Graig Quarry

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 53.1888, -3.4220

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Clwyd County

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Rock Type: Limestone

Description

Description This site is notified for its rare higher plant species interest. The remaining strip of semi-natural broadleaved woodland at the southern edge of the limestone working known as Graig Quarry supports purple gromwell Lithospermum purpureocaeruleum, a Red Data Book species in its only known locality in North Wales. This species has been known from the Denbigh area since the seventeenth century. At Graig Quarry it reaches its most northerly locality in Britain at the edge of its geographical range. Other localities for this species are a considerable distance away. It occurs in semi-natural broadleaved woodland characterised by an ash Fraxinus excelsior, sessile oak Quercus petraea and sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus canopy and an understorey including locally uncommon species such as spindle Euonymus europaeus, wild service tree Sorbus torminalis and spurge laurel Daphne laureola.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
purple gromwell Lithospermum purpureocaeruleum Not listed in GB list herb boraginaceae
spurge laurel Daphne laureola LC shrub thymelaeaceae
spindle tree Euonymus europaeus LC shrub celastraceae
sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus Not listed in GB list tree aceraceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
sessile or durmast oak Quercus petraea LC tree fagaceae