Nothofagus: Evolution from a southern perspective.

Nothofagus holds a premier position in the study of Southern Hemisphere plant evolution and biogeography, and many have attempted to reconstruct its history. A recent surge of research on both living and fossil species has added valuable data to the debate, but has also introduced complications, including the now less certain familial relationships of the genus. The vast quantity of fossil evidence provides an extremely firm base for reconstruction of the past distribution of Nothofagus, and allows informed speculation on the time and places of origin and major speciation events.