European Beech
Fagus sylvatica
Tree cca 35 m tall, with smooth bark. Shoots thin, twisted. Leaf-scars are small, with 5 leaf marks. Leaf blade elliptical, pointed. Leaf blade entire, wavy, with long hair (especially after bud bursting). Fruits are triangular achenes, so-called beechnuts. They are brown, shiny, found in a spiny hard husk in two to three pieces. They are up to 2 cm long.
Shoots: Shoots are thin, curved. Leaf scarves are small.
Natural range: Europe – up to the southern edge of Sweden, eastern base of the Carpathians; in our area domestic.
Buds
Buds are alternate, spiral, the axillary buds are protruding. The scales are cinnamon-brown, pointed, with white hairs under the top.
Leaves
Leaves are simple. The lamina is elliptic, pointed. The basis usually is wedgewise tapered. The margin is entire, undulating, long pubescent (especially after budding). The face is glabrous, glossy. On the underside in the main vein axils occur long whitish hairs. The number of lateral veins is 5-9 pairs.
Fruits
Triangular achenes, so-called beechnuts. They are brown, shiny, found in a spiny hard husk in two to three pieces. They are up to 2 cm long.