Scientific name	Plantago maritima – Puccinellia maritima saltmarsh
Common name	Sea Plantain – Common Saltmarsh-grass saltmarsh
Community code	SM3B

 

    

Download full pdf synopsis: SM3B

 

Vegetation

This is typically a low vegetation community that is dominated by a mixture of Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima and Puccinellia maritima. Aster tripolium is the only other constant but Glaux maritima, Triglochin maritimum and Limonium humile are frequent. Limonium can be abundant. Occasionally, one finds some stems of Spergularia media or Salicornia agg.

 

Ecology

This is a middle marsh community that is occasionally inundated. Conditions are base-rich.

 

Sub-communities

No sub-communities have been described for this community.

 

Similar communities

Plantago maritima and Armeria maritima also dominate in community SM3A, but there Puccinellia maritima, if present, is subordinate. Limonium humile can also be an eye-catching feature of community SM2C but Plantago maritima and Armeria maritima are only occasional in that assemblage.

 

Conservation value

Almost all examples of this vegetation qualify as EU Annex I habitat 1330 Atlantic salt meadows. It is, however, typically a species-poor community, but the species that are present are specialists.

 

Management

The main threat to this saltmarsh community is probably grazing by livestock. Sea-level rises as a result of climate change could potentially have an impact, particularly in areas susceptible to coastal squeeze.