Pitcombe Down

Also within

Dorset County Dorset Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Description

Pitcombe Down SSSI Description An area of chalk downland of south and west aspect. In excellent condition, the swards show some variety in species composition whilst being characteristic of chalk grassland in the south west part of the county. Most of the grassland is of the association: sheep’s fescue/red fescue Festuca ovina/F. rubra – salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba. It is rich in attractive downland plants including horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa, clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata, harebell Campanula rotundifolia, small scabious Scabiosa columbaria, devil’s-bit Succisa pratensis and betony Betonica officinalis. Areas dominated by tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum, though not rich in herbs, give additional variety to the site. There are good populations of butterflies including the local chalkhill blue Polyommatus coridon and the uncommon small blue Cupido minimus and Adonis blue Polyommatus bellargus.

Species mentioned