Beech
Beech
Beech (Fagus) is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America.
Pronunciation
- IPA: /biːtʃ/
Etymology
The word "beech" comes from Old English bēce, from Proto-Germanic *bōkijǭ, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bhagos, "beech tree".
Description
Beech trees are large, reaching heights of up to 40 meters, with smooth, silver-gray bark. The leaves are entire or sparsely toothed, from 5–15 cm long and 4–10 cm broad. The flowers are small and single-sexed (monoecious), the female flowers borne in pairs, the male flowers wind-pollinating catkins. They are known for their dense canopy, providing shade and habitat for many species of wildlife.
Species
There are about 10 to 12 species of beech trees, including:
- American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
- European Beech (Fagus sylvatica)
- Japanese Beech (Fagus crenata)
- Chinese Beech (Fagus engleriana)
Uses
Beech wood is an excellent firewood, easily split and burning for many hours with bright but calm flames. Chips of beech wood are used in the brewing of Budweiser beer as a fining agent. Beech logs are burned to dry the malts in a kiln, giving the beer its characteristic flavor.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Beech
- Wikipedia's article - Beech
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