Japanese beech

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Japanese beech
Japanese blue beech (Fagus japonica)

Japanese blue beech ( Fagus japonica )

Systematics
Eurosiden I
Order : Beech-like (Fagales)
Family : Beech family (Fagaceae)
Subfamily : Fagoideae
Genre : Beech ( Fagus )
Type : Japanese beech
Scientific name
Fagus japonica
Maxim.
Branch of a Japanese blue beech ( Fagus japonica )

The Japanese beech or Japanese blue beech ( Fagus japonica ) is a deciduous tree from the beech genus . Its natural range is Japan, the name blue beech because of the bluish color of the leaves.

description

The Japanese beech reaches a height of 25 meters and is usually multi-stemmed. The leaves are 5 to 9 inches long, elliptical-ovate to ovate, pointed with a wedge-shaped base. The leaf blade is whole to slightly notched. The upper side of the leaf is bluish green, the underside bluish. The midrib is slightly hairy, 9 to 15 pairs of nerves are formed. Nuts are formed as fruits , half of which protrude from the 6 to 8 millimeter long, three- protruding fruit cup , which is unique among beeches.

Distribution and location requirements

The Japanese beech is a common deciduous tree in the lower elevations of the temperate zones of Japan . There you can find them in species-rich forests on fresh to moist, slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, mostly loamy soils. It prefers sunny to light-shady locations, loves warmth and is usually frost hardy.

Systematics

The Japanese beech is a species belonging to the beech genus . Two varieties can be distinguished:

  • Fagus japonica var. Japonica : It occurs in central and southern Japan.
  • Fagus japonica var. Multinervis (Nakai) YNLee . It only occurs on the Korean island of Ulleungdo . According to R. Govaerts, it is to be regarded as an independent species: Fagus multinervis Nakai .

use

The wood of the species is rarely used, it is economically less important than the curb beech ( Fagus crenata ). Due to its remarkable autumn color, it is occasionally used as an ornamental plant.

proof

literature

  • Andreas Roloff , Andreas Bärtels: Flora of the woods. Purpose, properties and use. With a winter key from Bernd Schulz. 3rd, corrected edition. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2008, ISBN 978-3-8001-5614-6 , pp. 295-296.
  • Schütt, Schuck, Stimm: Lexicon of tree and shrub species . Nikol, Hamburg 2002, ISBN 3-933203-53-8 , pp. 166 .

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d Roloff et al .: Flora of the Woods , pp. 295–296
  2. a b c Schütt et al .: Lexicon of Tree and Shrub Species , p. 166
  3. ^ A b Rafaël Govaerts (Ed.): Fagus - World Checklist of Selected Plant Families of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Last accessed on January 12, 2017.

Web links

Commons : Japanese Beech ( Fagus japonica )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files