records have been found recently, post 2010 and suggests that there may be further populations in this area.

There are historical records pre-1986 on the border of Monmouthshire and Herefordshire indicating that stinking chamomile has been known from the vice-county for a long period of time and that the species is not a new addition through sown seed mixtures.

There are records of stinking chamomile that fall into the 1987-1999 date class between Cwmbran, Pontypool and the A449 which may be another area to search for this threatened plant.

Contains Ordnance Survey Vice-county Rare Plant data © Crown copyright Register provided by the and database right 2014. BSBI VC35 Monmouthshire

Recorders February 2014. Contains data from the Tir ± Gofal Monitoring 2009- 5 Data maintained by the 2012. © Welsh km Vice-County Recorder and Government 2014. provided by the Botanical

Society of the British Isles Contains Plantlife and Ireland and accessed Important Arable Plant from the BSBI Distribution Area database data 2014. Database 2014.

Lesser Quaking-grass Briza minor

Monmouthshire is the only location in Wales for lesser quaking-grass. Both populations lie along the A40 corridor between Abergavenny and Monmouth and were found in the most recent date class post-2000.

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Botanical Society of the

Contains data from the Tir British Isles and Ireland ± Gofal Monitoring 2009-2012. 5 and accessed from the © Welsh Government 2014. km BSBI Distribution

Database 2014. Contains Plantlife Important

Arable Plant Area database

data 2014.

Cornflower Centaurea cyanus

The majority of cornflower populations in Monmouthshire are introduced from sown seed mixtures.

There are three historical pre-1986 populations recorded, one population is on the coast between Newport and Cardiff, another is present on a rubbish dump in Newport but has been recorded twice in 1986 and 2006 and the other is on the Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire border along Offa's Dyke. It is unlikely that any of these records are on arable land.

However, there is a very recent record of a cornflower population from a farm near Bettws Newydd that was present growing in two cereal fields. The plant was spread throughout two fields and was thought to be of natural origin germinating from the soil seed bank. Historical records indicate that these fields were cultivated in the 1930-40s and 1980-90s indicating the long period of time that arable management has been undertaken at this location.

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5 Gofal Monitoring 2009- and accessed from the km 2012. © Welsh Government BSBI Distribution 2014. Database 2014.

Contains Plantlife Important Arable Plant Area database data 2014.

Broad-leaved Spurge Euphorbia platyphyllos

There are two populations of broad-leaved spurge in Monmouthshire, both recorded between the date period 1984-2006. The northern population near Monmouth was found in farmland but the habitat for the population near Magor is unknown and may be disturbed ground.

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Red Hemp-nettle Galeopsis angustifolia

There are two historical records for red hemp-nettle in Monmouthshire. The Newport population was recorded in 1837 and the Cwmbran population was recorded in 1909. No habitat description is reported with the records and, as such, it is not possible to know whether these populations were present on arable land or in another type of habitat such as disturbed grassland, waste ground or shingle banks.

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Large-flowered Hemp-nettle Galeopsis speciosa

There is one population of large-flowered hemp-nettle in Monmouthshire recorded with the date period 1984-2006. There is no habitat description associated with the records at Llangua, and thus it is not known whether the population occurs on arable land or in another type of disturbed habitat.

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Corn Marigold Glebionis segetum

One record of corn marigold in Monmouthshire is known to come from an introduced seed mixture. All of the other populations are thought to originate from the soil seed bank.

The records are scattered across Monmouthshire and the majority fall in the middle 1987-1999 date class with only three records from the recent post-2000 date class. None of these populations were found in arable fields. The populations near Magor and in Chepstow were found along a road in urban situations and may originate from introduced seed, and the population south of Monmouth was found at the edge of a pasture.

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5 Vice-County Recorder and km provided by the Botanical Society of the British Isles and Ireland and accessed from the BSBI Distribution Database 2014. Henbane Hyoscyamus niger

All of the henbane records in Monmouthshire are relatively coastal. The most recently recorded population is present at Gold Cliff Pill last recorded in 2003. There is also an inland population recorded in 1995 at Highmoor Hill and the historical records at Newport are from a rubbish tip. None of these populations occur on arable land.

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± 5 Data maintained by the km Vice-County Recorder and provided by the Botanical Society of the British Isles and Ireland and accessed from the BSBI Distribution Database 2014. Field Pepperwort Lepidium campestre

Field pepperwort populations are scattered throughout Monmouthshire. All of the records are thought to originate from the soil seed bank, but the plant does occur on a variety of disturbed habitats and there are few habitat descriptions with many of the records except for the docks and rubbish tip in Newport. Thus, it is not known whether the populations are present on arable land as part of an arable plant flora or in another habitat.

Although the majority of populations appear to be recently recorded, the date range associated with the records is 1984-2006.

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Darnel Lolium temulentum

There are two historical records of darnel in Monmouthshire. The Monmouth population was recorded in 1935 without a habitat description, whilst the Newport population was found on a rubbish tip between 1970- 1986.

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Grass-poly Lythrum hyssopifolia

There is one record for grass-poly in Monmouthshire which was recorded between 1994-1998. The ~30 plants were found growing on light soil near a pond in a market garden on the Monmouthshire - Gloucestershire border near Tintern.

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5 Data maintained by the km Vice-County Recorder and provided by the Botanical Society of the British Isles and Ireland and accessed from the BSBI Distribution Database 2014. Corn mint Mentha arvensis

Corn mint is widely distributed across Monmouthshire. There is a slight discrepancy in some of the tetrad records which were recorded with the date range 1984-2006 and thus have been mapped as falling within the post-2000 date class. This possibly makes the records appear more recent than the actual survey if the population was found in the mid- date range 1987-1999. However, this is a species that is extremely well recorded in the Monmouthshire unlike other vice-counties in Wales with records mapped at a hectad level.

