Stokenham

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.2631, -3.6702

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable No Change (1) Unfavourable Recovering (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SX810416 Unfavourable No Change 0.74 2010-08-13
SX810417 Unfavourable Recovering 0.05 2010-08-13

Description

Stokenham SSSI Description The site comprises a row of mature trees and an adjacent boundary wall which together support an exceptionally rich lichen flora which includes several nationally rare species. Over 50 species of lichen have been recorded growing on the mature sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus trees including the rare Physcia clementei, P. tribacioides and Teloschistes flavicans. Another notable component of the flora is Anaptychia ciliaris which is growing here close to the western limit of its British distribution. The adjacent stone wall is almost entirely dominated by Nephroma laevigatum, this being the largest colony of this species in South West England.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
no common name Anaptychia ciliaris EN lichen no common name
lichen-no common name Nephroma laevigatum, Not listed in GB list lichen tba
clementine lichen Physcia clementei NT lichen no common name
powdered orange bush lichen Teloschistes flavicans VU lichen no common name
sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus Not listed in GB list tree aceraceae

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Acer pseudoplatanus
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Acer pseudoplatanus

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.