Synonymy

Halimiono-Frankenietum laevis Adam 1976 p.p; Sussex Frankenia laevis stands Brightmore 1979.

Constant species

Armeria maritima, Frankenia laevis, Halimione portulacoides.

Rare species

Frankenia laevis, Inula crithmoides, Arthrocnemum perenne.

Physiognomy

This community has a short uneven open sward dominated by Halimione portulacoides and Frankenia laevis with scattered plants of Armeria maritima and Puccinellia maritima. Festuca rubra, Limonium vulgare, annual Salicornia spp. and Spergularia media are frequent at low cover values and at some sites Inula crithmoides is conspicuous.

Habitat

The community generally occurs on mixtures of silt, sand and shingle at salt-marsh/sand-dune interfaces. Similar vegetation but lacking H. portulacoides has been recorded from Chalk undercliffs and rubble (Brightmore 1979).

Distribution

The community is confined to the south coast of Sussex where the best stands are developed at East Head, Chichester Harbour. Frankenia laevis has recently been reported from Anglesey (Roberts 1975) where it has become well established (after original planting?) among Festuca rubra, Armeria maritima and Puccinellia maritima to produce vegetation rather similar to this community.

Affinities

The community is distinguished from the Suaeda vera-Limonium binervosum salt-marsh by the absence here of S. vera and the replacement of Limonium bellidifolium and L. binervosum by L. vulgare. Géhu & Géhu-Franck (1975) and Géhu & Delzenne (1975) regard the Sussex stands as representing a species-poor parallel to the Frankenio-Limonietum lychnidifolii of north-west France and have provisionally assigned them (and the Anglesey vegetation) to the Limonio vulgaris-Frankenietum laevis.