Kingdom Plantae Family Nothofagaceae Scientific name Fuscospora solandri Rank Species | Order Fagales Genus Fuscospora Higher classification Fuscospora | |
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Similar Fuscospora cliffortioides, Lophozonia menziesii, Fuscospora fusca, Fuscospora truncata, Nothofagus | ||
Fuscospora solandri, commonly called black beech (Māori: tawhai pango), is a species of southern beech, endemic to New Zealand. Black beech occurs on both the North and the South Islands at low altitudes up to the mountains. It was known as Nothofagus solandri var. solandri prior to 2013.
Black beech is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing to 27 m tall. The leaves are oppositely arranged, ovoid, 10 mm long and 5 mm broad, with smooth margins.
Fuscospora 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.
Black beech and mountain beech have both been planted in Great Britain, and mountain beech has shown better cold tolerance than black beech in locations such as Scotland.
Hybrids
