After surveying the vascular plants of Newtimber Hill fairly systematically, I took a leisurely stroll round the bottom of the chalk pit. Chalk pits have high ecological value: steep, south-facing chalk cliffs trap heat and block wind, creating hot, microclimates that favour sun-loving insects and reptiles. The thin, poor soil prevents aggressive grasses from taking over, which lets delicate wildflowers thrive without heavy competition. Bare rock and loose rubble provide a substrate for specialised ferns, mosses, and lichens
A few of the things I saw
Lithospermum officinale Common Gromwell
Bagliettoa calciseda
Relict chalk pits on the South Down's are one of the best places to see chalk lichens. Monstrously difficult to see: immersed white-grey thallus - for goodness sake! Perithecia (fruiting bodies) immersed in pits & look like scraps of soil. Probably under-recorded
Hypotrachyna revoluta Powdered Loop Lichen on a Hawthorn
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