Nothofagus fusca

It is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing to 35 m tall. The leaves are alternately arranged, broad ovoid, 2 to 4 cm long and 1.5 to 3 cm broad, the margin distinctively double-toothed with each lobe bearing two teeth. The fruit is a small cupule containing three seeds.

Pollen from the tree was found near the Antarctic Peninsula, showing that it formerly grew in Antarctica since the Eocene period. Red beech is not currently considered threatened.

Uses

Red beech is the only known plant source, apart from rooibos (Aspalathus linearis), of the C-linked dihydrochalcone glycoside nothofagin.

It is also grown as an ornamental tree in regions with a mild oceanic climate due to its attractive leaf shape. It has been planted in Scotland and the North Coast of the Pacific of the United States. The red beech's wood is the most durable of all the New Zealand beeches. It was often used in flooring in many parts of New Zealand. The timber is exceptionally stable when dried to appropriate moisture values. The average density of red beech at 12 percent moisture content is 630 kilograms per cubic metre.