Fagus lucida

Fagus lucida is a member of the beech or Fagaceae family and is native to southern and eastern China. It grows up to 25 m tall, with smooth, silver-gray bark.

• Leaves are alternate, simple, ovate, dark green, 5–11 cm long, with short petioles, and minute teeth and the ends of the 8–12 pairs of straight veins and small teeth that terminate each vein. Leaves noticeably remain on the tree until the spring (are marescent).
• Species is monoecious, with small round 2-cm diameter flower clusters of both sexes on the same tree, males hanging from 2.5 cm stocks, females on shorter spikes.
• Flowers develop into small, sharply-angled nuts with soft-spined husks and 2–3 irregularly triangular seeds inside.
• Winter twigs are distinctive, having buds which are long, slender and sharply pointed, with two rows of overlapping scales on the buds.