Beech cupules. The husk can have a variety of spine- to scale-like appendages, the character of which is, in addition to leaf shape, one of the primary ways beeches are differentiated. The nuts are edible, though bitter (though not nearly as bitter as acorns) with a high tannin content, and are called beechnuts or beechmast. The name of the tree (Latin "fagus", whence the species name; cognate with English "beech") is of Indo-European origin, and played an important role in early debates on the geographical origins of the Indo-European people. Greek φηγός is from the same root, but the word was
The Weeping Beech New York City. The Commission further finds that, among its important qualities, The Weeping Beech Tree is a natural phenomenon which by rare good fortune has prospered and grown to great size in the heart of the City, that it is situated in an attractive setting for all to see, and that it is a joy to all nature lovers."" A funeral was held for the tree in December 1998 by the city's Parks Commissioner while they decided what to do with the remains of the tree. In March 1999 it was decided that the remains of the tree, save