Fagales is an order of woody flowering plants in the dicotyledon group, containing approximately 1,900 species across 55 genera. This order includes some of the most ecologically and economically significant deciduous and evergreen trees, such as oaks , beeches , walnuts , hickories , and birches . Fagales includes eight families: Betulaceae , Fagaceae , Juglandaceae , Casuarinaceae , Nothofagaceae , Myricaceae , Rhoipteleaceae , and Ticodendraceae .

Which types of plants are included in the order Fagales?

The Fagales order, also known as the beech order, is made up of dicotyledonous woody flowering plants, with around 1,900 species in 55 genera. These include some of the most vital deciduous or evergreen trees located in temperate regions of both hemispheres, such as oaks , beeches , walnuts , hickories , and birches . The order Fagales consists of eight families: Betulaceae , Fagaceae , Juglandaceae , Casuarinaceae , Nothofagaceae , Myricaceae , Rhoipteleaceae , and Ticodendraceae .

What are some common trees or plants that belong to Fagales?

Fagales is an order of flowering plants that includes some familiar trees and shrubs. This order comprises nearly 1,900 species in 55 genera. Common examples of plants in the Fagales order: * Beeches * Birches * Oaks ( Quercus ) * Walnuts * Hickories * Alders ( Alnus ) * Filbert/hazelnut ( Corylus avellana )

Where are Fagales plants commonly found in the world?

Fagales, the beech order, includes nearly 1,900 species of woody flowering plants. These plants are commonly found as temperate deciduous or evergreen trees in both hemispheres. Key areas include: * Northern Hemisphere Mixed deciduous forests of North America and Europe feature species of Quercus , Fagus , Castanea , Juglans , and Carya . Betulaceae generally occupy the same latitudes as the oak family but extend further north. * Southern Hemisphere Temperate forests are dominated by Nothofagus . * Southeast Asia Evergreen members of the family thrive in mixed mountain forests.

How do Fagales plants reproduce?

Fagales, which includes beeches, oaks, and birches, are woody flowering plants that reproduce via wind pollination. They possess tiny, unisexual flowers. Male flowers are often arranged in catkins, which are hanging chains of flowers, while female flowers are sometimes in catkins as well. These plants have reduced or absent sepals and petals and show a trend toward wind pollination. The female flowers are often subtended by a cupule (hull), which can partially or completely enclose the fruit. The fruit itself can be a nut, samara, or drupe, often surrounded by a hull or cupule.

Why are Fagales plants important to people and the environment?

Fagales, a plant order of nearly 1,900 species, includes economically and ecologically important trees such as oaks , beeches , walnuts , and birches . Many members of Fagales are sources of valuable timbers used for construction, flooring, and furniture. Oaks, chestnuts, and filberts yield edible fruits that have been cultivated since ancient times. Some species are used for silkworm culture and the cultivation of edible fungi, such as shiitake mushrooms. Ecologically, Fagales contribute to broad-leaved forests in mid-latitudinal areas, and some members can fix nitrogen, tolerating nutrient-deficient habitats.

Fagales

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Images & Videos

Large European beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) with dense orange autumn foliage standing alone in a grassy field in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom.

White birch tree (Betula alba) with slender white trunks and sparse branches stands in a grassy field under a partly cloudy sky.

Cork oak tree (Quercus suber) with thick, rough bark partially stripped, revealing smooth, reddish inner trunk and branches against a blue sky.

Fagales

plant order

Also known as: beech order

Written by

David E. BouffordAll

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Britannica Editors

History

Top Questions

What is Fagales?
Fagales is an order of woody flowering plants in the dicotyledon group, containing approximately 1,900 species across 55 genera. This order includes some of the most ecologically and economically significant deciduous and evergreen trees, such as oaks, beeches, walnuts, hickories, and birches.

Fagales includes eight families: Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Casuarinaceae, Nothofagaceae, Myricaceae, Rhoipteleaceae, and Ticodendraceae.
1 Britannica Source
1. Fagales
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Which types of plants are included in the order Fagales?
The Fagales order, also known as the beech order, is made up of dicotyledonous woody flowering plants, with around 1,900 species in 55 genera. These include some of the most vital deciduous or evergreen trees located in temperate regions of both hemispheres, such as oaks, beeches, walnuts, hickories, and birches.

