On the shallow soils of rock ledges and outcrops, a maritime therophyte community occurs where typical species include: English stonecrop Sedum anglicum, thrift, buck's-horn plantain Plantago coronopus and kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria.

The grassland communities of the cliff slopes are dominated by red fescue Festuca rubra which often forms a matressy sward, and Yorkshire-fog Holcus lanatus.

bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta is found in more sheltered areas and on upper slopes where it is typically associated with coarse grasses, mainly cock's-foot Dactylis glomerata and scrub communities.

Spring squill, common bird's-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, sheep's-bit Jasione montana and wild thyme Thymus drucei are abundant.

The flushes are dominated by purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea and typical species occurring here include cross-leaved heath Erica tetralix, tormentil Potentilla erecta, sharp-flowered rush Juncus acutiflorus and royal fern Osmunda regalis.

Other species of note associated with the wet flushes include bog asphodel Narthecium ossifragum, the cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium and pale butterwort Pinguicula lusitanica.

The site supports a typical Cornish cliff bryophyte flora and includes a number of rarities, most notably the Red Data Book moss Tortula solmsii.

The west facing section of the coast between Aire Point and Kenidjack Castle displays examples of fully exposed rocky shore communities.

The plants and animals are typical of a wave beaten coast with the lower shore characterised by the brown seaweeds "dabberlocks" Alaria esculenta and "tangle" Laminaria digitalis and pools containing coralline algae Corallina officinalis and pink encrusting Lithothamnion spp.

The range of land habitats, many of which are floristically rich, support a diverse and abundant invertebrate fauna, including the following Red Data Book species: the mud snail Lymnaea glabra, the bug Heterogaster artimisae and the hoverfly Microdon mutabilis.