128 C. E. Moss, W. M. Rankin and A. G. Tansley. 
Besides the hazel and the above-mentioned trees, the following 
trees and shrubs are common in damp oak woods: hawthorn 
(Cratcegus monogyna), sloe ( Primus spinosa), holly ( Ilex Aquifolium), 
various fruticose Ritbi, various briers, especially Rosa canina and R. 
arvensis , maple (Acer canipestre), sallows ( Salix caprcea and 5. cinerea), 
aspen (Populus tremula), dogwood ( Comas sanguined), and guelder- 
rose (Viburnum Opulns). All these are generally cut indiscriminately 
when coppicing takes place; but the hawthorn, sloe, holly, brambles, 
and briers do not of course form stools. Of climbers, ivy (Hedera 
Helix ) and honeysuckle (Lonicera Periclymenum) are typical species. 
The variety of shrubs, and indeed of herbaceous species too, is 
much less in oakwoods than in those of the ash type. 
Of herbaceous species, as of shrubs, the majority are common 
to all damp, shady woods, and not many species are found exclusively 
in damp oakwoods, i.e., few are confined, or nearly confined, to damp 
non-calcareous soils: Equisetum sylvaticum, Lastrcea montana 
(=L. Oreopteris), L. dilatata, L. spinulosa, Athyrium Filix-fcemina, 
Carex laevigata, Luzula maxima, and Scutellaria minor may, how¬ 
ever, figure in this category. 
Of abundant plants, which are nevertheless by no means con¬ 
fined to woods of the oak type, a few may be mentioned. 
Among species which flower in spring, the primrose (Primula 
vulgaris) is one of the best known, most abundant, and most widely 
distributed. The cuckoo-flower or lady’s smock (Cardamine pra- 
tensis) is extremely abundant in many woods of this type in Kent; 
and the dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis), the wood spurge 
(Euphorbia amygdaloides ), the greater stitchwort (Stellaria Holostea), 
the red campion (Lychnis dioica ), the wood anemone (Anemone 
nemorosa), the lesser celandine (Ranunculus Ficaria), and the yellow 
dead-nettle (Lamium Galeobdolon) are other prominent, spring¬ 
flowering, social or sub-social species. The luxuriance of these is 
greatly encouraged by the coppicing of the shrubs, and all, either 
locally pure, or mixed, often cover the ground of the copses and 
coppices in continuous sheets during April and May. On the 
lighter soils, the bluebell (Scilla non-scripta) must be included in 
this list. To these may be added the following, less social in habit: 
the wood sedge (Carex sylvatica), the early purple orchis (Orchis 
mascula) the barren strawberry (Polentilla sterilis), the true straw¬ 
berry (Fragaria vesca), the wood sorrel (Oxalis Acetosella), the 
ubiquitous wood violet (Viola Riviniana), and the wood sanicle 
