199 Plant Species Recorded at Hooe Quarry

A total of 199 higher plant species were recorded on the Hooe Quarry site and the fore shore (181 native species, 18 non-native). The site was considered to have a relatively high botanical diversity. Amongst the many notable species of which one in particular the Toadflax-leaved St. John’s-wort exists in only 17 sites in England. All plants are listed in Alphabetical order of the common name. Hover your mouse over an image to see the Latin Names. Click on an image to enlarge. More details at the bottom.

Annual Meadowgrass - Poa annua — Annual Meadowgrass

Annual Pearlwort - Sagina apetala — Annual Pearlwort

Annual Sea Blite - Sueada maritima — Annual Sea Blite

Annual Wall - Diplotaxis muralis — Annual Wall

Barren Brome Anisantha sterilis — Barren brome

Barren Strawberry - Potentilla sterilis — Barren Strawberry

Bee Orchid - Ophrys apifera — Bee Orchid

Bittercress - Cardamine sp. — Bittercress

Bittersweet - Solanum dulcamara — Bittersweet

Black Medick - Medicago lupulina — Black Medick

Blackthorn - Prunus spinosa — Blackthorn

Bramble - Rubus fruticosus agg. — Bramble

Bristly Oxtongue - Picris echioides — Bristly Oxtongue

Broadleaved Dock Rumex obtusifolius — Broadleaved Dock

Broadleaved Willowherb - Epilobium montanum — Broadleaved willowherb

Buckshorn Plantain - Plantago coronopus — Buckshorn Plantain

Butterfly-bush - Buddleja davidii — Butterfly bush buddleja

Canadian - Solidago canadensis — Canadian

Carline Thistle - Carlina vulgaris — Carline Thistle

Carnation Sedge -Carex panicea — Carnation Sedge

Cat’s-ear - Hypochaeris radicata — Cat’s Ear

Clustered Dock - Rumex conglomeratus — Clustered Dock

Cock’s-foot - Dactylis glomeratus — Cock’s Foot

Colt’s-foot - ussilago farfara — Colt’s-foot

Columbine - Aquilegia vulgaris — Columbine

Common Bird’sfoot-Lotus corniculatus — Common bird’s foot

Common Centaury - Centaurium erythraea — Common Centaury

Common Figwort - Scrophularia nodosa — Common Figwort

Common Fleabane - Pulicaria dystenterica — Common fleabane

Common Fumitory - Fumaria officinalis — Common Fumitory

Common Knapweed - Centauria nigra — Common Knapweed

Common Male-Dryopteris filix-mas — Common male

Common Mallow - Malva sylvestris — Common Mallow

Common Mouse Ear - Cerastium fontanum — Common Mouse Ear

Common Nettle - Urtica dioica — Common nettle

Common Polypody - Polypodium vulgare — Common polypody

Common Poppy - Papaver rhoeas — Common poppy

Common Ragwort - Senecio jacobaea — Common ragwort

Common Sedge - Carex nigra — Common Sedge

Creeping Bent - Agrostis stolonifera — Creeping bent

Creeping Buttercup - Ranunculus repens — Creeping Buttercup

Creeping Cinquefoil - Potentilla reptans — Creeping Cinquefoil

Crested Dog’s tail - Cynosurus cristatus — Crested dog’s tail

Crested Hairgrass - Koeleria macrantha — Crested hairgrass

Crow-garlic - Allium vineale — Crow Garlic

