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| Nothofagus truncata (Colenso) Cockayne | ||||||||||||||
Nothofagus truncata or Hard Beech is a species of tree endemic to New Zealand. Its common name derives from the fact that its wood has a high silica content, making it hard and difficult to saw.[1] Hard Beech is a tree up to 30m tall occurring in lowland and lower montane forest from lat. 35°S to 42°30'S, that is, from the north of the North Island to Marlborough and south Westland in the South Island. It does not occur on Mount Taranaki/Egmont. The coriaceous, broadly ovate leaves range from 2.5 to 4cm long, and have from 8 to 12 pairs of coarse blunt teeth. The slate to dark grey bark is thick and furrowed.
References
- ↑ Dawson, John, and R. Lucas, The Nature Guide to the New Zealand Forest, Godwit, 2000
- Flora of New Zealand, URL:Nothofagus truncata. Accessed 29 May 2007.
- New Zealand Plant Conservation Network, URL:Nothofagus truncata. Accessed 29 May 2007.