Epping Forest Act, have now grown massive crowns of thick, trunk-like branches with correspondingly large boles. This gives the trees an unusual appearance, not known in other forests. Often the weight of the branches cannot be supported by the parent tree, and the large amount of dead wood in the forest supports numerous rare species of fungi and invertebrates. Predominant tree species are Pedunculate oak ("Quercus robur"), European beech ("Fagus sylvatica"), European hornbeam ("Carpinus betuloides"), silver birch ("Betula pendula") and European holly ("Ilex aquifolium"). Indicator species of long-uninterrupted woodland include service-tree ("Sorbus torminalis") butcher's-broom ("Ruscus aculeatus") and drooping sedge ("Carex pendula") A
Dioscorea sylvatica variable species, with several extremely distinct varieties. It is threatened from illegal collecting for traditional medicine, as well as for the horticultural trade. As a consequence it is listed as Vulnerable. Dioscorea sylvatica Dioscorea sylvatica ("forest elephants foot") is a species of a twining tuberous vine that is native to Africa. It is common and widespread in forest and thicket, throughout the summer rainfall areas of East and Southern Africa. It produces a distinctively flattened caudex, often with lobes that spread out. The creeping shoots grow throughout most of the year, though each will periodically die back and be replaced