Günther's Site - Photos of European PlantsRemarkable plants at the Gemeindeberg near Neuleiningen

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Remarkable plants at the Gemeindeberg near Neuleiningen


The Grünstadter Berg or Gemeindeberg, a hill between Grünstadt und Tiefental in Palatinate, is located at the western edge of the Upper Rhine valley and consists of limestone. I looked for plants only from the small road which leads onto the knoll of the hill from Neuleiningen, not on the Grünstadt or Tiefental side of the hill. I found several plants, which I never or rarely saw at other sites of our region. Still the Gemeindeberg is no nature reserve, but integrated into the FFH area 'Kalkmagerrasen zwischen Ebertsheim und Grünstadt' (limestone mesobrometa between E. and G.), since the most valuable biotopes are the mesobrometa and the hedges. Big parts of the Gemeindeberg are economically used with wine fields, corn fields and quarries. A small american military depot was given up some years ago. On a left open field in the past rare field herbs were in-sown, of which several are still available, some disppeared, some new ones arrived.
In the lower areas of the Gemeindeberg near Neuleiningen in the South and near Mertesheim in the North there are the following plants among others at edges of wine yards and corn fields:
Cerastium glutinosum / Dwarf Mouse-Ear Caryophyllaceae / Campion Fam.	Veronica polita / Grey Field-Speedwell Plantaginaceae / Plantain Fam.	Fumaria wirtgenii / Wirtgen's Fumitory Papaveraceae / Poppy Fam.
Papaver rhoeas / Common Poppy Papaveraceae / Poppy Fam.	Anthemis tinctoria / Yellow Chamomile Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Centaurea cyanus / Cornflower Asteraceae / Composite Fam.
Bunias orientalis / Warty Cabbage Brassicaceae / Crucifers	Descurainia sophia / Flixweed, Tansy Mustard Brassicaceae / Crucifers	Euphorbia exigua / Dwarf Spurge Euphorbiaceae / Spurge Fam.
Tragopogon dubius / Goat's-Beard Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Verbascum lychnitis / White Mullein Scrophulariaceae / Figwort Fam.	Verbascum densiflorum / Dense-flowered Mullein Scrophulariaceae / Figwort Fam.
Above Neuleiningen there is a quarry, where a special limestone for the cement production is quarried. In this part of the hill I found the following plants among others at roadsides and on wasteland:
Helleborus foetidus / Stinking Hellebore Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.	Microthlaspi perfoliatum / Perfoliate Penny-Cress, Claspleaf Penny-Cress Brassicaceae / Crucifers	Thlaspi arvense / Field Penny-Cress Brassicaceae / Crucifers
Camelina microcarpa / Lesser Gold of Pleasure, Small-Seed False-Flax Brassicaceae / Crucifers	Arabis auriculata / Annual Rock-Cress Brassicaceae / Crucifers	Alyssum alyssoides / Small Alison, Pale Madwort Brassicaceae / Crucifers
Potentilla reptans / Creeping Cinquefoil Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Linaria vulgaris / Common Toadflax Plantaginaceae / Plantain Fam.	Linum austriacum / Austrian Flax Linaceae / Linseed Fam.
Onopordum acanthium / Cotton Thistle Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Salvia verticillata / Whorled Sage Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.
Big inpenetrable areas of bushes are habitats mainly for birds.

Prunus spinosa / Sloe, Blackthorn Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Prunus spinosa / Sloe, Blackthorn Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Prunus mahaleb / Saint Lucie Cherry Rosaceae / Rose Fam.
Crataegus monogyna / Hawthorn Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Prunus avium subsp. avium / Wild Cherry Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Viburnum lantana / Wayfaring Tree Viburnaceae / Muskroot Fam.
Rosa canina / Dog Rose, Wild Briar Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Rosa rubiginosa / Sweet Briar Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Rubus caesius / Dewberry Rosaceae / Rose Fam.
Prunus domestica subsp. domestica / Plum Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Malus domestica / Apple Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Prunus avium subsp. avium / Wild Cherry Rosaceae / Rose Fam.