It appears that the majority of records are on farmland. As well as arable land there are also habitat descriptions for tracks, along waterways, woodland rides and grassland.

Contains Ordnance Survey Vice-county Rare Plant data © Crown copyright Register provided by the and database right 2014. BSBI VC35 Monmouthshire Recorders February 2014. Contains data from the Tir ± Gofal Monitoring 2009- Data maintained by the

5 2012. © Welsh Government Vice-County Recorder and km 2014. provided by the Botanical Society of the British Isles Contains Plantlife and Ireland and accessed Important Arable Plant from the BSBI Distribution Area database data 2014. Database 2014.

Weasel's-snout Misopates orontium

There are two locations in Monmouthshire where weasel's-snout has been recorded. The older record from 1980 was found along the road verges near Penpergwm. The more recent record from 1988 north of Magor was on arable land. Although this population appears to be recently identified, this may not be the case. The record has been mapped to the latest date of the range provided 1984- 2006.

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5 Data maintained by the km Vice-County Recorder and provided by the Botanical Society of the British Isles and Ireland and accessed from the BSBI Distribution Database 2014. Prickly Poppy Papaver argemone

Prickly poppy has only been recorded at one location in 1986 near Chepstow.

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Cornfield Knotgrass Polygonum rurivagum

Cornfield knotgrass is a very cryptic species being very similar to the other species in the Polygonaceae and often is not distinguished to species level. For this reason, it may be under-recorded.

There are only two locations for cornfield knotgrass in Monmouthshire north of Bettws Newydd. Both populations were recorded in 2010 from arable fields.

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Corn Buttercup Ranunculus arvensis

All of the corn buttercup records in Monmouthshire fall into the historical pre- 1986 date class. It has been recorded in Raglan, Llangattock-Vibon-Avel, Parc- Seymour, Caldicot and Chepstow.

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Annual Knawel Scleranthus annuus

One population of annual knawel has been identified on a farm in Monmouthshire. The plants were identified in 1997 and 2005 growing on a stone wall.

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5 Data maintained by the km Vice-County Recorder and provided by the Botanical Society of the British Isles and Ireland and accessed from the BSBI Distribution Database 2014. Small-flowered Catchfly Silene gallica

Historically there are scattered records of small-flowered catchfly in Monmouthshire. The two tetrad records mapped in the post- 2000 date class may not be as recent as suggested as the date range is 1984-2006. The population found on waste ground in Newport is probably closely related to the date provided for the point record, 1988. The point record at Itton is dated from 1906 compared with the tetrad record which was recorded between 1987-1999.

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Corn spurrey is distributed across Monmouthshire. The plant survives in both arable fields and disturbed ground such as quarries, tracks, pavements and roadsides and waste tips. Although many of the records appear to be in the recent post-2000 date category, they are noted with the date range 1984-2006 and have been mapped according to the most recent year.

5 Gofal Monitoring 2009- Data maintained by the km 2012. © Welsh Vice-County Recorder and Government 2014. provided by the Botanical Society of the British Isles Contains Plantlife and Ireland and accessed Important Arable Plant from the BSBI Distribution Area database data 2014. Database 2014.

Field Woundwort Stachys arvensis

Field woundwort is widely scattered across Monmouthshire. The majority of records have been dated in the recent post-2000 date category, but the date range associated with the records is 1984-2006. There are many records dated from 2010 onwards supporting the widespread distribution of field woundwort populations.

North of Monmouth, along the border, are a number of older records from 1986 and there are some gaps in distribution within the centre of the vice-county. This may be a result of under-recording on arable land.

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Monmouthshire IAPA Status

Ten of the 425 tetrads in Monmouthshire are considered to be of National Importance for arable plants and 29 are considered to be of County Importance.

Access to arable land is restricted as it is privately owned and often away from footpaths. Arable plants are also under- recorded as they have a low profile compared with the flora of other habitats. Annual plants may not appear every year and this is also a cause of under-recording as cultivated fields may not have been surveyed on a regular basis, or rotation of the arable land around a farm may mean that different fields are cultivated every year.

Arable plants are associated with other disturbed and nutrient poor habitats such as disturbed banks following road works, rubbish dumps with tipped soil and sand dunes. Records associated with these habitats have been removed from this analysis to concentrate solely on arable land.

Generally, the tetrads with higher IAPA scores are concentrated in the main arable agricultural areas of Monmouthshire. There are a few exceptions with records being found on the coastal areas of the Newport wetlands. Monmouthshire seems to be the hotspot for certain plants such as stinking chamomile Anthemis cotula and there are records for the very threatened plants cornflower Centaurea cyanus, large-flowered hemp-nettle Galeopsis speciosa, blue pimpernel Anagallis arvensis ssp foemina, lesser quaking grass Briza minor, and grass-poly Lythrum hyssopifolium. The latter three plants are not recorded outside of Monmouthshire in Wales.

Contains Ordnance Survey Vice-county Rare Plant data © Crown copyright Register provided by the Although arable land has increased in and database right 2014. BSBI VC35 Monmouthshire Monmouthshire over the 20th Century, much Recorders February 2014. of the increase will be associated with the use Contains data from the Tir of pesticides and fertiliser, both of which ± Gofal Monitoring 2009- Data maintained by the affect arable plant distribution. The results 5 2012. © Welsh Vice-County Recorder and indicate that further surveys are required in km Government 2014. provided by the Botanical the main arable areas to the west of the A465 Society of the British Isles and A4042 trunk roads and along the M4 Contains Plantlife and Ireland and accessed corridor between Newport and Cardiff. Important Arable Plant from the BSBI Distribution Area database data 2014. Database 2014.