The following is the list of the 286 plant communities which comprise the British National Vegetation Classification (NVC). These are grouped by major habitat category, as used in the five volumes of British Plant Communities, the standard work describing the NVC.
Woodland and scrub communities
The following 25 communities are described in Volume 1 of British Plant Communities. For an article summarising these communities see Woodland and scrub communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system.
W1 Salix cinerea - Galium palustre woodland W2 Salix cinerea - Betula pubescens - Phragmites australis woodland W3 Salix pentandra - Carex rostrata woodland W4 Betula pubescens - Molinia caerulea woodland W5 Alnus glutinosa - Carex paniculata woodland W6 Alnus glutinosa - Urtica dioica woodland W7 Alnus glutinosa - Fraxinus excelsior - Lysimachia nemorum woodland W8 Fraxinus excelsior - Acer campestre - Mercurialis perennis woodland W9 Fraxinus excelsior - Sorbus aucuparia - Mercurialis perennis woodland W10 Quercus robur - Pteridium aquilinum - Rubus fruticosus woodland W11 Quercus petraea - Betula pubescens - Oxalis acetosella woodland W12 Fagus sylvatica - Mercurialis perennis woodland W13 Taxus baccata woodland W14 Fagus sylvatica - Rubus fruticosus woodland W15 Fagus sylvatica - Deschampsia flexuosa woodland W16 Quercus spp. - Betula spp. - Deschampsia flexuosa woodland W17 Quercus petraea - Betula pubescens - Dicranum majus woodland W18 Pinus sylvestris - Hylocomium splendens woodland W19 Juniperus communis ssp. communis - Oxalis acetosella woodland W20 Salix lapponum - Luzula sylvatica scrub W21 Crataegus monogyna - Hedera helix scrub W22 Prunus spinosa - Rubus fruticosus scrub W23 Ulex europaeus - Rubus fruticosus scrub W24 Rubus fruticosus - Holcus lanatus underscrub W25 Pteridium aquilinum - Rubus fruticosus underscrub
Mires
The following 38 communities are described in Volume 2 of British Plant Communities. For an article summarising these communities see Mires in the British National Vegetation Classification system.
M1 Sphagnum auriculatum bog pool community M2 Sphagnum cuspidatum/recurvum bog pool community M3 Eriophorum angustifolium bog pool community M4 Carex rostrata - Sphagnum recurvum mire M5 Carex rostrata - Sphagnum squarrosum mire M6 Carex echinata - Sphagnum recurva/auriculatum mire M7 Carex curta - Sphagnum russowii mire M8 Carex rostrata - Sphagnum warnstorfii mire M9 Carex rostrata - Calligeron cuspidatum/giganteum mire M10 Carex dioica - Pinguicula vulgaris mire Pinguiculo-Caricetum dioicae Jones 1973 emend. M11 Carex demissa - Saxifraga aizoides mire Carici-Saxifragetum aizoidis McVean & Ratcliffe 1962 emend. M12 Carex saxatilis mire Caricetum saxatilis McVean & Ratcliffe 1962 M13 Schoenus nigricans - Juncus subnodulosus mire Schoenetum nigricantis Koch 1926 M14 Schoneus nigricans - Narthecium ossifragum mire M15 Scirpus cespitosus - Erica tetralix wet heath M16 Erica tetralix - Sphagnum compactum wet heath Ericetum tetralicis Schwickerath 1933 M17 Scirpus cespitosus - Eriophorum vaginatum blanket mire M18 Erica tetralix - Sphagnum papillosum raised and blanket mire M19 Calluna vulgaris - Eriophorum vaginatum blanket mire M20 Eriophorum vaginatum raised and blanket mire M21 Narthecium ossifragum - Sphagnum papillosum valley mire Narthecio-Sphagnetum euatlanticum Duvigneaud 1949 M22 Juncus subnodulosus - Cirsium palustre fen-meadow M23 Juncus effusus/acutiflorus - Galium palustre rush-pasture M24 Molinia caerulea - Cirsium dissectum fen-meadow Cirsium-Molinietum caeruleae Sissingh & De Vries 1942 emend. M25 Molinia caerulea - Potentilla erecta mire M26 Molinia caerulea - Crepis paludosa mire M27 Filipendula ulmaria - Angelica sylvestris mire M28 Iris pseudacorus - Filipendula ulmaria mire Filipendulo-Iridetum pseudacori Adam 1976 emend. M29 Hypericum elodes - Potamogeton polygonifolius soakway Hyperico-Potametum polygonifolii (Allorge 1921) Braun-Blanquet & Tüxen 1952 M30 Related vegetation of seasonally-inundated habitats Hydrocotyla-Baldellion Tüxen & Dierssen 1972 M31 Anthelia judacea - Sphagnum auriculatum spring Sphagno auriculati-Anthelietum judaceae Shimwell 1972 M32 Philonotis fontana - Saxifraga stellaris spring Philonoto-Saxifragetum stellaris Nordhagen 1943 M33 Pohlia wahlenbergii var. glacialis spring Pohlietum glacialis McVean & Ratcliffe 1962 M34 Carex demissa - Koenigia islandica flush M35 Ranunculus omiophyllus - Montia fontana rill M36 Lowland springs and streambanks of shaded situations Cardaminion (Maas 1959) Westhoff & den Held 1969 M37 Cratoneuron commutatum - Festuca rubra spring M38 Cratoneuron commutatum - Carex nigra spring
Heaths
The following 22 communities are described in Volume 2 of British Plant Communities. For an article summarising these communities see Heaths in the British National Vegetation Classification system.
