Fagus orientalis
Fagus orientalis, commonly known as the Oriental beech, is a deciduous tree in the beech family Fagaceae. It is native to Eurasia, in Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Description

Fagus orientalis is a large tree, capable of reaching heights of up to  tall and  trunk diameter, though more typically  tall and up to  trunk diameter. The leaves are alternate, simple, and entire or with a slightly crenate margin,  long and  broad, with 7–13 veins on each side of the leaf (6–7 veins in F. sylvatica). The buds are long and slender,  long and  thick, but thicker, till , where the buds include flower buds. The flowers are small catkins which appear shortly after the leaves in spring. The seeds are small triangular nuts  long and  wide at the base; there are two nuts in each cupule, maturing in the autumn 5–6 months after pollination. The cupule differs from that of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) in having flattened, slightly leaf-like appendages at the base (which are slender, soft spines in European beech). Taxonomy 
Fagus orientalis is closely related to Fagus sylvatica (the European beech), and hybridises with it in the Balkans and northwestern Turkey. These hybrids with European Beech are named Fagus × taurica. Distribution and habitat
The tree's natural range extends from southeastern Bulgaria's Strandja mountain range and Greece through northwest Turkey, and east to the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia and Russia, as well as the Alborz Mountains in Iran. Use
The wood of Fagus orientalis is heavy, hard, strong and highly resistant to shock. These features makes it suitable for steam bending. The wood is also a source to fuelwood and can be used for constructions particleboard, furniture, flooring veneer, mining poles, railway tiles and paper. See also
 Caucasus mixed forests ecoregion — key species in the ecoregion
Abies nordmanniana (Nordmann fir)

References

External links
Oriental beech on Floridata
Fagus orientalis, Plants for a Future
 Fagus orientalis - distribution map, genetic conservation units and related resources. European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN)

orientalis
Trees of Asia
Trees of Europe
Flora of Armenia
Flora of Azerbaijan
Flora of Bulgaria
Flora of Georgia (country)
Flora of Iran
Flora of Russia
Environment of Abkhazia