Populus tremula / Aspen Salicaceae / Willow Fam.	Syringa vulgaris / Lilac Oleaceae / Ash Fam.	Philadelphus coronarius / Sweet Mock Orange, English Dogwood Hydrangeaceae / Hydrangea Fam.
Into a field north of the top of the hill field herbs have been sown years ago. Since then the field is ploughed yearly. Not all of the sown herbs are still available, but new ones arrived. Wild boar rooting was a problem for a while, but has decreased in recent years.
Gagea villosa / Hairy Star of Bethlehem Liliaceae / Lily Fam.	Holosteum umbellatum / Jagged Chickweed Caryophyllaceae / Campion Fam.	Viola arvensis / Field Pansy Violaceae / Violet Fam.
Androsace maxima / Annual Rock Jasmine Primulaceae / Primrose Fam.	Lamium amplexicaule / Henbit Dead-Nettle Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.	Buglossoides arvensis subsp. arvensis / Field Gromwell Boraginaceae / Borrage Fam.
Camelina microcarpa / Lesser Gold of Pleasure, Small-Seed False-Flax Brassicaceae / Crucifers	Alopecurus myosuroides / Black-Grass Poaceae / Grass Fam.	Arenaria serpyllifolia / Thyme-Leaved Sandwort Caryophyllaceae / Campion Fam.
Ranunculus arvensis / Corn Buttercup Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.	Papaver dubium subsp. confine / Long-Headed Poppy Papaveraceae / Poppy Fam.	Hordeum distichon / Two-Rowed Barley Poaceae / Grass Fam.
Delphinium consolida subsp. consolida / Forking Larkspur Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.	Fallopia convolvulus / Black Bindweed Polygonaceae / Knotweed Fam.	Melampyrum arvense / Field Cow-Wheat Orobanchaceae / Broomrape Fam.
Agrostemma githago / Corn Cockle Caryophyllaceae / Campion Fam.	Knautia arvensis / Field Scabious Caprifoliaceae / Honeysuckle Fam.	Tripleurospermum inodorum / Scentless Mayweed Asteraceae / Composite Fam.
Scandix pecten-veneris / Shepherd's Needle Apiaceae / Umbellifers	Caucalis platycarpos / Small Bur Parsley Apiaceae / Umbellifers	Bifora radians / Wild Bishop Apiaceae / Umbellifers
Bupleurum rotundifolium / Hare's Ear, Thorough-Wax Apiaceae / Umbellifers	Adonis aestivalis / Summer Pheasant's Eye Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.	Adonis flammea / Flame Adonis Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.
Legousia hybrida / Venus' Looking-Glass Campanulaceae / Bellflower Fam.	Lathyrus aphaca / Yellow Vetchling Fabaceae / Legumes	Geranium columbinum / Branched Crane's-Bill Geraniaceae / Crane's-Bill Fam.
Convolvulus arvensis / Field Bindweed Convolvulaceae / Bindweed Fam.	Bunium bulbocastanum / Great Pignut Apiaceae / Umbellifers	Torilis arvensis / Spreading Hedge Parsley Apiaceae / Umbellifers
Reseda lutea / Wild Mignonette Resedaceae / Mignonette Fam.	Capsella bursa-pastoris / Shepherd's Purse Brassicaceae / Crucifers
The Mesobrometums are very rich of species. The flower starts with thousands of early flowering Common Pasque-Flower.


Pulsatilla vulgaris / Common Pasque-Flower Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.	Viola hirta / Hairy Violet Violaceae / Violet Fam.	Primula veris / Cow's-Lip Primulaceae / Primrose Fam.
Adonis vernalis / Spring Pheasant's Eye Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam. In 2017 I saw a Spring Pheasant's Eye in flower again, after it had probably been considered to be lost. In between I know 4 occurrences.	Anemone blanda / Mountain Windflower Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam. A single Anemone blanda which had run wild I saw only in 2007, and no more since then.	Narcissus poeticus / Poet's Narcissus Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam. The Poet's Narcissus which I saw in 2021 for the first time have most probably been planted.
