Molinia meadows is a distinctive wet grassland habitat comprising of a relatively species-rich sward community which is generally between 20 and 60 cm tall. This Annex I grassland habitat was assessed on a site located in County Longford, during a training course for Ecologists provided by the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)
Molinia meadows are typically found on moist, moderately base-rich, peats and peaty gley soils, often associated with fluctuating water tables. This Annex I habitat often occurs as a component of wet pastures or fens, and form a mosaic with dry grassland, heath, mire and scrub communities.
The characteristic plants associated with species-rich Molinia grasslands in Ireland and accompanying Molinia caerulea (Purple moor-grass), include Succisa pratensis (Devil’s-bit scabious), Potentilla erecta (Tormentil), Cirsium dissectum (Meadow Thistle), Anthoxanthum odoratum (Sweet Vernal-grass), Filipendula ulmaria (Meadowsweet), Equisetum palustre (Marsh Horsetail), Mentha aquatica (Water Mint), and a range of sedges including Carex nigra (Common Sedge), and Carex panicea (Carnation Sedge).
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