page_title: Noar Hill
section_title: Flora
hierarchical_section_title: Noar Hill / Flora
context_page_description: Noar Hill is a 63-hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Selborne in Hampshire. It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade 2, and part of East Hampshire Hangers Special Area of Conservation. An area of 20 hectares is a nature reserve managed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.
  It forms one of the westerly outposts of the chalk hills called the South Downs, and rises to a maximum height of about 210 metres above sea-level. The western and northern flanks slope fairly gently, but the eastern and southern flanks in places reach a gradient exceeding 60%.
  Gilbert White, in his Natural History of Selborne, says of Noar Hill:
  At each end of the village [Selborne], which runs from south-east to north-west, arises a small rivulet: that at the north-west end frequently fails: but the other is a fine perennial spring little influenced by drought or wet seasons, called Well-head. This breaks out of some high grounds adjoining to Nore Hill, a noble chalk promontory, remarkable for sending forth two streams into two different seas.
context_section_description: The chalk-diggings not only made High Common unsuitable for ploughing, but also left bare chalk exposed. The many inclines and aspects of the disused pits provide different microclimates, all of which add to the variety of the flora.
  Noar Hill is noted for its calcicoles (chalk-dwelling plants). These include hairy rock-cress (Arabis hirsuta), dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris), harsh downy-rose (Rosa tomentosa), pale flax (Linum bienne), common milkwort (Polygala vulgaris), marjoram (Origanum vulgare), wild thyme (two species: large thyme (Thymus pulegioides) and mother-of-thyme (Thymus polytrichus)), eyebright (Euphrasia nemorosa), and clustered bellflower (Campanula glomerata).
  Small-leaved sweet-briar (Rosa agrestis) was recorded in 1978. Four bushes of box (Buxus sempervirens) growing on the landslip are considered by Dr Francis Rose to be native. Early gentian (Gentianella anglica) has been found (1951, 1988, 1994) on the bare chalk-scree. The parasitic knapweed broomrape (Orobanche elatior) is regularly recorded. Juniper (Juniperus communis) thrives; and in spring there is a beautiful display of cowslip (Primula veris).
  There are occasional findings of dragon's-teeth (Tetragonolobus maritimus) and fern-grass (Catapodium rigidum).
  However, the chief glory of Noar Hill derives from its orchids. At least eleven species have been identified:
  Twayblade (Neottia ovata)
  Autumn lady's tresses (Spiranthes spiralis)
  Musk orchid (Herminium monorchis)
  Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis)
  Fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea, including × Dactylodenia st-quintinii)
  Frog orchid Coeloglossum viride, including  × Dactyloglossum mixtum)
  Common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)
  Southern marsh orchid (D. praetermissa)
  Early purple orchid (Orchis mascula)
  Fly orchid (Ophrys insectifera)
  Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera)
  The colony of musk orchids runs to approximately 10,000 spikes and is of national importance.
  High Common, surrounded by botanically impoverished farmland, provides both a refuge for chalk downland species and a reservoir from which recolonization of nearby areas is possible. The habitat restoration being undertaken at Selborne Common may be one beneficiary.
caption: Bee orchid
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