BETULA ACUMINATA. Tab. 109. 
Forus ovato-lanceolatis, subsimplicitèr cuspidato-serratis, acuminatis, glabris, subtùs punctatis, petiolis ramulisque 
glaberrimis; amentis fructiferis pendulis, longissimis, cylindraceis, aggregatis, rachi bracteisque basi auriculatis t 
centibus.—Lindl. MSS. 
Nomen Newarrense, Ootees. 
Crescit in montibus pluribus Napaliæ, et in ipsa convalli magna, secus fluminum ripas. Flores fructusque profert 
mensibus Decembris—Aprilis. E montibus Sillet confinibus, ZZ. Bruce. 
Annon procera, pulcherrima, valdè umbrosa et frondosa, e basi usque ramosa, Rami cylindrici, fusci, calloso-punctati, læves; juniores 
pubescentes. Foua alterna, patentia, ovata, oblongo-ovata, vel lanceolata, inzequalitér et grossiusculé serrata, serraturis latis, incurvis, 
cuspidatis ; attenuato-acuminata, basi subintegerrimå nunc inzequali rotundata vel acutiuscula, 3—7-pollicaria, suprà lucida, levia, leete 
viridia, subtús nervoso-venosa, reticulata, asperula propter puncta copiosa, minuta, elevata, resinosa, vix pubescentia ; juniora rufescentia, 
utrinque juxta costam nervosque cano-villosa, subtüs valdè resinosa, dentibus longè et subglanduloso-cuspidatis ; vetusta ferè omninò 
glabra, subcoriacea. PerioLI pollicares, levitèr sulcati, glanduloso-punctati, minutim paleacei, juniores villosi. StruLæ gemmaceze, 
opposite, erectæ, lanceolate, acuminate, unguiculares, deciduæ, dorso concaviuscule et pubescentes, marginibus ciliate, intüs leves. 
AMENTA gracilia, cylindrica, pendula, rachibus filiformibus, villosis ; mascula ad apicem ramulorum novellorum fasciculata, sessilia, 
5—6-pollicaria, squamis ciliatis, antheris magnis, lævibus ; fæminea masculis breviora gracilioraque, pedunculata, 3—4-subracemosa, albi- 
cantia, villosula. SQuAma parve, crassiuscule, trifloræ, pubescentes, ciliate, patentes, hastato-trilobze ; lobus intermedius lanceolatus, 
acutus, laterales breves, ovati, obtusi. Ovarrum lentiforme, pubescens, cinctum membraná reniformi, retuså, crenatà, ciliata. SrvLi duo, 
villosuli, divergentes. Frucrus levis, cinctus alâ reniformi, retusa. 
This fine tree grows in many places of Nipal, both in the great valley and on the surrounding mountains. It 
attains from fifty to sixty feet in height, and is of an oval shape, being branchy from the very base. The wood is greatly 
esteemed by the inhabitants, and is employed for all sorts of purposes where strength and durability are required. 
Prof. Lindley is of opinion that the specimens from the mountains bordering on Sillet differ in no respect from the 
others, except in the leaves being somewhat tougher or harder, and he thinks that B. a/noides, (Don Prodr. Nepal. 
p. 58,) refers to this variety. I am indebted to that esteemed friend for the essential characters of the three follow- 
ing species of Betula. 
B. cylindrostachya, foliis oblongis, acuminatis, cordatis, arguté duplicato-serratis, ramulis petiolis venisque subtus 
tomentosis ; amentis fructiferis pendulis, longissimis, cylindraceis ; fructibus alté bilobis, bracteis lineari-lanceolatis, 
obtusis, membranaceis, basi bidentatis, ciliatis majoribus. B. cylindrostachya, Wall. in Herb. Coet. Ampl. Merc. Angl. 
Ind. Or. 1824. B. acuminate Wall. affinis sed distinctissima.—Lind/. MSS. 
Kamaon, R. Colquhoun, Baronetus ; R. Blinkworth. 
B. nitida, foliis oblongis, acuminatis, arguté duplicato-serratis, ramulis petiolisque pilosis ; amentis fructiferis pen- 
dulis, eylindraceis, aggregatis, bracteis trilobis, pilosis: lobo medio producto, fructibus longiore. B. nitida, Don 
Prodr. Nepal. 58. B. cylindrostachya, Wall. in Herb. cit. Omninó inter B. acuminatam et B. cylindrostachyam media, 
huic foliis, illi fructu accedens, ab utraque characteribus datis distinguenda.—Lindl. MSS. 
Kamaon, Blinkworth. 
B. Bhojpattra, foliis oblongis, acutis, subsimplicitèr serratis, basi subcordatis, petiolis ramulis venisque subtüs 
pilosis; amentis fructiferis erectis, cylindraceis, oblongis; bracteis glabris, lignosis, bipartitis, obtusis, fructibus anguste 
alatis multó longioribus. B. Bhojpattra, Wall. in Herb. cit. B. utilis, Don. loc. cit. Folia nunc simplicitèr nunc 
duplicatò serrata in eodem ramo ; amenta fructifera aliquandó parüm elongata.—Lind/. MSS. 
Alpes Gurwal et Kamaon, Dominus Webb, Kamrup et Blinkworth. 
The epidermis of this species of Birch is used by the mountaineers instead of paper for writing upon. It is of 
a very delicate texture, and peels off in large masses, of which great quantities are brought down into the plains of 
Hindustan, where it is employed for covering the inside of the long flexible tubes of the apparatus used for smoking 
tobacco, commonly called Hooka. The Sanscrita name of the substance is Bhoorja; in the Bengali language, 
Bhoorjapattra; and in the Hindustani, Bhojpattra. My worthy friend Mr. Graves Haughton, Oriental Examiner to 
the Honourable East India Company, to whom I am indebted for the above synonyms, is of opinion that the word 
Bhoorja is the etymon of Birch, and that it is one of the many proofs of the descent of the Saxon part of the English 
language from the Sanscrita. 
Plate CIX. Fig. 1. Female floret. 2. Scale detached. 3. Fruit. 
