Helianthemum oelandicum Hoary Rock-rose

A nationally rare rock-rose which grows in a few open, rocky, limestone grasslands, outcrops and cliffs especially in exposed south or west-facing sites. Wales has some of its most important British populations including those that occur on the south Gower cliffs. Outside of Wales it is known only from a few sites in the north of England and in the west of Ireland. It belongs to the Mediterranean-montane element of the British Flora and has a markedly disjunct distribution in Europe. There are 3 subspecies represented in the British and Irish floras and those in Gower are represented by Helianthemum oleandicum ssp. incanum. It is smaller than Common Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium) and has smaller flowers, up to 1.5cm in diameter, and leaves that are hairy on the upper side and densely tomentose-hairy on the lower side. Unlike Common Rock-rose it doesn't have stipules. Hoary Rock-rose is confined to south Gower in West Glamorgan and is frequent and locally abundant on the coastal limestone cliffs cliffs, usually flowering in spring before Common Rock-rose.

Native