H1 Calluna vulgaris - Festuca ovina heath H2 Calluna vulgaris - Ulex minor heath H3 Ulex minor - Agrostis curtisii heath H4 Ulex gallii - Agrostis curtisii heath H5 Erica vagans - Schoenus nigricans heath H6 Erica vagans - Ulex europaeus heath H7 Calluna vulgaris - Scilla verna heath H8 Calluna vulgaris - Ulex gallii heath H9 Calluna vulgaris - Deschampsia flexuosa heath H10 Calluna vulgaris - Erica cinerea heath H11 Calluna vulgaris - Carex arenaris heath H12 Calluna vulgaris - Vaccinium myrtillus heath H13 Calluna vulgaris - Cladonia arbuscula heath H14 Calluna vulgaris - Racomitrium lanuginosum heath H15 Calluna vulgaris - Juniperus communis ssp. nana heath H16 Calluna vulgaris - Arctostaphylos uva-ursi heath H17 Calluna vulgaris - Arctostaphylos alpinus heath H18 Vaccinium myrtillus - Deschampsia flexuosa heath H19 Vaccinium myrtillus - Cladonia arbuscula heath H20 Vaccinium myrtillus - Racomitrium lanuginosum heath H21 Calluna vulgaris - Vaccinium myrtillus - Sphagnum capillifolium heath H22 Vaccinium myrtillus - Rubus chamaemorus heath
Mesotrophic grasslands
The following 13 communities are described in Volume 3 of British Plant Communities. For an article summarising these communities see Mesotrophic grasslands in the British National Vegetation Classification system.
MG1 Arrhenatherum elatius grassland Arrhenatheretum elatioris Br.-Bl. 1919 MG2 Arrhenatherum elatius - Filipendula ulmaria tall-herb grassland Filipendulo-Arrhenatheretum elatioris Shimwell 1968a MG3 Anthoxanthum odoratum - Geranium sylvaticum grassland MG4 Alopecurus pratensis - Sanguisorba officinalis grassland MG5 Cynosurus cristatus - Centaurea nigra grassland Centaureo-Cynosuretum cristati Br.-Bl. & Tx 1952 MG6 Lolium perenne - Cynosurus cristatus grassland Lolio-Cynosuretum cristati (Br.-Bl. & De Leeuw 1936) R. Tx 1937 MG7 Lolium perenne leys and related grasslands Lolio-Plantaginion Sissingh 1969 p.p. MG8 Cynosurus cristatus - Caltha palustris grassland MG9 Holcus lanatus - Deschampsia cespitosa grassland MG10 Holcus lanatus - Juncus effusus rush-pasture Holco-Juncetum effusi Page 1980 MG11 Festuca rubra - Agrostis stolonifera - Potentilla anserina grassland MG12 Festuca arundinacea grassland Potentillo-Festucetum arundinaceae Nordhagen 1940 MG13 Agrostis stolonifera - Alopecurus geniculatus grassland MG14 Carex nigra - Agrostis stolonifera - Senecio aquaticus grassland MG15 Alopecurus pratensis - Poa trivialis - Cardamine pratensis grassland MG16 Agrostis stolonifera - Eleocharis palustris grassland
Calcicolous grasslands
The following 14 communities are described in Volume 3 of British Plant Communities. For an article summarising these communities see Calcicolous grasslands in the British National Vegetation Classification system.
