Nothofagus cunninghamii, commonly known as myrtle beech or Tasmanian myrtle, is the dominant species of cool temperate rainforests in Tasmania and Southern Victoria. It has low fire resistance and grows best in partial shade conditions. It has rough bark covered in mosses and epiphytic growth. Its leaves are triangular-shaped, small, and dark green with differentiated margins. It has white unisexual flowers. Description & Habit N. cunninghamii range from trees of up to 50 meters in protected rainforest valleys to low-growing alpine shrubs less than 1 m tall in exposed conditions. Maximum height is about 55 m. The leaves are simple and alternate, growing 0.5–1.5 cm long, and in Victoria up to 2 cm (0.8 in) long. The leaves are dark green, with new growth brilliant red, pink or orange in spring. They are triangular with irregular minute teeth with craspedodromous veins with all secondary veins terminate at leaf margins and spread from a central primary midrib vein. The tertiary veins are poorly defined. The plants have separate unisexual male and female flowers on the same tree. Male flowers have hanging stamens and grow solitarily while female flowers lack stamens and cluster by leaves near the tips of branches. They flower in November and December. The fruit is small (about 6 mm) and woody. They contain three small-winged nuts with fertile seeds from December to February. Seeds germinate in 6–8 weeks. N. cunninghamii is a fairly robust species, requiring around 900 mm of rain spread throughout the year. It is also frost tolerant to –7 °C. It can grow in full shade, albeit slowly, through to full sun, given enough water, but grows best in partial sun conditions. It grows best in moist and well-draining soil. Distribution & Habitat N. cunninghamii is the dominant species in cool temperate rainforest across Tasmania and southern Victoria. It is most common in Tasmania, where it occurs in most regions except the drier Midlands and east coast. The largest remaining tract of N. cunninghamii-dominated rainforest is takayna/Tarkine in the Northwest of Tasmania. It is the largest remaining tract of cool temperate rainforest in Australia. In Victoria, N. cunninghamii grows best in the deep red mountain soils or in highly organic soils in the Central Highlands, Strzelecki Ranges, Otway Ranges, and Wilsons Promontory. Taxonomy & Naming The beech or Fagaceae family includes nine genre: Fagus, Nothofagus, Lithocarpus, Castanopsis, Colombobalanus, Castanea, Chrysolepis, Quercus, and Trigonobalanus. Nothofagus means