Jncc coastal Directories Project Region 11 The Western Approaches

5.2  Flowering plants and ferns
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Table 5.2.2  
Key localities for nationally rare (RDB) and scarce plants (records post 1970)
Locality
Status
Species
Lizard Peninsula
Part NNR, part SSSI,
RDB species: Cornish heath Erica vagans, Dorset heath Erica ciliaris, dwarf rush Juncus
part undesignated
capitatus, four-leaved allseed Polycarpon tetraphyllum, fringed rupturewort Herniaria
ciliolata, hairy greenweed Genista pilosa, land quillwort Isoetes histrix, long-headed
clover Trifolium incarnatum subsp. molineri, nit-grass Gastridium ventricosum,
pennyroyal Mentha pulegium, pigmy rush Juncus pygmaeus, prostrate toadflax Linaria
supina, sea knotgrass Polygonum maritimum, shore dock Rumex rupestris, slender bird’s-
foot-trefoil Lotus angustissimus, spotted cat’s-ear Hypochoeris maculata, three-lobed
crowfoot Ranunculus tripartitus, twin-headed clover Trifolium bocconei, upright clover
Trifolium strictum, Vigur’s eyebright  Euphrasia vigursii, western ramping-fumitory
Fumaria occidentalis, wild asparagus Asparagus officinalis subsp. prostratus
Mount’s Bay
Part SSSI,
RDB species: Bermuda-grass Cynodon dactylon, Dorset heath, Greek sea-spurrey
part undesignated
Spergularia bocconii, shore dock, three-lobed crowfoot, western ramping-fumitory
Isles of Scilly
part SSSI,
RDB species: dwarf pansy Viola kitaibeliana, four-leaved allseed, Greek sea-spurrey,
part undesignated
least adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum lusitanicum, orange bird’s-foot Ornithopus pinnatus,
purple viper’s-bugloss Echium plantagineum, shore dock, smaller tree-mallow Lavatera
cretica, western ramping-fumitory
St. Ives to Watergate Bay
Part SSSI,
RDB species: Bermuda-grass, Cornish heath, Dorset heath, early gentian Gentianella
part undesignated
anglica, hairy-fruited cornsalad Valerianella eriocarpa, hairy greenweed, Irish spurge
Euphorbia hyberna, little-Robin Geranium purpureum, pennyroyal, shore dock, slender
bird’s-foot-trefoil, spotted cat’s-ear, Vigur’s eyebright, western ramping-fumitory, wild
asparagus
Padstow Bay
Part SSSI,
RDB species: field eryngo Eryngium campestre, hairy-fruited cornsalad, little-Robin,
part undesignated
slender bird’s-foot-trefoil, western ramping-fumitory, wild asparagus
Lundy Island
SSSI
RDB species: Lundy cabbage Coincya wrightii
Taw-Torridge Estuary
Part NNR, part SSSI
RDB species: early gentian, fen orchid Liparis loeselii, hairy-fruited cornsalad,
pennyroyal, sea stock, round-headed club-rush Holoschoenus vulgaris, sea stock
Matthiola sinuata, slender bird’s-foot-trefoil, water germander Teucrium scordium
West Exmoor coast to
Part SSSI,
RDB species: Irish spurge, May lily Maianthemum bifolium, whitebeams Sorbus anglica,
Porlock Bay
part undesignated
S. subcuneata, S. vexans
Bridgwater Bay
Part NNR, part SSSI,
RDB species: Bermuda-grass, branched horsetail Equisetum ramosissimum, Cheddar
part undesignated
pink Dianthus gratianopolitanus, compact brome Bromus madritensis, goldilocks aster
Aster linosyris, honewort Trinia glauca, lizard orchid Himantoglossum hircinum, nit-grass,
purple gromwell Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum, rough marsh-mallow Althaea hirsuta,
round-headed club-rush, Somerset hair-grass Koeleria vallesiana, smooth rupture-wort
Herniaria glabra, wall germander Teucrium chamaedrys, white rock-rose Helianthemum
apenninum
Avon Gorge
Part SSSI,
RDB species: Bristol rock-cress Arabis stricta, compact brome, honewort, little-Robin,
part undesignated
nit-grass, round-headed leek Allium sphaerocephalon, whitebeams Sorbus anglica,
S. bristoliensis, S. eminens, S. wilmottiana
Barry to Southerndown
Part SSSI,
RDB species: compact brome, hoary stock Matthiola incana, nit-grass, purple gromwell,
part undesignated
tuberous thistle Cirsium tuberosum
Kenfig Dunes
SSSI, LNR, NNR
RDB species: fen orchid, sea stock
Sources: JNCC rare plants database; Stewart et al. (1994); SSSI citation sheets; BRC database.  Key: SSSI - Site of Special Scientific Interest;
NNR - National Nature Reserve; LNR - Local Nature Reserve.
5.2.3  Human activities
In the past, some species have been threatened by collecting,
particularly in the era of botanical exchange clubs around
the end of the last century, when herbarium specimens were
swapped amongst botanists.  Problems of collecting have
now passed, but the precise localities of potentially
collectable species such as Plymouth pear are still kept
strictly confidential, to prevent unwelcome attention.  
Many of the rare species depend on the maintenance of
open vegetation and cannot compete if vigorous or weedy
species dominate.  Species such as four-leaved allseed and
sea knotgrass depend on trampling.  Changes in land use,
such as afforestation and agricultural intensification, can
also affect rare species.  Agricultural changes including
intensification and reduced grazing have affected many
species, including pennyroyal, western ramping-fumitory
and least adder’s-tongue (R. FitzGerald & R. Parslow pers.
comm.).  Attempts to stabilise dunes by planting sea
buckthorn Hippophae rhamnoides have damaged some
communities (Gillham 1987).  Any rises in sea-level as a
result of climate change would affect species of shorelines,
especially shore dock.
Construction projects such as sea defences, culverting of
streams and tourist developments can lead to loss of habitats
and have affected such species as shore dock.  As most of the
important sites for rare species have been designated as Sites
of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), these factors now affect
scarce species more than rare ones; examples of affected
scarce species include early gentian (Morgan & Palmer 1991).  
5.2.4  Information sources used
All the counties in the region were covered by rare plant
surveys between 1982 and 1989, and a series of detailed
confidential reports was produced, now in the care of the
Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), English Nature and

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