BETULA LENTA, L. 61 



Betula lenta, L. 



Black Birch. Cheery Biech. Sweet Biech. 



Habitat and Range. Moist grounds; rich woods, old pas- 

 tures, fertile hill-slopes, banks of rivers. 



Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to the Lake Superior region. 



Maine, frequent ; Xew Hampshire, in the highlands of 

 the southern section, and along the Connecticut river valley 

 to a short distance north of Windsor ; Vermont, frequent 

 in the western part of the state, and in the southern Connect- 

 icut valley {Flora of Vermont, 1900) ; Massachusetts and 

 Rhode Island, frequent throughout, especially in the high- 

 lands, less often near the coast; Connecticut, widely dis- 

 tributed, especially in the Connecticut river valley, but not 

 common. 



South to Delaware, along the mountains to Florida ; west to 

 Minnesota and Kansas. 



Habit. A medium-sized or rather large tree, 50-75 feet 

 high, with a trunk diameter of 1-4 feet, often conspicuous 

 along precipitous ledges, springing out of crevices in the rocks 

 and assuming a variety of picturesque forms. In open ground 

 the dark trunk develops a symmetrical, wide-spreading, hemi- 

 spherical head broadest at its base, the lower limbs horizontal 

 or drooping sometimes nearly to the ground. The limbs are 

 long and slender, often more or less tortuous, and separated 

 ultimately into a delicate, polished spray. Distinguished by 

 its long purplish-yellow, pendulous catkins in spring, and in 

 summer by its glossy, bright green, and abundant foliage, which 

 becomes Yellow in autumn. 



Bark. Bark of trunk on old trees very dark, separating 

 and cleaving off in large, thickish plates ; on young trees and 

 on branches a dark reddish-brown, not separating into thin 

 layers, smooth, with numerous horizontal lines 1-3 inches long ; 

 branchlets reddish-brown, shining, with shorter lateral lines ; 

 season's shoots with small, pale dots. Inner bark very aro- 

 matic, having a strong checkerberry flavor, hence the common 



