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.

[6] The beech or Fagaceae family includes nine genera: Fagus, Nothofagus, Lithocarpus, Castanopsis, Colombobalanus, Castanea, Chrysolepis, Quercus, and Trigonobalanus.

Nothofagus gunnii is a deciduous beech endemic to Tasmania that grows in low-fire, alpine regions.

Nothofagus moorei, or Antarctic beech, is another cool temperate rainforest evergreen found in patches in New South Wales and Southern Queensland.

Nothofagus cunninghamii is named for the 19th century botanist and ‘explorer’, Allan Cunningham, who is best known for his plant collection career throughout Australia.

This is due to the other species in the family Nothofagaceae with significant differences in morphology and genetics throughout South America, New Zealand, Australia, and other relict Gondwanan rainforests.

N. cunninghamii grow throughout a variety of ecosystems but establish best in partial sun in wet sclerophyll understory.

In mixed forests, the tree species will be made up of primarily N. cunninghamii and sassafras with a tall eucalyptus overstory.

Once these remaining eucalypts die, the myrtle beech will become the dominant species forming a pure rainforest.

This ecosystem is retained by rare fires in wet conditions that prevent eucalypt seeds from germinating.

Both N. cunninghamii and the closely related N. moorei are excellent hosts for epiphytes.Nothofagus is an ancient relict that was present in Gondwanan rainforests and today grows across the Southern Hemisphere.

Due to higher rates of root graphing, the fungus is more prolific in pure rainforest than mixed forest.

Dead stands of this dominant species can completely change the ecosystem in cool temperate rainforests.

Temperate myrtle beech rainforests are not protected in many areas of Tasmania and are threatened by mining and logging.

It is used for flooring, joinery, cogs of wheels, and furniture, and is good for steam bending, turnery and carving.