Site Code
Country: United Kingdom
Central coordinates: 50.22341948o [50o 13' 24" North], -3.76795029o [3o 46' 4" West]
Administrative region: South West (South Devon)
Area: 570 ha
Altitude: 0 - 130
Site Description
This rocky coastline is characterised by coves and headlands. The cliffs support important rock crevice communities, maritime grasslands and heathlands with a diverse flora including rarities such as early gentians, shore dock and Lundy cabbage.
Botanical Significance
Crit A vascular: Shore dock Rumex rupestris.
The maritime grassland communities are characterised by Red Fescue Festuca rubra with Thrift Armeria maritima, Yorkshire Fog Holcus lanatus, Sea and Buckshorn Plantain Plantago maritima and P. coronopus, Wild Carrot Daucus carota and Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta. Bloody Cranesbill Geranium sanguineum also occurs.
The grassland often fades out on to bare rock, or merges with heathland of Heather Calluna vulgaris, Bell Heather Eric cinerea and Western Gorse Ulex gallii. These plant communities contain a number of nationally rare or uncommon species such as Carrot Broomrape Orobanche maritima, Upright Chickweed Moenchia erecta, Autumn Squill Scilla autumnalis, Portland Spurge Euphorbia portlandica and Sea Storksbill Erodium maritimum.
The rocks support a wide variety of lichens, including an assemblage with Mediterranean affinities. Rare species include Cladonia convoluta and C. forma. Teloschistes flavicans, Roccella fuciformis, R. phycopsis and Buellia leptoclinoides. There are many areas of bracken Pteridium aquilinum and of scrub species such as Gorse
Ulex europaeus, Blackthorn Prunus spinosa, Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and Bramble Rubus fruticosus. North of Bolt Head, facing the Salcombe Estuary, there is a stretch of woodland dominated by Sessile Oak Quercus petraea, with some Ash Fraxinus excelsior,
Beech Fagus sylvatica and Sycamore Acer pseudoplantanus.
Management guidance notes
None
Notes
Component site - South Devon Shore Dock.
Habitat interest