Cut-leaved Crane’s-bill - Geranium dissectum — Cut-leaved crane’s bill

Daffodills - Narcissus pseudonarcissus — Daffodills

Dandelion - Taraxacum officinale — Dandelion

Dog’s Mercury - Mercuralis perennis — Dog’s Mercury

Dove’s foot Crane’s-bill - Geranium molle — Dove’s foot crane’s-bill

Early Forgetmenot = Myosotis ramosissima — Early Forgetmenot

Early Marsh Orchid - Dactylorhiza incarnata — Early Marsh Orchid

English Stonecrop - Sedum anglicum — English stonecrop

Eyebright - species Euphrasia — Eyebright

Fairy Flax - Linum catharticum — Fairy Flax

False Brome - Brachypodium sylvaticum — False brome

False Fox Sedge - Carex obtrubae — False Fox Sedge

False Oat Grass - Arrhenatherum elatius — False oat grass

Fern-grass - Catapodium rigidum — Fern grass

Field Scabious - Knautia arvensis — Field Scabious

Foxglove - Digitalis purpurea — Foxglove

Germander - Veronica chamaedrys — Germander

Goat Willow - Salix caprea — Goat Willow

Goat’s-beard - Tragopogon pratense — Goat’s beard

Great Willowherb - Epilobium hirstum — Great Willowherb

Greater Plantain - Plantago major — Greater Plantain

Greater Sea Spurrey - Spergularia media — Greater sea spurrey

Grey Willow - Salix cinerea — Grey willow

Groundsel - Senecio vulgaris — Groundsel

Gypsywort - Lycopus europaeus — Gypsywort

Hart’s Tongue - Phyllitis scolopendrium — Hart’s tongue

Hawthorn - Crataegus monogyna — Hawthorn

Hedge Bedstraw - Galium mullugo — Hedge Bedstraw

Hedge Bindweed - Calystegia sepium — Hedge bindweed

Hedge Woundwort - Stachys sylvatica — Hedge Woundwort

Hemp Agrimony - Eupatorium cannabinum — Hemp Agrimony

Herb Robert - Geranium robertianum — Herb Robert

Himalayan Cotoneaster - Cotoneaster simonsii — Himalayan Cotoneaster

Himalayan Honeysuckle - Leycesteria formosa — Himalayan honeysuckle

Hoary Willowherb - Epilobium parviflorum — Hoary willowherb

Hogweed - Heracleum sphondylium — Hogweed

Hop Trefoil - Trifolium campestre — Hop Trefoil

Horse-chestnut - Aesculus hippocastanum — Horse chestnut

Ivy Broomrape - Orobanche hederae — Ivy Broomrape

Ivy-leaved Toadflax - Cymbalaria muralis — Ivy Leaved Toadflax

Kidney Vetch - Anthyllis vulneraria — Kidney Vetch

Knotgrass - Polygonum aviculare — Knotgrass

Lady Fern - Athyrium filix-femina — Lady Fern

Lesser Stitchwort - Stellaria graminea — Lesser Stitchwort

Long-stalked Crane’s-bill - Geranium columbinum — Long-stalked Crane’s-bill

Lords-and-ladies - Arum maculatum — Lords-and-ladies

Maidenhair Spleenwort - Asplenium trichomanes — Maidenhair Spleenwort

Meadow Crane’s-bill - Geranium pratense — Meadow Crane’s-bill

Meadow Vetchling - Lathyrus pratensis — Meadow Vetchling

Montbretia - Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora — Montbretia

Mouse-ear Hawkweed - Pilosella officinarum — Mouse-ear Hawkweed

Narrow-leaved Everlasting Pea - Lathyrus sylvestris — Narrow leaved Everlasting Pea

