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Species of Southern beech tree in New Zealand
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.[3][4] 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.[5]
Mountain beech grows to around 20 metres (66 ft)[6] 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.
Mountain beech is eaten by the mountain beech flat moth (Proteodes carnifex), and is a host plant for the lichens Yarrumia colensoi and Podostictina degelii, and the fungi Annulohypoxylon bovei Rossbeevera pachydermis.[7]
- Mountain beech is known to hybridise with black beech (Nothofagus solandri) where the two species co-exist, and in some places the hybrids may form complex introgressive hybrid swarms.[8]
- Mountain beech also hybridises with red beech (Nothofagus fusca) to form the hybrid species Nothofagus × blairii.[3]
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Nothofagus cliffortioides | |
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Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides | |
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Fuscospora cliffortioides | |
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Fagus cliffortioides | |
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