186 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Betula—continued. 
many others; consequently it is invaluable for skirting and 
nursing more tender subjects, and is especially desirable for 
clothing mountainous and exposed districts. Itis also very 
beantiful and picturesque. It is the commonest tree 
throughout Russia, from the Baltic to the Eastern Sea, fre- 
quently monopolising gigantic forests. In Italy, it forms 
excellent forests up to 6000ft. altitude, and in our own 
Highlands of Scotland it occurs up to a height of 2500ft. 
In Greenland, although much reduced in size, it holds its 
own as the only arboreal vegetation. 
- Ty ai R . 
4 = 
wo 
& 
a 
B. alba (white),* Silver, White, or Com a Birch a 
"February and March. r brown, zipo aaa Gone: 
serrated ; autumnal 
+ 
S 
ltoid, uneq 
tints yellow, scarlet, or red. A utive shrub in 
x 0 the 
_ extreme , but a tre o ja high in the middle 
me alg ma arain forest tree, 
a. alba-purp te anc le).* 1. rich purple abo 
with a lustrous hue, fale bae B RRR with a 
tus rane! with 
ipasa on. A very effective variety. hes g 
a. ¢ sarli arlian).* 1, deeply pinnatifid, with the 
"a foliis-variegatis (variegated-leaved).* 7, blotched with 
i (pendulous and laciniate),* J. rather 
form, laciniated y 
decidedly Tt anrea phe ented, deep goon. sne 
that ely pendulo., Tt appears there are two forms of this, but 
B. a. : 
as those of the 
B. a, pendula (pendulous).* A well-known tree, distinct from 
the — in having the shoots more slender, smoother, and | 
B. a. pontica ( ntic). 7. somewhat larger ti speci 
and the plant of more robust growth. (W.D. Be ae ae 
B. a, pubescens (downy). /. covered with hairs. 
. ifo) nettle-leaved).* Z. deeply laciniated, serra’ 
; others, reputed as distinet, are mere 
f& (Bhojpattra).* jl., female catkins erect, cylin- 
; bracts smooth, woody, two-parted, blunt, much 
ag cain Female catkins twice as long | 
Betula—continued. 
longer than the fruit, which has narrow wings. May. l. oblong- 
acute, with nearly simple serratures, somewhat cordate at the 
base; their stalks, veins, and twigs hairy; the bark is of a pale s 
® cinnamon colour. h. 50ft. Himalayas, 1840. This requires a 
_ sheltered position. ; : 
B. carpinifolia (Hornbeam-leaved). Synonymous with B. lenta. 
B, daurica (Daurian).* , catkins whitish-brown, larger than 
those of the common Birch. February and March. l. ovate, narrow 
at the base, quite entire, unequally dentate, glabrous; scales of 
the strobiles ciliated on their margins ; side lobes roundish. k. 
` S0ft. to 40ft. Siberia, 1786, The variety parvifolia has smaller 
leaves than the type. 
B. excelsa (tall). Synonymous with B. lutea. 
B. fruticosa (shrubby).* fl. whitish-brown ; female catkins arames $ 
February and March. l. roundish-ovate, nearly equally serrated, 
glabrous. A. 5ft. to 6ft. in moist situations, but much higher on 
mountains, Eastern Siberia, 1818. (W. D. B. 2, 154.) 
B. dulosa (glandular).* jl. whitish; female catkins oblong. 
ay. l. obovate, serrate, quite entire at the base, glabrous, = 
almost sessile; branches beset with glandular dots, glabrous. : 
h. 2ft. Canada, 1816. A handsome little shrub. (F. D. .) 
"B. lenta (pliant). fl. greenish-white. May to June. l. cordate, 
ovate, acutely serrated, acuminate; petioles and nerves hairy 
beneath ; scales of the strobiles smooth, having the side lobes 
obtuse, equal, with prominent veins. h. 60ft. to 70ft. Canada to 4 
Georgia, 1759. Syn. B. carpinifolia. (W. D. B. 2, 144.) 
B, lutea (yellow).* Jl. greenish-white. May. L 34in. long, and 
24in. broad, ovate, acute, serrated; petioles pubescent, shorter 
than the peduncles; young shoots and leaves, at their unfolding, 
downy, but ultimately quite glabrous, except the petiole, whic 
remains covered with fine short hairs; scales of the strobiles 
having the side lobes roundish. h. 70ft. to 80ft. Nova Scotia, 
1767. SYN. B. excelsa. 
B. nana (dwarf).* fl. whitish-green ; catkins erect, stalked, cylin- 
drical, obtuse; the barren ones lateral, and the fertile ones ter- 
minal; scales of the latter three-lobed, three-flowered, permanent. 
April and May. _ Z. orbicular, crenate, reticulated with veins be- 
neath. h, 1ft. to 3ft. Scotland, Lapland, Sweden, Russia, &c. A 
shrub with numerous branches, slightly downy when young, and 
beset with numerous little, round, » Smoot l sharply crena’ 
leaves, beautifully reticulated with veins, beneath ; and 
furnished with short footstalks, having a of brown lanceolate 
stipules at their base. There is also a pretty variety named 
pendula, with drooping branches. 
gra (black).* The Black Birch. fi. greenish-white; female 
catkins ‘eatin and nearly cylindrical, about 2in. es ~ re 
i. rhomboid-ovate, doubly serrated, acute, pubescent beneath, 
entire at the base; scales of the strobiles villose; segments 
linear, equal. h. 60ft. to 70ft. New Jersey to Carolina, 1736. 
SYN. B. rubra. (W. D. B. 2, 153.) 
B, papyraces (papery).* jl. greenish-white; female catkins on 
long footstalks, drooping: scales having the side lobes short, 
somewhat orbiculate. ay to June. J. ovate, acuminate, doubly 
serrate ; veins hairy beneath; petiole glabrous ; the branches are 
much less flexible than those of the common Birch, and are more 
2s e h. 60ft. to 70ft. North America, 1750. (W. D. B. 2, 
B.D. fusca (brown). 7. smaller than those of the type, and less 
owny. ` 
B. p. platyphylla (broad-leaved).* 1. very broad. ; 
B. p. trichoclada (hairy- ed).* 1. cordate. — es ex- 
tremely hairy, and twigs in threes, 
= ` il, May. 
soepen parana Aaaa aa 
i. deltoid, mu unequally 3 
peadas o! 1 geo 7 yo roundish side lobes ; g 
rous, t anada, 5 
closely resembling’ B. alba, grows with less vigour, and does not 
attain so large a size. (W. D. * 
B, p. laciniata (laciniated).* 1 largo, shining, and deeply out. 
furnishing rockeries, or planting on hill 
ground. (W. D. B. 2, 97.) ° 
B. rubra (red).* Synonymous with B, nigra. 
BETULEZ. A tribe of deciduous shrubs or trees. 
Perianth none, or bract-like ; flowers monecious, in catkins, 
in twos or threes. Fruit, a dry, compressed, lenticular, — 
often winged, indehiscent nut. Leaves alternate, simple, - 
stipulated. The genera are Alnus and Betula. «= © o 
BI. In compound words, this signifies twice. at ‘Z 