Muscari neglectum / Grape Hyacinth Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Carex humilis / Dwarf Sedge Cyperaceae / Sedge Fam.	Potentilla verna / Spring Cinquefoil Rosaceae / Rose Fam.
Euphorbia cyparissias / Cypress Spurge Euphorbiaceae / Spurge Fam.	Rosa spinosissima / Burnet Rose Rosaceae / Rose Fam.
Hippocrepis comosa / Horseshoe Vetch Fabaceae / Legumes	Hieracium pilosella / Mouse-Ear Hawkweed Asteraceae / Composite Fam.
Orchis militaris, Military Orchid Orchidaceae / Orchids Years ago there was Military Orchid at various places, but in recent years I haven't seen any.	Orchis purpurea, Lady Orchid Orchidaceae / Orchids Only since 2020 I found scattered specimens of the Lady Orchid.	Ophrys insectifera, Fly Orchid Orchidaceae / Orchids There are also few specimens of the Fly Orchid which I haven't seen myself.
Aceras anthropophorum, Man Orchid Orchidaceae / Orchids	Himantoglossum hircinum, Lizard Orchid Orchidaceae / Orchids	Salvia pratensis / Meadow Clary Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.
Globularia bisnagarica / Common Globularia Plantaginaceae / Plantain Fam.	Veronica prostrata subsp. scheereri / Scheerer's Speedwell Plantaginaceae / Plantain Fam.	Trinia glauca / Honewort Apiaceae / Umbellifers
Anthyllis vulneraria subsp. pseudovulneraria / Fodder Kidney Vetch Fabaceae / Legumes	Thesium linophyllon / Bastard Toadflax Thesiaceae / Thesium Fam.	Scorzonera purpurea / Purple Viper's Grass Asteraceae / Composite Fam.
Ophrys apifera, Bee Orchid Orchidaceae / Orchids	Ophrys apifera forma chlorantha, Greenish Bee Orchid Orchidaceae / Orchids	Anacamptis pyramidalis, Pyramidal Orchid Orchidaceae / Orchids
Ononis spinosa / Spiny Restharrow Fabaceae / Legumes	Ononis repens subsp. procurrens / Common Restharrow Fabaceae / Legumes	Sanguisorba minor / Salad Burnet Rosaceae / Rose Fam.
Onobrychis arenaria / Hungarian Sainfoin Fabaceae / Legumes	Onobrychis viciifolia / Sainfoin Fabaceae / Legumes	Lathyrus tuberosus / Tuberous Pea Fabaceae / Legumes
Dianthus carthusianorum subsp. carthusianorum / Carthusian Pink Caryophyllaceae / Campion Fam.	Linum tenuifolium / Narrow-Leaved Flax Linaceae / Linseed Fam.	Lotus maritimus / Dragon's-Teeth Fabaceae / Legumes
Thymus pulegioides / Large Thyme Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.	Orobanche alba / Thyme Broomrape Orobanchaceae / Broomrape Fam.	Cuscuta epithymum / Dodder Convolvulaceae / Bindweed Fam.
Thymus pulegioides subsp. carniolicus / Krain Thyme Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.	Phelipanche purpurea / Yarrow Broomrape Orobanchaceae / Broomrape Fam.	Achillea millefolium agg. / Yarrow Asteraceae / Composite Fam.
Achillea nobilis / Showy Milfoil Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Teucrium chamaedrys / Wall Germander Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.	Teucrium botrys / Cut-Leaved Germander Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.
Prunella grandiflora / Large Selfheal Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.	Sedum acre / Biting Stonecrop Crassulaceae / Stonecrop Fam.	Anchusa officinalis / Common Bugloss Boraginaceae / Borrage Fam.
Stachys recta / Yellow Woundwort Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.	Sisymbrium altissimum / Tall Rocket Brassicaceae / Crucifers	Clinopodium acinos / Basil Thyme Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.
