- Nothofagus solandri
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Nothofagus solandri 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Order: Fagales Family: Nothofagaceae Genus: Nothofagus Species: N. solandri Binomial name Nothofagus solandri Nothofagus solandri is a species of Nothofagus, endemic to New Zealand, where it occurs on both the North Island and the South Island. There are two varieties, var. solandri, the New Zealand Black Beech, which occurs at low altitudes up to the mountains, and var. cliffortioides, the New Zealand Mountain Beech, which grows up to the treeline.
Black Beech (var. solandri) is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing to 27 m tall. Mountain Beech (var. cliffortioides) is smaller (20 m) and near the treeline forms a "goblin forest" where the trees are no more than 2 m tall.
Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides (Mountain Beech). Adult
The leaves are alternately arranged, ovoid, 10 mm long and 5 mm broad, with smooth margins. In var. cliffortioides the leaves are more elongated and have a pointed end, while var. solandri has shorter rounder leaves. There is however considerable variation in leaf shape within the varieties, and hybridisation occurs between the varieties.
Var. solandri is known as Black Beech because it is prone to a sooty mold which covers the trunk and branches. This in turn is the result of a scale insect which sucks sap from the tree, and excretes honeydew a sweet liquid in small droplets (less than 1 mm diameter) on the end of stalks. This feeds the sooty mold, and also forms a valuable high energy food source for various birds and insects including the Kākā. The infestation is common and does not appear to harm the tree.
Nothofagus solandri var. solandri (Black Beech) showing sooty moldBoth varieties have been planted in Great Britain and var. cliffortiodes has shown better cold tolerance than var. solandri in locations such as Scotland.[1]
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Australasia N. baumanniae • N. cunninghamii • N. discoidea • N. fusca • N. gunnii • N. menziesii • N. moorei • N. nuda • N. solandri • N. stylosa • N. truncata • N. womersleyiSouth America N. alessandri • N. alpina • N. antarctica • N. betuloides • N. dombeyi • N. glauca • N. nitida • N. obliqua • N. pumilio
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