Nothofagus gunnii, the tanglefoot or deciduous beech, is a deciduous shrub or small tree endemic to the highlands of Tasmania, Australia. It was described in 1847 by R.C Gunn N. gunnii is a small woody tree with a shrubby appearance known to grow up to . It lives only on mountains due to temperature limitations within the Tasmanian maritime climate and mainly grows at altitudes greater than above sea level. It grows in alpine and sub-alpine regions in the central portions of the island. Though capable of reaching the size of a small tree, it is most common as a thick shrub or woody ground cover, hence its common name of "tanglefoot". Taxonomy Joseph Dalton Hooker described the tanglefoot beech. Common names include tanglefoot or deciduous beech, or fagus,. The species is only distantly related to genus Fagus, the beeches of the Northern Hemisphere, which are members of a different family, Fagaceae. The species was renamed as Fuscospora gunnii by New Zealand scientists. The change in name is controversial, and it is not necessary to accept this change. Description Nothofagus gunnii is a tangled shrub or small tree which may grow up to 8 metres tall (growth habit is heavily dependent on the exposure of the site) and has a thick shrubby appearance. The leaves are alternate, simple and ovate, with rounded teeth on the margins. The leaves are attached by short petioles. Leaf lamina is generally <20mm in length and shows a distinct "concertina" shape derived from the way that the developing leaf is folded in the bud. The leaves are almost circular in shape with deep veins which end in the gaps between the rounded teeth on the leaf. The leaves are deciduous, with an average lifespan of around 7-8 months. They are bright green, turning yellow -then sometimes brilliant red, in autumn. The plant has separate male and female flowers that can occur on the same tree. Both male and female flowers are small and inconspicuous. The fruit is small (about 6 mm wide) and woody, and contains three small nuts, two of which have three small wings and one with two wings. In most years seed production is poor, but once in a while a 'mast' crop occurs with high germination. The seeds have a very short viability. Nothofagus gunnii is easily visually separated from the other Tasmanian species from the same genus, Nothofagus cunninghamii, by