Nothofagus betuloides

Nothofagus betuloides, Magellan's beech[1] or guindo, is a tree native to southern Patagonia.

Nothofagus betuloides

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Nothofagaceae
Genus: Nothofagus
Species:
N. betuloides
Binomial name
Nothofagus betuloides
Synonyms[2]
  • Betula antarctica G.Forst.
  • Calusparassus betuloides (Mirb.) Hombr. & Jacquinot ex Decne.
  • Calusparassus forsteri (Hook.) Hombr. & Jacquinot ex Decne.
  • Fagus betuloides Mirb.
  • Fagus dubia Mirb.
  • Fagus forsteri Hook.
  • Nothofagus betuloides (Mirb.) Blume
  • Nothofagus dubia (Mirb.) Oerst.
  • Nothofagus dubia (Mirb.) Blume
  • Nothofagus forsteri (Hook.) Krasser
  • Nothofagus patagonica Gand.

In 1769, Sir Joseph Banks collected a specimen of the tree in Tierra del Fuego during Captain Cook's first voyage.[3]

Its occurrence on Hornos Island earns it the distinction of being the southernmost tree on Earth.[4]

Distribution

Nothofagus betuloides grows from southern Chile and southern Argentina (40°S) to Tierra del Fuego (56°S). It is found from sea level to 500 m (1,600 ft) above mean sea level. One specimen growing near the southeastern corner of Hornos Island (Cape Horn) was identified in 2019 as the southernmost tree in the world.[4]

Description

It is an evergreen tree up to 25 m (82 ft) tall, with a columnar appearance. In its natural environment, it tolerates cold winters and absence of heat in summer. Specimens from the southern forests resist temperatures down to −20 °C (−4 °F).

Cultivation

It succeeds in Scotland. Trees planted in the Faroe Islands, which were imported directly from its southernmost distribution in Tierra del Fuego, have turned out to be very hardy.[5]

The wood has beautiful marks, and is pinkish, hard, and semiheavy; it is used in furniture and construction.

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References
  1. Baldwin, H. (2018). "Nothofagus betuloides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T96477315A96479945. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  2. "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species".
  3. Kew gardens, or A popular guide to the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew by Sir W.J. Hooker
  4. Welch, Craig (July 2020). "The tree at the bottom of the world—and the wind-blasted trek to find it". National Geographic. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  5. Højgaard, A., J. Jóhansen, and S. Ødum (eds) 1989. A century of tree planting in the Faroe Islands. Føroya Frodskaparfelag, Torshavn.
  • Donoso, C. 2005. Árboles nativos de Chile. Guía de reconocimiento. Edición 4. Marisa Cuneo Ediciones, Valdivia, Chile. 136p.
  • Hoffmann, Adriana. 1998. Flora Silvestre de Chile, Zona Central. Edición 4. Fundación Claudio Gay, Santiago. 254p.
  • Rodríguez, R. & Quezada, M. 2003. Fagaceae. En C. Marticorena y R. Rodríguez [eds.], Flora de Chile Vol. 2(2), pp 64–76. Universidad de Concepción, Concepción.
  • "Nothofagus betuloides". Encyclopedia of Chilean Flora. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  • "Magellan's beech". Chilebosque. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  • "Nothofagus betuloides in the Netherlands". PlantenTuin Esveld. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
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