FAGACEAE 



American Beech 



Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. 



HABIT. A beautiful, medium-sized tree 60-80 feet high and 

 2-3 feet in diameter (max. 120 by bVi feet); clear straight trunk; 

 compact, rounded crown with slender, spreading branches. 



LEAVES. Alternate; simple; deciduous; elliptical to oblong- 

 ovate; 2Vi-6 inches long; penniveined; coarsely serrate with 

 sharp teeth; acuminate; thin; dark blue-green above and yellow- 

 green and lustrous below; short-petioled. 



FLOWERS. Monoecious; apetalous; appearing after the 

 leaves open; staminate in globose heads 1 inch in diameter, 

 each with a 4-8-lobed calyx and 8-16 stamens; pistillate in 

 2-4-flowered spikes, each with a 4-5-lobed calyx, a 3-celled 

 ovary, and 3 styles. 



FRUIT. A triangular, edible nut |/2-%- inch long; 2-3 com- 

 pletely enclosed in a woody, 4-parted bur or involucre covered 

 with weak, unbranched spines; maturing in one year. 



TWIGS. Slender; round; lustrous; olive green, becoming 

 ash-gray; occasionally zigzag; pith round. Winter buds: terminal 

 present, %-l inch long, slender, lance-shaped, acuminate, 

 with numerous, imbricated scales, a very distinctive feature. 



BARK. Thin; close; smooth; light blue-gray; often mottled; 

 similar in appearance on old and young trunks. 



WOOD. Important; strong, heavy, and hard; diffuse-porous; 

 light in color; not durable; used for flooring, handles, furni- 

 ture, etc. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Very tolerant; rather fast 

 growing; long-lived, attaining an age of about 400 years; shallow, 

 lateral roots; reproduction good; roots sprout vigorously; on 

 moist sites; in mixture with numerous hardwoods. 



GENERAL. This genus contains about 10 species scattered 

 through the Northern Hemisphere, with only one native to 

 North America. In the southern part of its range, American 

 beech passes into the variety caroliniana (Loud.) Fern. & Rehd., 

 which differs in having short-ovate, thicker leaves. The important 

 European beech, Fagus sylvatica L., is a commonly planted orna- 

 mental; the variety atropunicea West, with dark bronze-purple 

 leaves; the variety pendula Loud, with the weeping habit of 

 drooping branches; and the variety laciniata Vig. with deeply 

 cut leaves are familiar shade trees. 



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