Nothofagus cliffortioides

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. 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.

Nothofagus cliffortioides
Mountain beech trees
Scientific 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
Synonyms
  • Fagus cliffortioides Hook.f. (1844)
  • Fuscospora cliffortioides (Hook.f.) Heenan & Smissen (2013)
  • Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides (Hook.f.) Poole (1963)

Mountain beech grows to around 20 metres (66 ft) 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.

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