Brecon Beacons/ Bannau Brycheiniog

General site character

• Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (1.9%)
  
• Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (20.7%)
  
• Dry grassland, Steppes (52.9%)
  
• Inland rocks, Screes, Sands, Permanent Snow and ice (24.5%)
  

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

• 8210 Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation

  The Old Red Sandstone cliffs of the Brecon Beacons support the most southerly representation of Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation in the UK. The relatively high base-status of the actively eroding rocks has resulted in a chasmophytic flora which is comparatively rich for this southerly site. Species include purple saxifrage Saxifraga oppositifolia at its most southerly British location, green spleenwort Asplenium viride, brittle bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis and several rare Hieracium spp. Nationally scarce bryophyte species include Plagiopus oederianus and Scapania aequiloba.

• 8220 Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation

  The Brecon Beacons support Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation on a number of cliffs and rock-faces. The more siliceous sites are often towards the top of the cliffs, where the calcareous cements have been leached out, with a transition to more calcareous chasmophytic vegetation lower down the face. Species found in this habitat include fir clubmoss Huperzia selago, serrated wintergreen Orthilia secunda and the nationally scarce bryophytes Brachydontium trichodes and Rhabdoweisia crenulata.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

• 4030 European dry heaths
• 6430 Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpine levels

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

• Not Applicable

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

• Not Applicable