Bistort meadows

Description (English)

Wet and humid meadows of sub-Atlantic Western and Central Europe dominated by, or very rich in, Polygonum bistorta, most characteristic of montane or submontane regions of the Hercynian ranges and neighbouring regions. They include distinctive acidocline Hercynian communities in which Polygonum bistorta is associated with Deschampsia cespitosa or Juncus filiformis, Polygonum bistorta-enriched submontane or montane variants of thistle or ragwort lowland communities of units E3.411 or E3.414, of the montane thistle-globeflower communities of unit E3.412, of the clubrush communities of unit E3.419, peri-Hercynian submontane and lowland thermophilous communities of the Danube basin, and montane communities of the Iberian peninsula. They constitute the principal habitat of the threatened fritillary Proclossiana eunomia, and, at least locally, an important habitat for other threatened butterflies, in particular, the copper Palaeochrysophanus (Lycaena) hippothoe.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification