Difficult task: identifying plant found on a book cover

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by Carnby, Nov 23, 2013.

  1. Carnby

    Carnby Active Member 10 Years

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    Hi all,
    I know it is a very difficult task but could anyone help me identifying this oak-like plant found on a book cover (the Italian edition of Garden Trees Handbook by Alan Toogood)?
    Thanks in advance.
     

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  2. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Probably Fagus sylvatica.
     
  3. Carnby

    Carnby Active Member 10 Years

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    Thank you for your help!
     
  4. Carnby

    Carnby Active Member 10 Years

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    What about Carpinus betulus (pic)?
     
  5. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Much less likely to be planted in an open situation like that! Beech is a very traditional tree for open planting in this manner.
     
  6. Carnby

    Carnby Active Member 10 Years

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    Another possibilty (Aesculus hippocastanum, here)?
     
  7. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Nope, that would have visibly larger leaves.

    Any reason why you want it to be other than Fagus sylvatica?? That was, and still remains, by far the highest probability.
     
  8. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    When this was first posted I thought of that one also, but nobody can say for sure using just this picture.
     
  9. Carnby

    Carnby Active Member 10 Years

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    Well, just to be sure...
    I trust you: it's likely a F. sylvatica.
     
  10. SusanDunlap

    SusanDunlap Active Member

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  11. Carnby

    Carnby Active Member 10 Years

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    Excellent!
     
  12. SusanDunlap

    SusanDunlap Active Member

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    You're welcome. thank wikimedia...
     
  13. Carnby

    Carnby Active Member 10 Years

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  14. SusanDunlap

    SusanDunlap Active Member

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    how sad. clearly it was enjoyed by many, many people. it's life lingers on our pages.

    Did it die a stately death?
     
  15. Carnby

    Carnby Active Member 10 Years

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    My German is not very good, but I will try to summarize it. In recent decades it has been attacked by a parasite (a fungus called Kretzschmaria deusta), it has been fertilized in an excessive and wrong manner, besides many children and visitors have compacted the soil too much and weakened the branches by climbing it. At the end the tree has fallen down; however many new beeches are born around the fallen tree and maybe one of them will become a new big tree.

    Images and story of the Bavaria-Buche (in German)
     
  16. SusanDunlap

    SusanDunlap Active Member

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    Thank you for passing this along. Happy holidays to you.
     
  17. Carnby

    Carnby Active Member 10 Years

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    Happy holidays to you too.
     

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