CG1 Festuca ovina - Carlina vulgaris grassland CG2 Festuca ovina - Avenula pratensis grassland CG3 Bromus erectus grassland CG4 Brachypodium pinnatum grassland CG5 Bromus erectus - Brachypodium pinnatum grassland CG6 Avenula pubescens grassland CG7 Festuca ovina - Hieracium pilosella - Thymus praecox/pulegioides grassland CG8 Sesleria albicans - Scabiosa columbaria grassland CG9 Sesleria albicans - Galium sterneri grassland CG10 Festuca ovina - Agrostis capillaris - Thymus praecox grassland CG11 Festuca ovina - Agrostis capillaris - Alchemilla alpina grass-heath CG12 Festuca ovina - Alchemilla alpina - Silene acaulis dwarf-herb community CG13 Dryas octopetala - Carex flacca heath CG14 Dryas octopetala - Silene acaulis ledge community
Calcifugous grasslands and montane communities
The following 21 communities are described in Volume 3 of British Plant Communities. For an article summarising these communities see Calcifugous grasslands and montane communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system.
U1 Festuca ovina - Agrostris capillaris - Rumex acetosella grassland U2 Deschampsia flexuosa grassland U3 Agrostis curtisii grassland U4 Festuca ovina - Agrostris capillaris - Galium saxatile grassland U5 Nardus stricta - Galium saxatile grassland U6 Juncus squarrosus - Festuca ovina grassland U7 Nardus stricta - Carex bigelowii grass-heath U8 Carex bigelowii - Polytrichum alpinum sedge-heath U9 Juncus trifidus - Racomitrium lanuginosum rush-heath U10 Carex bigelowii - Racomitrium lanuginosum moss-heath U11 Polytrichum sexangulare - Kiaeria starkei snow-bed U12 Salix herbacea - Racomitrium heterostichum snow-bed U13 Deschampsia cespitosa - Galium saxatile grassland U14 Alchemilla alpina - Sibbaldia procumbens dwarf-herb community U15 Saxifraga aizoides - Alchemilla glabra banks U16 Luzula sylvatica - Vaccinium myrtillus tall-herb community U17 Luzula sylvatica - Geum rivale tall-herb community U18 Cryptogramma crispa - Athyrium distentifolium snow-bed U19 Thelypteris limbosperma - Blechnum spicant community U20 Pteridium aquilinum - Galium saxatile community U21 Cryptogramma crispa - Deschampsia flexuosa community
Aquatic communities
The following 24 communities are described in Volume 4 of British Plant Communities. For an article summarising these communities see Aquatic communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system.
A1 Lemna gibba community Lemnetum gibbae Miyawaki & J. Tx. 1960 A2 Lemna minor community Lemnetum minoris Soó 1947 A3 Spirodela polyrhiza - Hydrocharis morsus-ranae community A4 Hydrocharis morsus-ranae - Stratiotes aloides community A5 Ceratophyllum demersum community Certaophylletum demersi Hild 1956 A6 Ceratophyllum submersum community Certaophylletum submersi Den Hartog & Segal 1964 A7 Nymphaea alba community Nymphaeetum albae Oberdorfer & Mitarb. 1967 A8 Nuphar lutea community A9 Potamogeton natans community A10 Polygonum amphibium community A11 Potamogeton pectinatus - Myriophyllum spicatum community A12 Potamogeton pectinatus community A13 Potamogeton perfoliatus - Myriophyllum alterniflorum community A14 Myriophyllum alterniflorum community Myriophylletum alterniflori A15 Elodea canadensis community A16 Callitriche stagnalis community A17 Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community A18 Ranunculus fluitans community Ranunculetum fluitantis Allorge 1922 A19 Ranunculus aquatilis community Ranunculetum aquatilis Géhu 1961 A20 Ranunculus peltatus community Ranunculetum peltati Sauer 1947 A21 Ranunculus baudotii community Ranunculetum baudotii Br.-Bl. 1952 A22 Littorella uniflora - Lobelia dortmanna community A23 Isoetes lacustris/setacea community A24 Juncus bulbosus community
Swamps and tall-herb fens
The following 28 communities are described in Volume 4 of British Plant Communities. For an article summarising these communities see Swamps and tall-herb fens in the British National Vegetation Classification system.
S1 Carex elata sedge-swamp Caricetum elatae Koch 1926 S2 Cladium mariscus swamp and sedge-beds Cladietum marisci Zobrist 1933 emend. Pfeiffer 1961 S3 Carex paniculata swamp Caricetum paniculatae Wangerin 1916