Calcifugous grasslands and montane communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system

Calcifugous grasslands and montane communities are botanical groupings in the British National Vegetation Classification system.

The calcifugous grasslands and montane communities of the NVC were described in Volume 3 of British Plant Communities, first published in 1992, along with the mesotrophic grassland communities and the calcicolous grassland communities.

In total, 21 calcifugous grasslands and montane communities have been identified.

The calcifugous grasslands and montane communities consist of the following groupings:

five grass-dominated communities which group together as "sub-montane calcifugous grasslands"; two of these, and are found throughout Britain, two more and are found throughout upland areas of Scotland, Wales and northern and western England, and one, , is localised in southwest England.
a sixth submontane community, U6, dominated by Juncus squarrosus
four communities categorised as "calcifugous vegetation of low- and middle-alpine snow-fields", all of which are confined or nearly confined to Scotland: , , and
two moss- and rush-heaths of low- and middle-alpine plateaus , which is confined to Scotland, and which is also found in northern England and North Wales
five communities grouped together as "mesotrophic montane swards and herb-rich banks and ledges": , , , and ; some of these are confined to Scotland while others extend into northern England or North Wales
four calcifuge fern communities, one of which, , is widespread; the remaining three (, and ) are confined to upland areas of northern and western Britain

List of calcifugous grasslands and montane communities[]

The following is a list of the communities that make up this category: