Although forests are defined and described on the basis of the species of trees present in the canopy layer (or stratum), several other strata exist beneath the canopy in relatively undisturbed deciduous forests in the Appalachians and Ozarks. These other strata are recognized on the basis of the species, age, growth form, and size of the plants that make them up. For example, this is the case for the shrub and herbaceous strata, which are floristically very different. Trees temporarily share living space in some of these strata as they develop from seeding to mature individuals. The lowermost stratum (the ground layer), unlike the other strata, is dominated by non-vascular plants and lichens. In this chapter, the composition of each of these non-canopy strata is discussed, including the similarities and differences in the two regions. More detailed information is provided for some of the plants mentioned.