Nothofagus antarctica

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Nothofagus antarctica

Nothofagus antarctica, foliage

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Fagales
Family:	Nothofagaceae
Genus:	Nothofagus
Species:	N. antarctica

Binomial name

Nothofagus antarctica
(Forster) Oerst.

N. antarctica in Torres del Paine National Park

Nothofagus antarctica (Antarctic Beech; in Spanish Ñire), is a deciduous tree or shrub native to southern Chile and Argentina from about 36°S latitude south to Tierra del Fuego (56° S). The southernmost occurrence is on Hoste Island, making it the southernmost trees on earth. It grows mainly in the diminishing temperate rainforests.

It typically grows 10-25 m (32-80 ft)tall and has a slender trunk with attractive scaly bark. The leaves are simple and alternate, growing 2-4.5 cm long, and often viscid, with a sweetly scented wax. The leaf color is medium green, becoming yellow to orange in the fall. They are broadly ovate to triangular, crinkly, rounded at the tips, irregularly and minutely toothed. The flowers are inconspicuous yellow-green catkins. The fruit is a 6 mm, very fragrant 4-valved capsule containing three small nuts.

It has been introduced in the North Pacific Coast of the United States^[1]. It has been planted in Great Britain and does very well in that country. Trees planted in Faroe Islands, which were imported directly from its southernmost distribution in Tierra del Fuego, have shown a good hardiness.^[2] .

Nothofagus moorei, found in Australia, is also referred to as "Antarctic Beech".

[edit] References and external links

^ Nothofagus antarctica in Washington Park Arboretum.
^ Højgaard, A., J. Jóhansen, and S. Ødum (eds) 1989. A century of tree planting in the Faroe Islands. Føroya Frodskaparfelag, Torshavn

Donoso, C. 2005. Árboles nativos de Chile. Guía de reconocimiento. Edición 4. Marisa Cuneo Ediciones, Valdivia, Chile. 136p.
Hoffmann, Adriana. 1998. Flora Silvestre de Chile, Zona Central. Edición 4. Fundación Claudio Gay, Santiago. 254p.
Rodríguez, R. & Quezada, M. 2003. Fagaceae. En C. Marticorena y R. Rodríguez [eds.], Flora de Chile Vol. 2(2), pp 64-76. Universidad de Concepción, Concepción.