Beech (Hard) Nothofagus truncate
Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Nothofagaceae
Genus: Nothofagus
Species: N. truncata
Binomial name: Nothofagus truncate
Common name: Hard Beech
Nothofagus truncata or is a species of tree endemic to New Zealand. Its common name hard beech derives from the fact that its wood has a high silica content, making it hard and difficult to saw.
Hard Beech is a tree up to 30m tall occurring in lowland and lower montane forest from lat. 35°S to 42°30'S, that is, from the north of the North Island to Marlborough and south Westland in the South Island.
The coriaceous (leathery) ovate leaves range from 2.5 to 4 cm long, and have from 8 to 12 pairs of coarse blunt teeth. There are no domatia (small depressions partly enclosed by leaf tissue or hairs) on under surface of the leaf.
The slate to dark grey bark is thick and furrowed.
In north Taranaki hard beech occupies much of the rugged sandstone country, forming almost pure stands.
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