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
Luzula sylvatica Luzula sylvatica Luzula sylvatica, commonly known as greater wood-rush or great wood-rush, is a perennial flowering plant in the rush family Juncaceae. With regards to the etymology of the binomial, "Luzula" could come from the Italian "lucciola" ("to shine, sparkle") or the Latin "luzulae" or "luxulae", from "lux" ("light"), inspired by the way the plants sparkle when wet with dew; whilst "sylvatica" comes from silva, Latin for forest. "Luzula sylvatica" is the largest woodrush, with stems high. It forms clumps of bright green leaves which are glossy, flat, linear, about in length and wide; its leaves remain green or at