Trifolium montanum / Mountain Clover Fabaceae / Legumes	Trifolium medium / Zig-zag Clover Fabaceae / Legumes	Trifolium hybridum / Alsike Clover Fabaceae / Legumes
Lathyrus hirsutus / Hairy Vetchling Fabaceae / Legumes	Pimpinella saxifraga / Burnet Saxifrage Apiaceae / Umbellifers	Tanacetum corymbosum / Scentless Feverfew Asteraceae / Composite Fam.
Asperula cynanchica / Squinancy Wort Rubiaceae / Bedstraw Fam.	Potentilla recta / Sulphur Cinquefoil Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Erigeron acris subsp. acris / Blue Fleabane Asteraceae / Composite Fam.
Peucedanum alsaticum / Alsatian Parsley Apiaceae / Umbellifers	Pentanema squarrosum / Ploughman's Spikenard Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Leontodon incanus / Grey Hawkbit Asteraceae / Composite Fam.
Crepis setosa / Bristly Hawk's-Beard Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Hieracium cymosum / Cymose Hawkweed Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Bupleurum falcatum / Sickle-Leaved Hare's Ear Apiaceae / Umbellifers
Cirsium acaule / Stemless Thistle, Dwarf Thistle Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Carlina vulgaris / Carline Thistle Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Pyrus pyraster / Wild Pear Rosaceae / Rose Fam.
Briza media / Common Quaking Grass Poaceae / Grass Fam.	Bromus hordeaceus agg. / Soft Brome Poaceae / Grass Fam.	Bromus japonicus / Japanese Brome Poaceae / Grass Fam.
Securigera varia / Purple Crownvetch Fabaceae / Legumes	Centaurea scabiosa / Greater Knapweed Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Daucus carota subsp. carota / Wild Carrot, Queen Anne's Lace Apiaceae / Umbellifers
Eryngium campestre / Field Thistle Apiaceae / Umbellifers	Scabiosa columbaria / Small Scabious Caprifoliaceae / Honeysuckle Fam.	Falcaria vulgaris / Longleaf Apiaceae / Umbellifers
Pentanema salicinum / Irish Fleabane Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Gentianella ciliata / Fringed Gentian Gentianaceae / Gentian Fam.	Anthriscus nitida / Glossy-Leaved Parsley Apiaceae / Umbellifers
Vicia cracca / Tufted Vetch Fabaceae / Legumes	Aster amellus / Italian Aster Asteraceae / Composite Fam.
Anemone sylvestris / Snowdrop Anemone Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.	Since a small meadow behind the former American military depot isn't mowed and bushes come up, the Snowdrop Anemone which was available there years ago has disappeared in between.
In the Western part of the Gemeindeberg at several places small sources are cropping out of the slope, one of these is called 'Bergwiese' (mountain meadow), another is the 'Eiswiese' (ice meadow), and there are also few small nameless ones:


Caltha palustris / Marsh Marigold Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.	Ajuga reptans / Bugle Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.	Colchicum autumnale / Meadow Saffron, Autumn Crocus Colchicaceae / Autumn Crocus Fam.
Veronica beccabunga / Brooklime Plantaginaceae / Plantain Fam.	Potentilla erecta / Tormentil Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Aquilegia vulgaris / Columbine Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.
Carex tomentosa / Downy-Fruited Sedge Cyperaceae / Sedge Fam.	Carex flacca / Blue Sedge, Carnation Grass Cyperaceae / Sedge Fam.	Carex montana / Mountain Sedge, Soft-Leaved Sedge Cyperaceae / Sedge Fam.
Astragalus danicus / Purple Milk-Vetch Fabaceae / Legumes	Galium verum / Lady's Bedstraw Rubiaceae / Bedstraw Fam.	Valeriana pratensis subsp. pratensis / Meadow Valerian Caprifoliaceae / Honeysuckle Fam.
Tragopogon orientalis / Showy Goat's-Beard Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Tragopogon pratensis / Meadow Salsify, Goat's-Beard Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Crepis paludosa / Marsh Hawk's-Beard Asteraceae / Composite Fam.
Scirpus sylvaticus / Wood Club-Rush Cyperaceae / Sedge Fam.	Listera ovata, Common Twayblade Orchidaceae / Orchids	Equisetum arvense / Field Horsetail Equisetaceae / Horsetail Fam.
