Nothofagus truncata or Hard Beech is a species of tree endemic to New Zealand. Its common name derives from the fact that its wood has a high silica content, making it hard and difficult to saw.1 Hard Beech is a tree up to 30m tall occurring in lowland and lower montane forest from lat. 35°S to 42°30'S, that is, from the north of the North Island to Marlborough and south Westland in the South Island. It does not occur on Mount Taranaki/Egmont. The coriaceous, broadly ovate leaves range from 2.5 to 4cm long, and have from 8 to 12 pairs of coarse blunt teeth. The slate to dark grey bark is thick and furrowed.
References
^ Dawson, John, and R. Lucas, The Nature Guide to the New Zealand Forest, Godwit, 2000
