182 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



Sub-Species I.— Betula verrucosa. Ehrh. 

 Plate MCCXCV. 



Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XII. Tab. DCXXVI. Fig. 1288, DCXXY. Fig. 1287, 



and DCXXVII. Fig. 1289. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 463. 

 B. alba, Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et Helv. ed. ii. p. 760. Gren. & Godr. Fl. de Fr. 



Vol. III. p. 147. Crep. Man. Fl. Belg. ed. ii. p. 271. 

 B. alba, var. «, IIuolc. & Am. Brit. Fl. ed. viii. p. 395. 

 B. odorata, ^ec/isf. and B. pendula, Both, and B. laciniata, Wahl., Reich. Ic. 1. c. pp. 2 



and 3. 



Leaves deltoid-ovate or rhomboidal-ovate, truncate or with an obtuse 

 ano-le at the base. Catkin-scales of the female catkin with the lateral 

 lobes fjilcate-spreading. 



In woods and copses, &c. Rather common, and generally distri- 

 buted. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Tree. Late Spring. 



A tree attaining the height of 30 or 40 feet or more, with very 

 smooth white bark, marked with transverse brown bands, and at length 

 splitting or detaching itself in flakes, or in old trees becoming fissured 

 longitudinally. Branches numerous, the twigs slender, purple, and 

 often pendulous when young. Leaves 1 to 3 inches long, those on the 

 strong barren shoots deltoid-ovate, truncate or very slightly cordate at 

 the base, those on the flowering turgs generally with an obtuse-angled 

 base ; all of them sharply doubly serrate, with the lateral veins run- 

 ning nearly straight from the midrib to the margin. Stipules very 

 caducous, 3 times as broad as long. Buds oblong-conical. Male 

 catkins appearing before the winter, at the extremity of the twigs of 

 the year, but not expanding until the young leaves appear in spring, 

 solitary or 2 or 3 together, drooping or pendulous, 1 to 2^ inches long, 

 with reddish catkin-scales: stamens 10 to 12 under each of the peltate 

 catkin scales, which has two thinner and smaller floral scales under it : 

 anthers yellow, sometimes tinged with red. Female catkins solitaiy, 

 from lateral buds, Avith 2 or 3 leaves at the base, stalked, cylindrical : 

 catkhi-scales green, 3-flowered and 3-lobed: styles purple. Fruit 

 catkins i to 1 J- inch long, fusiform-cylindrical or oblong, with densely im- 

 bricated brown scales, which are wedgeshaped at the base, and 3-lobed 

 at the apex, the central lobe lanceolate, acuminate, tlie 2 lateral lobes 

 nearly semicircular or lunate-semicircular, and spreading. Fruit red- 

 dish-brown, with a very broad pale-bro^vn scarious wing on each side, 

 the wing with a notch at the apex, extending down to the seed-bearing 

 part of the fruit. Leaves usually glabrous, somewhat resinous above, 

 especially when young ; young branches, buds, and catkin scales almost 

 always glabrous and resinous. 



When the young branches arc more pendent than usual, it is the 



