List of species occurring in Britain at a single location explained

The following is a list of native plant and animal species which are found in Britain, but only at a single location.

Key

Key to conservation designations for species:

Key to conservation designations for sites:

Currently found at just a single location

Non-vascular plants

SpeciesConservation designation(s) of speciesLocation at which foundConservation designation(s) of locationDate of discovery at this locationFormerly found elsewhere
Thamnobryum angustifolium, Derbyshire feathermoss RDB (CR)DerbyshireSSSI1886No

Vascular plants

This section currently lists non-critical species and critical species in the smaller apomictic genera; many microspecies in the apomictic genera Hieracium (hawkweeds), Rubus (brambles) and Taraxacum (dandelions) are also found at just a single site each.

SpeciesConservation designation(s) of speciesLocation at which foundConservation designation(s) of locationDate of discovery at this locationFormerly found elsewhere
Diapensia Diapensia lapponicaRDB (vu), W&CA 8GlenfinnanNone1951No
Rannoch-rush Scheuchzeria palustrisRDB (vu)Rannoch MoorSSSI, NNR1910Yes
Least adder's-tongue
Ophioglossum lusitanicum
RDB (vu)St Agnes, Isles of ScillySSSI1950No
Lundy cabbage Coincya wrightiiRDB (vu), W&CA 8Lundy, DevonNo
Alpine rock-cress Arabis alpinaRDB (vu)Isle of SkyeNo
Bristol rock-cress Arabis scabraRDB (vu), W&CA 8Avon Gorge, BristolNo
Lady's-slipper Cypripedium calceolusRDB (cr), W&CA 8WharfedaleYes
Shetland mouse-ear Cerastium nigrescensRDB (vu)Unst, Shetland1837No
Teesdale sandwort Minuartia strictaWiddybank Fell, TeesdaleNo
Wild cotoneaster Cotoneaster cambricusGreat Orme HeadNo
Arran whitebeam Sorbus arranensisIsle of ArranNo
Arran service-tree Sorbus pseudofennicaIsle of ArranNo
Catacol whitebeam Sorbus pseudomeinichiiIsle of ArranNo
Wilmott's whitebeam Sorbus willmottianaAvon GorgeNo
Bristol whitebeam Sorbus bristoliensisAvon GorgeNo
The sea-lavender Limonium paradoxumSt David's Head, PembrokeshireNo
The sea-lavender Limonium transwallianumGiltar Point, PembrokeshireNo
The sea-lavender Limonium loganicumLogan Rock to Carn Les Boel, CornwallNo
The eyebright Euphrasia campbelliaeIsle of LewisNo
Wall germander Teucrium chamaedrysBeachy Head, SussexNo
Leafless hawk's-beard Crepis praemorsaCumbriaNo
Wood calamint Clinopodium menthifoliumIsle of WightNo
Radnor lily Gagea bohemicaRadnorshireNo
Sand crocus Romulea columnaeDawlish WarrenNo
Strapwort Corrigiola litoralisSlapton Ley, DevonYes
Creeping marshwort Apium repensPort Meadow, OxfordYes
Fen ragwort Senecio paludosusElyYes
Holly-leaved Naiad Najas marina[1] RDB (vu)Norfolk Broads1883Yes (fossil record)
Triangular club-rush Scirpus triqueterTamar Estuary, DevonYes

Invertebrates

SpeciesConservation designation(s) of speciesLocation at which foundConservation designation(s) of locationDate of discovery at this locationFormerly found elsewhere
Geotomus punctulatus – a shield bug[2] RDB1Whitesand Bay, Sennen, Cornwallnone1864[3] Yes
Syncopacma suecicella – a micro mothKynance Cove, CornwallSSSI1984[4] No
Common forest looper (Pseudocoremia suavis)Great Work, near Tregonning Hill, Breage, Cornwallnone2007[5] No
Fisher’s estuarine moth (Gortyna borelii lunata)Hamford Water, northeast EssexSSSI
Morris's wainscot (Chortodes morrisii morrisii)west Dorset coastSSSI
Sphaerius acaroides – a sphaeriusid beetleEype Mouth, DorsetNo
Sitona gemellatus – a weevilEype Mouth, DorsetYes
Prostoma jenningsi – a ribbon worm[6] [7] A lake between Croston and Bretherton, Lancashire1967No
Trembling sea mat (Victorella pavida)[8] Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and Species Action PlanSwanpool, FalmouthSSSI and LNR1968Yes
Megathiris detruncata – a lamp shell[9] [10] 35 fathom mark off Men-a-vaur, Isles of Scilly1888No
Ivell's sea anemone (Edwardsia ivelli)Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981Widewater Lagoon, West Sussex1975No

Vertebrates

Birds

SpeciesConservation designation(s) of speciesLocation at which foundConservation designation(s) of locationDate of discovery at this locationFormerly found elsewhere
Common crane (Grus grus) (see note 1)RDBThe Norfolk Broads1979Yes
Notes
  1. Common crane, although occurring in fluctuating numbers as a scarce spring and autumn migrant through Britain, with occasional individuals or pairs wintering or summering, has only established a single breeding population, in the Norfolk Broads (see Cranes in Britain for more details); the species was thought to be quite widespread in the Middle Ages, but the term 'crane' was also often applied to grey heron, making a reliable determination of historical status difficult.

Notes and References

  1. Handley. R J. Davy. A J. Discovery of male plants of Najus marina L. (Hydrocharitaceae) in Britain. Watsonia. 2000. 23. 331–334.
  2. Book: Hemiptera

    . Red Data Book for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 2009. Croceago Press. Praze-an-Beeble. 978-1-901685-01-5. Alexander, Keith. 2nd. Hemiptera. In CISFBR. 217.

  3. Dale. C W. Additions to list of Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera. Penzance Natural History and Antiquarian Society. 1890. 3. 269–70.
  4. Book: Smith. Frank H N. The Moths and Butterflies of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 1997. Gem Publishing Company. Wallingford. 0-906802-07-5.
  5. Web site: James. Tony. Common Forest Looper Pseudocoremia suavis. UKMoths. 28 December 2016.
  6. Ray Gibson & Johnstone O. Young . 1971 . Prostoma jenningsi sp. nov., a new British freshwater hoplonemertean . . 1 . 1 . 121–127 . 10.1111/j.1365-2427.1971.tb01550.x.
  7. Web site: The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside . Memorandum submitted by The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside . . November 29, 2011.
  8. Book: Bryozoa (Polyzoa, Ectoprocta)

    . Red Data Book for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 2009. Croceago Press. Praze-an-Beeble. 978-1-901685-01-5. 525–8. Gainey Paul. 2nd. Bryozoa (Polyzoa, Ectoprocta). In CISFBR.

  9. Book: Lamp Shells (Brachiopoda)

    . Red Data Book for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 2009. Croceago Press. Praze-an-Beeble. 978-1-901685-01-5. Turk, Stella. 2nd. Lamp Shells (Brachiopoda). In CISFBR. 524.

  10. Marshall. James Taylor. Argiope decollata at Scilly. Journal of Conchology. 1888. 5. 361–2.