Maritime cliff communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system

The maritime cliff communities of the NVC were described in Volume 5 of British Plant Communities, first published in 2000, along with the other maritime communities (those of shingle strand-line and sand-dunes and saltmarshes) and vegetation of open habitats. In total, 12 maritime cliff communities have been identified. The maritime cliff communities consist of three subgroups: • five maritime cliff crevice and ledge communities (MC1, MC2, MC3, MC4 and MC5) • five maritime grassland communities of sea-cliffs (MC8, MC9, MC10, MC11 and MC12) • two communities associated with sea-bird cliffs (MC6 and MC7) ==List of maritime cliff communities==

The following is a list of the communities that make up this category: • MC1 Crithmum maritimum - Spergularia rupicola maritime rock-crevice community Crithmo-Spergularietum rupicolae Géhu 1964 • MC2 Armeria maritima - Ligusticum scoticum maritime rock-crevice community • MC3 Rhodiola rosea - Armeria maritima maritime cliff-ledge community • MC4 Brassica oleracea maritime cliff-ledge community • MC5 Armeria maritima - Cerastium diffusum ssp. diffusum maritime therophyte community • MC6 Atriplex prostrata - Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima sea-bird cliff community Atriplici-Betetum maritimae J.-M. & J. Géhu 1969 • MC7 Stellaria media - Rumex acetosa sea-bird cliff community • MC8 Festuca rubra - Armeria maritima maritime grassland • MC9 Festuca rubra - Holcus lanatus maritime grassland • MC10 Festuca rubra - Plantago spp. maritime grassland • MC11 Festuca rubra - Daucus carota ssp. gummifer maritime grassland • MC12 Festuca rubra - Hyacinthoides non-scripta maritime bluebell community