Nothofagus cliffortioides

Species of Southern beech tree in New Zealand

Nothofagus cliffortioides
Mountain beech trees
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Nothofagaceae
Genus: Nothofagus
Subgenus: Nothofagus subg. Fuscospora
Species:
N. cliffortioides
Binomial name
Nothofagus cliffortioides
(Hook.f.) Oerst.
Synonyms[2]
  • Fagus cliffortioides Hook.f. (1844)
  • Fuscospora cliffortioides (Hook.f.) Heenan & Smissen (2013)
  • Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides (Hook.f.) Poole (1963)

Nothofagus cliffortioides, commonly called mountain beech (Māori: tawhai rauriki), is a species of Southern beech tree and is endemic to New Zealand. Mountain beech grows in mountainous regions at high elevations. In New Zealand the taxon is called Fuscospora cliffortioides.[3][4] Nothofagus cliffortioides occupies a wider range of habitat than any other New Zealand tree species and it shows a corresponding range of life form, seeding habits, regenerative patterns, growth habits, growth rates, stand replacement and mortality patterns.[5]

Mountain beech grows to around 20 metres (66 ft)[6] but near the treeline forms a "goblin forest" where the trees are no more than 2 m (6 ft 7 in) tall. It also has leaves that are elongated and have a pointed end.

Ecology

Mountain beech is eaten by the mountain beech flat moth (Proteodes carnifex), and is a host plant for the lichens Yarrumia colensoi and Podostictina degelii, and the fungi Annulohypoxylon bovei Rossbeevera pachydermis.[7]

Hybrids

  • Mountain beech is known to hybridise with black beech (Nothofagus solandri) where the two species co-exist, and in some places the hybrids may form complex introgressive hybrid swarms.[8]
  • Mountain beech also hybridises with red beech (Nothofagus fusca) to form the hybrid species Nothofagus × blairii.[3]

References

  1. ^ Baldwin, H.; Barstow, M.; Rivers, M.C. (2018). "Nothofagus cliffortioides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T96477403A96479960. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T96477403A96479960.en. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  2. ^ Nothofagus cliffortioides (Hook.f.) Oerst. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b Heenan, Peter B.; Smissen, Rob D. (2013). "Revised circumscription of Nothofagus and recognition of the segregate genera Fuscospora, Lophozonia, and Trisyngyne (Nothofagaceae)". Phytotaxa. 146 (1): 131. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.146.1.1. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Fuscospora cliffortioides (Hook.f.) Heenan & Smissen". Flora of New Zealand. Landcare Research 2010-2015. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  5. ^ John Wardle (1969). Ecology of Nothofagus solandri (Black beech and mountain beech). University of Canterbury. Botany. OCLC 706454567.
  6. ^ "Mountain Beech Height". Details of our range of Beech variety. Southern Woods Nursery Ltd.
  7. ^ Hogan, C. Michael (ed.). "Nothofagus cliffortioides (Hook. fil.) Oerst". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Fuscospora cliffortioides". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nothofagus cliffortioides.
  • University of Waikato: Nothofagus
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Nothofagaceae (southern beech) species
Nothofagus subgenus Fuscospora
(genus Fuscospora Heenan & Smissen (2013))
  • N. alessandrii (ruil)
  • N. cliffortioides (mountain beech)
  • N. fusca (red beech)
  • N. gunnii (deciduous beech / tanglefoot)
  • N. solandri (black beech)
  • N. truncata (hard beech)
Nothofagus subgenus Lophozonia
(genus Lophozonia Heenan & Smissen (2013))
  • N. alpina (rauli)
  • N. cunninghamii (myrtle beech)
  • N. glauca (hualo)
  • Nothofagus × leoni
  • N. macrocarpa (roble de santiago)
  • N. menziesii (silver beech)
  • N. moorei (Antarctic beech)
  • N. rutila
  • N. obliqua (roble)
Nothofagus subgenus Nothofagus
(genus Nothofagus Heenan & Smissen (2013))
  • N. antarctica (ñire / Antarctic beech)
  • N. betuloides (guindo / Magellan's beech)
  • N. dombeyi (coihue / coigüe)
  • N. nitida (Chiloé's coigue)
  • N. pumilio (lenga beech)
Nothofagus subgenus Brassospora
(genus Trisyngyne Heenan & Smissen (2013))
  • N. aequilateralis
  • N. balansae
  • N. baumanniae
  • N. brassii
  • N. carrii
  • N. codonandra
  • N. crenata
  • N. discoidea
  • N. flaviramea
  • N. grandis
  • N. nuda
  • N. perryi
  • N. pseudoresinosa
  • N. pullei
  • N. resinosa
  • N. rubra
  • N. starkenborghiorum
  • N. stylosa
  • N. womersleyi
Taxon identifiers
Nothofagus cliffortioides
Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides
Fuscospora cliffortioides
Fagus cliffortioides