Beech the beech tree has such delicate bark, carvings, such as lovers' initials and other forms of graffiti, remain because the tree is unable to heal itself. Beech bark disease is a fungal infection that attacks the American beech through damage caused by scale insects. Infection can lead to the death of the tree. Beech was a late entrant to Great Britain after the last glaciation, and may have been restricted to basic soils in the south of England. Some suggest that it was introduced by Neolithic tribes who planted the trees for their edible nuts. The beech is classified as
Antarctic Beech at Comboyne sediments of the Lorne basin. The plateau has a wet, sub tropical climate, though subject to frost and occasional snow. The Antarctic Beech group (Nothofagaceae) is an ancient type of tree, of significance to southern hemisphere botanical distribution. This group is often associated with the breakup of the ancient super continent Gondwana. Plants in the Nothofagaceae are currently found in southern South America (Chile, Argentina) and Australasia (east and southeast Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and New Caledonia). Previously known as Nothofagus moorei, the Antarctic Beech is a cool temperate rainforest tree, usually seen on the Great Dividing Range up