Carex flacca / Blue Sedge, Carnation Grass Cyperaceae / Sedge Fam.	Carex lepidocarpa / Shed Sedge Cyperaceae / Sedge Fam.	Schoenus nigricans / Black Bog-Rush Cyperaceae / Sedge Fam. The only occurrence in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Galium boreale / Northern Bedstraw Rubiaceae / Bedstraw Fam.	Filipendula ulmaria / Meadowsweet Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Filipendula vulgaris / Dropword Rosaceae / Rose Fam.

Lady's Bedstraw Galium verum, Dropword Filipendula vulgaris
Calamagrostis canescens / Purple Small Reed Poaceae / Grass Fam.	Arrhenatherum elatius / Bulbous Oat Grass, Tall Oat Grass Poaceae / Grass Fam.	Brachypodium pinnatum / Tor Grass, Heath False Brome Poaceae / Grass Fam.
Gymnadenia conopsea s.l., Common Fragrant Orchid Orchidaceae / Orchids	Betonica officinalis / Betony Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.	Serratula tinctoria / Saw Wort Asteraceae / Composite Fam.
Sonchus arvensis / Perennial Sow-Thistle, Common Field Sow-Thistle Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Cirsium tuberosum / Tuberous Thistle Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Chaerophyllum temulum / Rough Chervil Apiaceae / Umbellifers
Lysimachia vulgaris / Yellow Loosestrife Primulaceae / Primrose Fam.	Salix repens / Creeping Willow Salicaceae / Willow Fam.	Mentha aquatica / Water Mint Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.
Geum urbanum / Wood Avens Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Bryonia dioica / Red-Berried Bryony Cucurbitaceae / Cucumber Fam.	Lotus corniculatus / Bird's-Foot Deervetch Fabaceae / Legumes
Geranium sanguineum / Bloody Crane's-Bill Geraniaceae / Crane's-Bill Fam.	Genista tinctoria / Dyer's Greenweed Fabaceae / Legumes	Campanula rotundifolia / Harebell Campanulaceae / Bellflower Fam.
Pastinaca sativa / Parsnip Apiaceae / Umbellifers	Origanum vulgare / Wild Marjoram Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.	Prunella grandiflora / Large Selfheal Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.
Pentanema salicinum / Irish Fleabane Asteraceae / Composite Fam.	Bupleurum falcatum / Sickle-Leaved Hare's Ear Apiaceae / Umbellifers	Ranunculus bulbosus / Bulbous Buttercup Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.
Lathyrus pratensis / Meadow Vetchling Fabaceae / Legumes	Agrimonia eupatoria / Agrimony Rosaceae / Rose Fam.	Sanguisorba officinalis / Great Burnet Rosaceae / Rose Fam.
Gentiana pneumonanthe / Marsh Gentian Gentianaceae / Gentian Fam.	Succisa pratensis / Devil's-bit Scabious Caprifoliaceae / Honeysuckle Fam.	Berula erecta / Lesser Water Parsnip Apiaceae / Umbellifers
Mentha longifolia / Horse Mint Lamiaceae / Mint Fam.	Hypericum hirsutum / Hairy St. John's-Wort Hypericaceae / St.John's Wort Fam.	Lythrum salicaria / Purple Loosestrife Lythraceae / Purple Loosestrife Fam.
Carex hirta / Hairy Sedge Cyperaceae / Sedge Fam.	Juncus inflexus / Hard Rush Juncaceae / Rush Fam.
Epipactis palustris, Marsh Helleborine Orchidaceae / Orchids	According to a hint in the book 'Wanderungen durch blühende Naturschutzgebiete' ( = hikes through flourishing nature reserves) from Oskar Sommer (1981) I had still seen Marsh Helleborine Epipactus palustris in a shrubbery near one of the nameless sources about in 1989. Later the biotope overgrew completely with bushes. Today it is maintained again but the orchid can't be found anymore.
Naturally this list of plants isn't complete. It will be continued on occasion.