Site Code
Country: United Kingdom
Central coordinates: 50.46029233o [50o 27' 37" North], -3.48931548o [3o 29' 21" West]
Administrative region: South West (South Devon)
Area: 262 ha
Altitude: 0 - 111
Site Description
The Torbay Limestones comprise a range of adjacent Devonian Limestone headlands at the northern and southern extremities of Torbay, and immediately adjacent to the Victorian seaside resorts of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. The flat topped headlands rise to 60 – 90 m, and support a mosaic of grassland, limestone heath, rock, cliff and scrub communities, noted for their exceptional floristic richness. In spite of a severe decline in the area and quality of botanically-important vegetation types – through residential spread, quarrying and lack of traditional management - the Torbay Limestones still represent the largest exposure of Devonian Limestone supporting unsown vegetation in Britain, and remains a classic botanical site. Part of the site lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the IPA includes 1 SAC (also largely designated as a National Nature Reserve). The bulk of the important limestone grassland communities are included within 5 Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Botanical Significance
The Torbay Limestones qualify as an IPA on three counts. The occurrence of Gentianella anglica (Early Gentian) means that the site qualifies under Criterion A: whilst the population in not large, it is significant as the only UK site on Devonian Limestone. The overall flora is quite outstanding (Criterion B) in a UK perspective for its diversity of rare plants, with a preponderance of Mediterranean-Atlantic and Southern-termperate members, reflecting the site’s location as the most southerly block of limestone vegetation in Britain. Nine Threatened species, seven Near Threatened, six Nationally Rare and 16 Nationally Scarce species are recorded, including – most notably – Aster linosyris (Goldilocks Aster), Bupleurum baldense (Small Hares-ear), Helianthemum appeninum (White Rockrose), Lithospermum purpureocaeruleum (Purple Gromwell), Ononis reclinata (Small Restharrow) and Trinia glauca (Honewort) are each known only from a handful of other British sites or botanical areas. Under Criterion C, the site qualifies as an outstanding example of a habitat of European importance, reflected in its designation as a SAC: Semi-natural Dry Festuco-Brometalia grasslands (notably the CG1 Festuca ovina-Carlina vulgaris grassland Scilla autumnalis-Euphoriba portlandica sub-community, known from no other site in the UK) and vestigial European Dry Heaths (here over limestone) represent Annex I habitats that are primary reasons for selection of this site as a SAC.
Gentianella anglica
Abundance : Rare - Trend: Fluctuating - National population: less than 1%
Note for vascular plants interest.
Additional species of interest identified through BSBI consultation:
Adiantum capillus-veneris,
Anacamptis morio,
Asplenium obovatum,
Aster linosyris,
Brassica oleracea,
Bupleurum baldense,
Cerastium pumilum,
Clinopodium acinos,
Daucus carota ssp. Gummifer,
Festuca longifolia,
Filago vulgaris,
Galium parisiense,
Gastridium ventricosum,
Geranium purpurea,
Helianthemum apenninum,
Herniaria glabra,
Hyoscyamus niger,
Hypericum montanum,
Inula crithmoides,
Lithospermum purpureocaeruleum,
Medicago polymorpha,
Ononis reclinata,
Poa bulbosa,
Poa infirma,
Rosa agrestis,
Scilla autumnalis,
Sedum forsterianum,
Sorbus porrigentiformis,
Sorbus rupicola,
Spiranthes spiralis,
Trifolium glomeratum,
Trifolium suffocatum,
Trinia glauca,
Zostera marina
In addition to those listed above Asperula cynanchica, Helictotrichon pratense and Limonium procerum subsp. devoniense have important local/national populations.
Management guidance notes
None
Notes
None