Synonymy

Scirpetum cespitosi Tansley 1939 p.p.; Molinietum caeruleae Tansley 1939p.p.; Trichophoreto-Eriophoretum caricetosum McVean & Ratcliffe 1962; Molinia-Myrica mire McVean & Ratcliffe 1962, Birks 1973, Ratcliffe & Hattey 1982; Molinieto-Callunetum McVean & Ratcliffe 1962, Birks 1973, Prentice & Prentice 1975, Evans et al. 1977; Trichophoreto-Callunetum McVean & Ratcliffe 1962, Birks 1973, Prentice & Prentice 1975, Evans et al. 1977, Hill & Evans 1978; Narthecio-Ericetum tetralicis Moore (1964) 1968, sensu Birse 1980; Erica tetralix-Molinia caerulea sociation Edgell 1969; Trichophorum cespitosum nodum Edgell 1969; Trichophorum cespitosum-Carex panicea Association Birks 1973, Adam et al. 1977; Narthecium-Campylopus atrovirens nodum Prentice & Prentice 1975; Blanket bog communities Adam et al. 1977; Calluno-Molinietum Hill & Evans 1978; Mire noda 3 & 4 Daniels 1978 p.p.; Trichophorum germanicum-Calluna vulgaris Association McVean & Ratcliffe 1962 emend. Birse 1980; Molinia caerulea-Potentilla erecta community Bignal & Curtis 1981; Trichophorum cespitosum-Eriophorum angustifolium mire Ratcliffe & Hattey 1982; Ericetum tetralicis Dierssen 1982; Disturbed peatland 3.ii Hulme & Blyth 1984.

Constant species

Calluna vulgaris, Erica tetralix, Molinia caerulea, Potentilla erecta, Scirpus cespitosus.

Rare species

Campylopus atrovirens var. falcatus, C. setifolius.

Physiognomy

The Scirpus cespitosus-Erica tetralix wet heath is a compendious vegetation type with few constants and wide variation in the pattern of dominance and in the associated flora. Molinia caerulea, Scirpus cespitosus, Erica tetralix and Calluna vulgaris are all of high frequency throughout and, by and large, it is mixtures of these species that give the vegetation its general stamp. But sometimes one of them, or occasionally even two, can be missing and their proportions are very diverse, varying not only with natural differences in climate and soils, but also very markedly with treatment. Of the four species, Molinia is the most consistent overall and it is often abundant, so some accounts have included the community within a Molinietum (e.g. Tansley 1939; see also McVean & Ratcliffe 1962, Edgell 1969, Bignail & Curtis 1981) or a Molinieto-Callunetum, where dominance is shared with Calluna (McVean & Ratcliffe 1962, Birks 1973, Prentice & Prentice 1975, Evans et al. 1977, Hill & Evans 1978).