Fagus hohenackeriana
Fagus hohenackeriana, the Caucasian beech, is a deciduous tree in the family Fagaceae. It is native to the Caucasus region on the borders of the extreme southeast of Europe and western Asia, from northeastern Turkey east to Azerbaijan and north to southernmost European Russia. Although first noted as distinct and described in 1908 by the Russian botanist Ivan Palibin, it was until recently universally regarded as a synonym of Fagus orientalis, until a major genetic study discovered it was distinct. Its treatment as a distinct species has been accepted by the Plants of the World Online database.
Description
Fagus hohenackeriana is a large tree, capable of reaching heights of up to tall, though more typically tall and up to trunk diameter. Like all beeches, it has smooth, grey bark.The leaves are similar to those of alternate, simple, and entire or with a slightly crenate margin, long, with 7–12 veins on each side of the leaf.
The seeds are small triangular nuts long and wide at the base; there are two nuts in each cupule, maturing in the autumn 5–6 months after pollination. The cupule is similar to that of F. orientalis in differing from that of European beech in having flattened, slightly leaf-like appendages at the base.