The order Fagales consists of eight families: Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Casuarinaceae, Nothofagaceae, Myricaceae, Rhoipteleaceae, and Ticodendraceae.
1 Britannica Source
1. Fagales
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some common trees or plants that belong to Fagales?
Fagales is an order of flowering plants that includes some familiar trees and shrubs. This order comprises nearly 1,900 species in 55 genera.

Common examples of plants in the Fagales order:
* Beeches
* Birches
* Oaks (Quercus)
* Walnuts
* Hickories
* Alders (Alnus)
* Filbert/hazelnut (Corylus avellana)
2 Britannica Sources
1. Fagales
2. oak: Physical description
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Where are Fagales plants commonly found in the world?
Fagales, the beech order, includes nearly 1,900 species of woody flowering plants. These plants are commonly found as temperate deciduous or evergreen trees in both hemispheres.

Key areas include:
* Northern Hemisphere Mixed deciduous forests of North America and Europe feature species of Quercus, Fagus, Castanea, Juglans, and Carya. Betulaceae generally occupy the same latitudes as the oak family but extend further north.
* Southern Hemisphere Temperate forests are dominated by Nothofagus.
* Southeast Asia Evergreen members of the family thrive in mixed mountain forests.
1 Britannica Source
1. Fagales: Fagaceae
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do Fagales plants reproduce?
Fagales, which includes beeches, oaks, and birches, are woody flowering plants that reproduce via wind pollination. They possess tiny, unisexual flowers. Male flowers are often arranged in catkins, which are hanging chains of flowers, while female flowers are sometimes in catkins as well. These plants have reduced or absent sepals and petals and show a trend toward wind pollination. The female flowers are often subtended by a cupule (hull), which can partially or completely enclose the fruit. The fruit itself can be a nut, samara, or drupe, often surrounded by a hull or cupule.
5 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why are Fagales plants important to people and the environment?
Fagales, a plant order of nearly 1,900 species, includes economically and ecologically important trees such as oaks, beeches, walnuts, and birches.

Many members of Fagales are sources of valuable timbers used for construction, flooring, and furniture. Oaks, chestnuts, and filberts yield edible fruits that have been cultivated since ancient times. Some species are used for silkworm culture and the cultivation of edible fungi, such as shiitake mushrooms.

Ecologically, Fagales contribute to broad-leaved forests in mid-latitudinal areas, and some members can fix nitrogen, tolerating nutrient-deficient habitats.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Fagales
2. beech
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Fagales, beech order of dicotyledonous woody flowering plants, comprising nearly 1,900 species in 55 genera. Members of Fagales represent some of the most important temperate deciduous or evergreen trees of both hemispheres, including oaks, beeches, walnuts, hickories, and birches.

Because of the presence of catkins, or aments, Fagales, plus a number of unrelated families, were previously classified in an artificial group called Amentiferae. The chief features of the members of Amentiferae were staminate flowers, and frequently also pistillate flowers, in catkins, reduced or absent sepals and petals, and a general trend toward wind pollination (anemophily). Fagales is now placed in the Rosid I group among the core eudicots in the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group II (APG II) botanical classification system (see angiosperm).

Distribution and abundance

Fagales contains eight families: Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Casuarinaceae, Nothofagaceae, Myricaceae, Rhoipteleaceae, and Ticodendraceae. They are described in turn in this section.

Betulaceae

European white birchEuropean white birch (*Betula pendula*).

Betulaceae, or the birch family, contains 6 genera (Betula, Alnus, Corylus, Carpinus, Ostryopsis, Ostry) and 145 species. Members of the family, with the exception of Ostryopsis, are conspicuous elements in the colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere, where they are among the dominant woody plants in Arctic and Alpine regions, but the family is not restricted to those areas.

Betula (birches), with about 60 species, is the largest genus in the family. B. pendula (silver birches) and B. nana (dwarf birches) are circumboreal (i.e., extending to the northern limit of the tree line); the two species very nearly coincide in their ranges, with the dwarf birches extending farther into the Arctic. They now occupy most areas that were glaciated until about 11,700 years ago.

