ID please

[nepia]

Thriving on poor chalky soil on an east-facing slope in Coulsdon, Surrey. Suggestions so far have been Eucryphia or Azara but apparently it doesn't flower. Unfortunately I can't say whether that means that the flowers are so insignificant they don't show or whether the individual has never flowered.

 

Thanks,

 

Jon

[Bombadil]

Nothofagus?

[Andrew Gale]

It's habit and form look distinctly Nothofagus-esk.

[nepia]

Hmm - hadn't thought of that at all. Possibly; the leaves in my specimen have absolutely no character to them other than being very glossy. Images I've looked at of Nothofagus (cunninghamii) have leaves with slight serrations and and that are little more folded.

Am I looking for too much similarity between Images and reality.

Unfortunately Images don't give me close-ups of the bark; is the specimen's bark telling?

 

Thanks Bom and Andy.

 

Jon

[daltontrees]

Not cunninghamii. Try N. solandri variety solandri.

[Fredward]

Hmm looks to glossy and thick leaved for Nothofagus, try Coprosma repens.

[Andrew Gale]

I can't tell from the photo but are they alternate or opposite? Coprosma are opposite; N. solandri var solandri looks a good shout. Agreed N. cunninghamii looks less likely

[Paul Barton]

Is it Box - Buxus sempervirens?

[treerjb]

Looks like Antarctic Beech to me, Nothofagus antarctic.

[nepia]

Thanks for the effort here guys.

 

I don't think Coprosma's right or Buxus; I'm familiar with Buxus and it isn't like any I've seen - the leaf's too small, dark and glossy.

 

Alternate vs opposite; it's difficult to tell isn't it. I think the specimen has alternate leaves as per N. solandri. However the specimen seems to be growing them in a form that consists of a main leaf with two smaller leaflets at its base as if they're wings. The images of N. solandri don't seem to show this.

Again am I looking too closely and ignoring natural variation?

 

Funnily enough I showed the above pics on my camera to an Nd Arb this morning and he reckoned 'no way is that a Nothofagus; the bark's too rough.' He suggested a Cotoneaster. It isn't like any Cotoneaster I'm aware of but there are loads.

Thoughts?

 

Keep 'em coming; thanks.

 

Jon