The Woodland-Elves or Mirkwood-Elves (S."Lasgalendrim"; "Ndaedeldhrim") were a tribe of the Nandor who had not crossed the Misty mountains in the Elder Days. When the Great Forest of Rhovanion diminished and eventually split into the Great Greenwood in the east and Laurelindórenan the Wood-Elves of Rhovanion split in two groups, one western eventually to become the Galadhrim and one eastern who later became known as the Woodland-Folk or Greenwood-Elves or later Mirkwood-Elves.In the Second Age these wild Elves were reinforced by Sindarin Exiles from Beleriand who were inspired by the wish to return to the ways of their forefathers and become a Forest-Folk.Among these was the family of Oropher, a Sinda of Doriath who eventually became King of the Mirkwood-Elves and passed this title on to his son Thranduil.
Two sub-groups or tribal offshots of the Mirkwood-Elves were the Mountain-Elves and the Raft-Elves.