Rowan berries, but a true berry is a simple fruit produced from a single ovary, whereas a pome is an accessory fruit. Rowan is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species; see Lepidoptera that feed on "Sorbus". The best-known species is the European rowan "Sorbus aucuparia", a small tree typically 4–12 m tall growing in a variety of habitats throughout northern Europe and in mountains in southern Europe and southwest Asia. Its berries are a favourite food for many birds and are a traditional wild-collected food in Britain and Scandinavia. It is one of the hardiest
Burrington Combe as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1952. The calcareous grasslands support a diverse flora which includes Salad burnet ("Sanguisorba minor"), Knapweed ("Centaurea scabiosa" and "Centaurea nigra"), Rock-rose ("Helianthemum nummularium") and Wild thyme ("Thymus praecox"). On the higher, more acidic, slopes Goldenrod ("Solidago virgaurea"), Wood sage ("Teucrium scorodonia") and Common Bent ("Agrostis capillaris") can be found. There are also scrub plants including Hawthorn ("Crataegus monogyna"), Mountain ash ("Sorbus aucuparia"), gorse ("Ulex europaeus") and Elder ("Sambucus nigra"). Several of the caves support bat populations. Geologically it is recognised as a fluvial karst feature which partly intersects a buried and filled