134 



WOOD AND FOREST. 



Habitat. 



39 



BEECH. 



Fagus grandifolia Ehrhart. Fagus americana Sweet. Fagus ferru- 

 ginea Alton. Fagus atropunicea (Marshall) Sudworth. 



Fagus (Greek phago means to eat), refers to edible nut; ferruginea. 

 refers to the iron rust color of the leaves in the fall; atropunicea, meaning 

 dark red or purple, may refer to the color of the leaves of the copper 

 beech. 



Habitat: (See map) ; 

 best in southern Alleghany 

 Mountains and lower Ohio 

 valley. 



Characteristics of the 

 Tree: Height, 70'-80' and 

 even 120'; diameter, 3'-4' ; 

 in forest, trunk tall, slen- 

 der, sinewy; bark, smooth, 

 ashy gray; leaves, feather- 

 veined, wedge-shaped, ser- 

 rate; leaf buds, long, 

 pointed; fruit, 2 small 

 triangular nuts, enclosed 

 in burr, seeds about once 

 in 3 years. 



Appearance of Wood: 



Color, reddish, variable, 

 sap-wood white ; diffuse- 

 porous ; rings, obscure 

 grain, straight ; rays, 

 broad, very conspicuous. 



Physical Qualities: 

 Heavy (20th in this list) ; 

 42 Ibs. per cu. ft.; sp. gr., 



Leaf. 



