Axiophyte

The significance of axiophytes is from their strong association with habitats considered to be of high merit for conservation.

Axiophytes are a relatively recent concept which has its roots in such ideas as "ancient woodland indicator species".

According to the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), around 40% of plant species can be considered axiophytes.

A typical example would be dog's mercury (Mercurialis perennis), a plant slow to colonise new sites, but common in ancient woodland and old hedgerows.

The number of axiophytes on a site provides a crude, but convenient, measure of its nature conservation importance.