Venus's-flytrap. Venus's-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) one of the best known of the meat-eating plants. Carnivorous plant, Venus flytrap, Venus fly trap

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The genus Alnus (alders) is north temperate in distribution but ranges south through the Andes to about latitude 20° S. It is only in the Americas that members of the family extend along the mountains into the Southern Hemisphere.

The greatest diversity in Betulaceae, however, is in the moist temperate forests of East Asia, particularly in China, where all six genera are well represented. It has been speculated that Alnus may have originated in southeastern, eastern, or central Asia, since the greatest morphological diversity in the genus, as well as the species considered to be the most primitive, occurs in that region.

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Corylus contains about 15 species, including C. avellana (filbert, also known as hazelnut), distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Species of Corylus are mostly shrubs or small trees that spread by means of sucker shoots and are able to form large colonies; however, C. colurna (Turkish hazel) is a tree that may reach a height of about 24 metres (79 feet), and a close relative in China (C. chinensis) grows to about 20 metres (66 feet).

Fagaceae

English oakEnglish oak (*Quercus robur*)

Fagaceae, or the oak and beech family, contains about 1,000 species unevenly distributed among 7 or 8 genera. The largest genus in Fagaceae is Quercus (oaks), with about 400 species, mostly limited to the warmer parts of the Northern Hemisphere. The greatest concentrations of species of oaks are in the southeastern to southwestern United States and Mexico, in eastern Asia (China and Japan), and in the area from the Mediterranean to Caucasia.

Fagus (beeches) is a genus of about 10 species in the Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest diversity in China and Japan, where about seven species are found. A single variable species, F. grandifolia (American beech), occurs in eastern North America and Mexico, and another, F. sylvatica, is found in Europe.

The 12 or so species of the genus Castanea (chestnut) also show a worldwide distribution in temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere, again with the greatest diversity in eastern Asia. The two species of Chrysolepis (chinquapin) are confined to the western United States. The two remaining genera, Lithocarpus (120 species) and Castanopsis (about 110 species), are almost exclusively restricted to eastern and southeastern Asia.

Juglandaceae

black walnutBlack walnut (*Juglans nigra*).

The large and economically important Juglandaceae, or the walnut and hickory family, contains 7–10 genera and 50 species, which are distributed mainly in the north temperate zone but extend through Central America along the Andes Mountains to Argentina and, in scattered stands, from temperate Asia to Java and New Guinea.

Casuarinaceae

Casuarinaceae, or the beefwood family, contains 95 species in 4 genera (Casuarina, Allocasuarina, Ceuthostoma, and Gymnostoma). The species are restricted to the Southern Hemisphere from Southeast Asia and Malesia to the southwest Pacific, especially Australia.

Nothofagaceae

Nothofagaceae, or the southern or silver beech family, consists of 35 species of Nothofagus that are scattered throughout southern South America, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and the mountains of New Guinea. The history of the genus has frequently been cited as evidence of continental drift after the breakup of the single large continent of Gondwana during the Cretaceous Period (145.5 million–65.5 million years ago). Because the fruits of Nothofagus are highly susceptible to damage by seawater, the plants could occur where they do only by the rafting of the continents or by the unlikely event that their seeds were transported by birds across vast distances of open ocean. Previously, the southern beeches were placed in Fagaceae.

Myricaceae

Myricaceae, or the bayberry family, consists of three genera—Myrica (bayberry), Canacomyrica, and Comptonia (sweet fern)—that are nearly cosmopolitan; though they are found in New Caledonia, they do not occur in Australia.

Rhoipteleaceae

Rhoipteleaceae contains one genus with one species, Rhoiptelea chiliantha (horsetail tree), which is restricted to Vietnam and southern China. It has superior ovaries and inflorescences with flowers in triads (the central one apparently bisexual).

Ticodendraceae

Ticodendraceae is composed of a single species from montane areas of Central America, Ticodendron incognitum. These are wind-pollinated trees with double-serrate leaves having stipules that encircle the stem, female flowers with two long stigmas, and fruits with a thin outer pulp and a large ribbed, stony inner layer.

Fagales

Distribution and abundance

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Betulaceae

Fagaceae

Juglandaceae

Casuarinaceae

Nothofagaceae

Myricaceae

Rhoipteleaceae

Ticodendraceae