Navelwort - Umbilicus rupestris — Navelwort

Nipplewort - Lapsana communis — Nipplewort

Opium Poppy - Papaver somniferum — Opium Poppy

Oxeye Daisy - Leucanthemum vulgare — Oxeye Daisy

Pampas grass - Cortaderia sp — Pampas grass

Pedunculate Oak - Quercus robur — Pedunculate Oak

Pendulous Sedge - Carex pendula — Pendulous Sedge

Perennial Ryegrass - Lolium perenne — Perennial Ryegrass

Perennial Sowthistle - Sonchus arvensis — Perennial Sowthistle

Perforate St John’s-wort - Hypericum perforatum — Perforate St John’s wort

Pineappleweed - Matricaria discoidea — Pineappleweed

Prickly Lettuce - Lactuca serriola — Prickly lettuce

Prickly Sowthistle - Sonchus asper — Prickly Sowthistle

Purple Toadflax - Linaria purpurea — Purple Toadflax

Pyramidal Orchid - Anacamptis pyramidalis — Pyramidal Orchid

Red Bartsia - Odontites verna — Red Bartsia

Red Campion - Silene dioica — Red Campion

Red Clover - Trifolium pratense — Red Clover

Red Valerian - Centhranthus ruber — Red Valerian

Ribbed Melilot - Melilotus officinalis — Ribbed Melilot

Ribwort Plantain - Plantago lanceolata — Ribwort Plantain

Rock Samphire - Crithmum martitimum — Rock Samphire

Rose-of-sharon - Hypericum calycinum — Rose of sharon

Rosebay Willowherb - Chamaenerion angustifolium — Rosebay Willowherb

Rough Chervil - Chaerophyllum temulentum — Rough chervil

Rough Hawkbit - Leontodon hispidus — Rough Hawkbit

Rue-leaved saxifrage - Silene dioica — Rue leaved saxifrage

Scarlet Pimpernel - Anagallis arvensis — Scarlet Pimpernel

Scented Mayweed - Matricaria recutita — Scented Mayweed

Sea Beet - Beta vulgaris subsp maritima — Sea Beet

Sea Couch - Elytrigia atherica — Sea Couch

Sea Fern-grass - Catapodium marinum — Sea fern-grass

Sea Purslane - Halimione portulacoides — Sea Purslane

Self-heal - Prunella vulgaris — Self heal

Shining Crane’s bill - Geranium lucidum — Shining Crane’s bill

Small Toadflax - Chaenorhinum minus — Small toadflax

Smooth Sowthistle - Sonchus oleracus — Smooth Sowthistle

Soft shield-fern - Polystichum setiferum — Soft Shield Fern

Sowthistle species - Sonchus — Sowthistle

Spear Leaved Orache - Atriplex prostrata — Spear Leaved Orache

Spear Thistle - Cirsium vulgare — Spear Thistle

Spurge species - Euphorbia sp — Spurge species

Stone Parsley - Sison amomum — Stone parsley

Sycamore - Acer pseudoplatanus — Sycamore

Tall Fescue - Festuca arundinacea — Tall Fescue

Thyme-leaved Sandwort - Arenaria serpyllifolia — Thyme-leaved sandwort

Toadflax Leaved St Johns Wort - Hypericum linariifolium — Toadflax Leaved St Johns Wort

Traveller’s joy - Clematis vitalba — Traveller’s joy

Tree Mallow - Lavatera arborea — Tree mallow

Tufted Hair-grass - Deschampsia caespitosa — Tufted Hair-grass

Tufted Vetch - Vicia cracca — Tufted Vetch

Viper’s-bugloss - Echium vulgare — Viper’s bugloss

Wall Cotoneaster - Cotoneaster horizontalis — Wall Cotoneaster

White Clover - Trifolium dubium — White Clover

Wild Carrot - Daucus carota ssp — Wild Carrot

Wild Fennel - Foeniculum vulgare — Wild Fennel

Wild Madder - Rubia peregrina — Wild Madder

Wild Marjoram - Origanum vulgare — Wild Marjoram

Wild Parsnip - Pastinaca sativa — Wild Parsnip

Wild Privet - Ligustrum vulgare — Wild Privet

Wild Strawberry - Fragaria vesca — Wild Strawberry

Wild Teasel - Dipsacus fullonum — Wild Teasel

Wood Dock - Rumex sanguineus — Wood Dock

Wood Sage - Teucrium scorodonia — Wood Sage

Yorkshire-fog - Holcus lanatus — Yorkshire fog

There are many notable rare species found at the Hooe Quarry site:-
Toadflax-leaved St John’s-wort listed on the International Union for Conservation of Natures ( IUCN ) Red list of threatened species, Ivy Broomrape and Tree-mallow (tentative ID) – Nationally Scarce species
Bee Orchid and Crested Hair-grass – Devon Notable 1 species
Annual Sea Blite, Greater Sea Spurrey, Prickly Lettuce, Pyramidal Orchid, Sea Fern-grass and Sea Purslane; Devon Notable 2 species along with Early Marsh Orchid (tentative ID), Sea Aster and Sea Couch

The Ecological Impact Assessment states…
‘There is the potential for site clearance and earth moving to lead to the permanent loss of the Nationally Rare and IUCN Near Threatened plant Toadflax-leaved St. John’s-wort, as well as all of the Nationally Scarce Ivy Broomrape plants (except those growing on the verge adjacent to Hooe Lake shore), along with the Devon Notable plant species Bee Orchid, Crested Hair-grass, Prickly Lettuce, Pyramidal Orchid and possible Early Marsh-orchid from the site.’

It would seem unlikely that any mitigation plan would protect such a varied selection of species and the wildlife that they support. No species list truly portrays the beauty of these plants so I have recorded them here out of interest and for posterity! Add your thoughts & comments below…

5 Comments

Mark and I

May 2, 2015 / 1:46 am

In the 9-10 century plymstock was a very busy dock with shipping from all over, the parish’s of now plymouth was built on this wealth. Hooe and radford need to be preserved, it has unique plant and insect life diverse as it’s history
rogers

July 13, 2012 / 11:03 pm

fantastic that someone has gone to all effort to record these plants and to upload their pictures. Very interesting.
Peter T

March 9, 2012 / 2:51 pm

That’s the way of the world I guess – Money Talks! Another nail in the coffin for the declining wildlife in the area. The usual shortsightedness from Councillors & Planners alike – What a missed opportunity!
Dennis palfrey

February 13, 2012 / 8:41 pm

These are nice plants and they sure did not waste any time cutting it all down!
Julie Gott

February 13, 2012 / 6:47 pm

It is sad we may lose all these rare plant species…..why should the site be built on when it could become a nature haven for so many local schools and colleges?

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