Fagus sylvatica the oriental beech ("Fagus orientalis"), which replaces it further east. In the Balkans, it shows some hybridisation with oriental beech; these hybrid trees are named "Fagus" × "taurica". In the southern part of its range around the Mediterranean, it grows only in mountain forests, at altitude. Although often regarded as native in southern England, recent evidence suggests that "F. sylvatica" did not arrive in England until about 4000 BC, or 2,000 years "after" the English Channel formed after the ice ages; it could have been an early introduction by Stone age humans, who used the nuts for food. The beech
Stachys sylvatica Stachys sylvatica Stachys sylvatica, commonly known as hedge woundwort, whitespot, or sometimes as hedge nettle, is a perennial herb growing to 80 cm tall in woodland and unmanaged grassland. In temperate zones of the northern hemisphere it flowers in July and August. The flowers are purple. The leaves, when crushed or bruised, give off an unpleasant fetid smell. Hedge woundwort is an erect perennial plant with slender underground runners and grows to a height of about . The stem branches occasionally and is squarish and hairy, with glandular hairs on the upper part of the plant. The nodes are widely