FAGUS APICULATA, Colenso. 
THE POINTED-LEAVED BEECH. 
OrDER—CUPULIFERAE. 
(Plate CXXXV,) 
GUS APICULATA was described by Mr. Colenso in 1883, and does not appear 
to Be tre been met with by other botanists: its discoverer states that it attains 
att aa of goft., with a trunk 2ft. in diameter, clothed with rather smooth 
pale bark. The branchlets are clothed with sfiart downy hairs. The leaves 
at e alternate, about tin. long, and of thin texture, quite entire or with a few 
‘minute indentations on their margins: they are carried on short leaf-stalks, and 
the h e mid-rib is produced beyond the margin into a short point, which is thickened 
at the base by the marginal nerve. 
The male and female flowers are produced on the same tree; the former 
ee usually solitary, although occasionally they are found in pairs: in general 
ppearance they are similar to those of the tooth-leaved beech (Fagus fusca, 
I taste. f.), but the perianth is rather narrow. The female flowers are solitary : 
tl he cupules resemble those of J*. fusca, but are usually three- or rarely four- 
dered, and carry from two to four transverse membranous plates. The fruiting 
-cupule is somewhat ovate, and contains two or three nuts, one of which is 
flat , the other three-angled, with narrow wings at each ales This plant 
th osely approaches entire-leaved forms of Fagus fusca, but the leaves are more 
“membranous, and the fruit is narrow. It agrees with that species in having the 
b: branchlets and under-surfaces of the leaves clothed with fine downy hairs, and 
we 1 the male flowers being occasionally clustered. In Fagus fusca some of the 
leaves are apiculate, especially in the toothless forms: in Mr. Colenso’s plant 
all the leaves are apiculate; but it should, I think, be regarded as a strongly- 
marked variety of F. fusca, although, in deference to the opinion of its author, 
I have retained it as a distinct Species. Botanists will do well to consult Mr. 
ae detailed description in the ‘‘ Transactions of the New Zealand 
"Institute. us 
___No information is given as to the quality of the timber, which will probably 
be found similar to that of the tooth-leaved beech. 
PROPERTIES AND USEs. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENUS. 
See under Fagus Solandri, p. g1, ante. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPECIES. 
At present Fagus apiculata has only been observed in forests between 
Beene and Danevirke, in the Hawke's Bay District. 
* Trans, N.Z. Inst., Vol. xv1., p. 3353 Vol. Xvrr., p, 247. 
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