Synonymy

Oak-hazel woods Moss 1907; Damp oakwood association Moss et al. 1910; Ash-oakwood association Moss et al. 1910; Ashwood association Moss et al. 1910; Quercetum roburis Tansley 1911; Fraxinetum excelsioris Moss 1911; Fraxinetum excelsioris calcareum Tansley & Rankin 1911; Quercetum roboris Tansley 1939 p.p.; Fraxinetum calcicolum Tansley 1939; Dryopterido dilatatae-Fraxinetum Klötzli 1970 p.p.; Quer co-Fraxinetum Klötzli 1970 p.p.; Hyperico-Fraxinetum Klötzli 1970 p.p.; Ash-maple-hazel woodlands Rackham 1980 p.p.; Hornbeam-woods Rackham 1980 p.p.; Limewoods Rackham 1980 p.p.; Elm woods Rackham 1980 p.p.; Ash-wych elm woodland Peterken 1981 p.p.; Ash-maple woodland Peterken 1981; Hazel-ash woodland Peterken 1981 p.p.; Ash-lime woodland Peterken 1981 p.p.; Hornbeam woodland Peterken 1981 p.p.; Suckering elm woodland Peterken 1981; Woodland plot types 1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 12 Bunce 1982; Querco-Ulmetum glabrae Birse & Robertson 1976 emend. Birse 1984 p.p.

Constant species

Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Mercurialis perennis, Rubus fruticosus agg., Eurhynchium praelongum.

Rare species

Cardamine impatiens, Daphne mezereum, Festuca altissima, Ribes alpinum, Primula elatior, P. vulgaris x elatior, Tilia platyphyllos.

Physiognomy

Although individual kinds of Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland are amongst our most distinctive and readily-recognisable woodland types, this community as a whole is very diverse, in both the floristics of the field layer and the composition and structure of the woody component. The patterns of variation in these separate elements are complex enough, but they can be systematised fairly readily into sets of either different field layers or different canopy types. The real problem here is in relating the two because, though field-layer and canopy differences are by no means independent, variation in the one is not fully consonant with variation in the other, largely because of the very great influence which different sylvicultural treatments have had on this kind of woodland, sometimes working with diversity related to natural factors like climate and soil, sometimes not. This makes it very difficult to devise a single satisfactory scheme for comprehending the variation included here and, with this community, more than ever, it should be remembered that the sub-communities represent a necessarily approximate summary of diversity which is complex and multi-directional. Exceptionally here, as an additional guide to variation within the community, the following general account has been sub-headed.