Fagus grandifolia Ehrhart var. grandifolia . Subgenus: Fagus. Section: Grandifolia. Gray Beech, Red Beech, American Beech. Phen: Apr-May; Sep-Oct. Hab: Moderate to high elevation forests, especially on high elevation ridges, gaps, and open slopes, often forming clonal dwarfed thickets in the most exposed situations. Dist: NS, NB, and s. QC west to s. ON and n. MI, south to VA, w. NC, n. GA, e. TN, and n. OH.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: "Red beech" is alleged to differ from "gray beech" in having the involucral segments not covering the nutlets at maturity. Hardin & Johnson (1985), Hardin (1985), and Shen (1992) pointed out that var. mexicana (Martínez) Little, of the mountains of México, is apparently more closely related to our montane variety or phase than to the lower elevation variety or phase.

Synonymy: = C, F, G, S, Elias (1971a); = Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. ssp. grandifolia – Shen (1992); < Fagus americana Sweet – S13; < Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. – FNA3, K1, K3, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WV, Cooper & Mercer (1977); < Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. ssp. grandifolia – Govaerts & Frodin (1998)

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Great Plains: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Midwest: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ?: 3