British NVC community OV15


British NVC community OV15 is one of the open habitat communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of two arable weed communities of light lime-rich soils.
It is a widely distributed community in south-east England, but is found only locally, its distribution being restricted to areas of suitable soils.
There are four subcommunities.

Community composition

The following constant species are found in this community:
Two rare species are associated with the community:
  • Ground-pine
  • Shepherd's-needle
A distinctive feature of most occurrences of this community is the presence, in mid- to late-summer, of Kickxia, represented by one or both of K. spuria and K. elatine, and Euphorbia exigua.

Distribution

This community occurs widely across south-east England, but, being dependent on lime-rich soils, it occurs only locally, typically as a weed community of cereal crops.
It is essentially the same as the Kickxietum spuriae assemblage described by Kruseman and Vlieger.

Subcommunities

There are three subcommunities: