Fagaceae

English: Beech family
Dutch: Beukenfamilie

The Fagaceae is a family of deciduous and evergreen trees comprising 8 genera and about 927 species. They are widespread in temperate and subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere and include important native trees such as oaks, beeches, and chestnuts.

Key Identifying Features

• Leaves: Simple, alternate, often with prominent veins and lobed or toothed margins
• Flowers: Monoecious; small, inconspicuous flowers in catkins or clusters
• Fruits: Nuts (acorns, beechnuts) partially or fully enclosed in a cupule or spiny husk
• Bark: Variable; smooth and gray in beeches, deeply furrowed in mature oaks

Parent: Plantae