Watlington and Pyrton Hills is a biological

Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...

east of Watlington in

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

. An area of is Watlington Chalk Pit, which is a Local Nature Reserve. This site has floristically diverse chalk grassland, chalk scrub, broadleaved woodland and

yew Yew is a common name given to various species of trees. It is most prominently given to any of various coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Taxus'': * European yew or common yew (''Taxus baccata'') * Pacific yew or western yew (''Taxus br ...

woodland. Watlington Hill has short turf which is grazed by rabbits, with flowering plants including

yellow-wort ''Blackstonia perfoliata'' or yellow-wort is a species of flowering plant in the family Gentianaceae found around the Mediterranean Basin, but extending into northwestern Europe. Description Yellow-wort grows tall, with stiff, branching stems. ...

dropwort Dropwort is a common name for several plants and may refer to: *''Filipendula vulgaris'', an herb in the family Rosaceae, growing in dry meadows in Europe and Asia *'' Oenanthe'', a genus of plants in the family Apiaceae, growing in moist habitats, ...

horseshoe vetch ''Hippocrepis comosa'', the horseshoe vetch, is a species of perennial flowering plant belonging to the genus ''Hippocrepis'' in the family Fabaceae. Description The overall appearance depends on its habitat: sometimes it forms upright clumps ...

squinancywort ''Asperula cynanchica'', the squinancywort or squincywort, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. Its common name is derived from its former use as a medicinal herb to cure quinsy. It is native to much of southern and central ...

and the nationally rare

candytuft ''Iberis'' , commonly called candytuft, is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Brassicaceae. It comprises annuals, evergreen perennials and subshrubs native to the Old World. The name "candytuft" is not related to candy, but der ...

References

{{SSSIs Oxfordshire Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Oxfordshire Hills of Oxfordshire Chiltern Hills