98 



NOTHOFAGUS 



N. ANTARCTICA, Oersted V. ANTARCTIC BEECH. 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 8314 ; Fagus antarctica, Forster.) 



A deciduous tree of large size ; young shoots very downy. Leaves ^ to 

 ij ins. long, often nearly as much wide ; broadly ovate, or somewhat 

 triangular, heart-shaped or truncate at the base, rounded at the apex, 

 sometimes slightly lobed, always irregularly and minutely toothed, the teeth 

 often rounded ; smooth on both sides except for a minute down on the midrib 

 beneath ; stalk downy, ^ to ^ in. long. Flowers produced during May, the 



NOTHOFAGUS ANTARCTICA. 



males singly, in pairs^or in threes in the basal leaf-axils of small twigs, 

 pendulous, each about ^ in. across ; calyx broadly funnel-shaped, five-lobed. 

 Husk of fruit four-lobed, enclosing three nuts. 



Native of S. America from Tierra del Fuego northwards to Chilian ; first 

 introduced, according to Loudon, in 1830. Seeds were again sent home by 

 Sir Joseph Hooker to Kew about 1843, and it has, no doubt, been introduced 

 several times subsequently. All the trees at present in cultivation, with the 

 exception of one at Hafodunos in Denbighshire, were introduced by means of 

 seeds collected by Mr H. J. Elwes, in 1902. These plants have hitherto 

 succeeded very well at Kew and other places, but seeing that almost all those 



