English Lowlands beech forests just one biogeographic province in the Palearctic Realm, which he termed British Islands. Historically, much of this lowland and submontane region was covered with high-canopy forests dominated by European beech ("Fagus sylvatica"), but also including other species of tree, including oak, ash, rowan and yew. In summer, the forests are generally cool and dark, because the beech produces a dense canopy, and thus restricts the growth of other species of tree and wild flowers. In the spring, however, thick carpets of bluebells can be found, flourishing before the beech leafs out and shades the forest floor. The National Vegetation Classification
Stillingia sylvatica Stillingia sylvatica Stillingia sylvatica, known as queen's-delight or queen's delight, is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It was described in 1767. It is endemic to the south-central and southeastern United States, growing in sandy areas such as sandhills and pine flatwoods. It is an herb or subshrub averaging in height. It has alternate, ovate leaves with short petioles, reaching in length and in width. The leaf margins are serrulate to crenulate with incurved teeth. Each crowded inflorescence has four to seven staminate flowers and three to four pistillate flowers. Queen's delight flowers between March and June,