1690 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III. 
stamens. The stem of the plant, 
in its native habitat, seldom rises 
higher than 5ft. or 6ft. It di- 
vides into smooth branches, an- 
gular, furnished with alternate 
oval leaves, smooth on both 
surfaces, and doubly serrated. 
The teeth are sharp, and almost 
alternately long and short. The 
male catkins are 23 in. long, 
slender, cylindric, with numerous 
pediceled flowers. The females 
are subcorymbose, elliptic, with 
slender peduncles. Watson, 
who has given a good figure of 
this species, says, from the habit 
and inflorescence of the female, 
this plant may be considered 
an A’Inus ; but the fruit, being a 
samara, “ claims it a Bétula.” 
As the general appearance of the plant more resembles an alder than a 
birch, we have placed it under the former genus. It is a very handsome 
shrub, and is well deserving of a place in collections. There are plants at 
Messrs. Loddiges’s, in the Horticultural Society’s Garden, and in some of 
the nurseries. 
App.i. Other Species of A'Inus. 
The genus A‘Inus, Mr. Royle informs us in his admirable I//ustrations, ‘has the same distribution 
in the Himalayas that it has in the northern hemisphere; that is, it occurs in moist situations, and 
along the course of rivers. A. obtusifilia Royle is very abundant on the banks of the Jumna and 
Tonce. A. elongata Royle occurs in Cashmere; and A. nepalénsis Wall. Pl. As, Rar., t. 131., on the 
mountains surrounding the valley from which it was named.’’ (Zilust., p. 341.) It appears probable, 
that, of the above species, at least A. nepalénsis, a tree from 30 ft. to 40 ft, high, may prove sufficiently 
hardy to bear the climate of London ; and we hope it may soon be introduced. 
Genus II. 
ates 
BE/TULA Tourn. Tue Biron. Lin. Syst. Monce‘cia Polyandria. 
Identification. Tourn., t. 360.; Lin. Gen., 485.; Juss., 409.; Fl. Br., 1011.; Comp., ed. 4, 157. ; 
Lam., t. '760.; Geertn., t. 90.; Lindl. Nat. Syst. Bot., p. 
Synonymes. Bouleau, Fr.; Betula, Ital.; Abedul, Span. ; Betulla, Port.; Birke, Ger.; Berk, 
Dutch ; Birk, Danish and Scotch; Bidrk, or Bork, Swedish ; Beresa, Russian; Brzoza, Polish. 
Derivations. From betu, its Celtic name; or, according to others, from the Latin word batuere, to 
beat; from the fasces of the Roman lictors, which were always made of birch rods, being used to 
drive back the people. Pliny derives the name from bitumen. 
Description, §c. The species are chiefly deciduous trees, some of which are 
of large size; but several of the species are shrubs. They are natives of 
Europe, chiefly in the most northern parts, or in high elevations in the south ; 
of North America; and some of them of Asia. They are generally found in 
mountainous rocky situations in the middle of Europe; but they grow wild 
in plains and peaty soils in the northern regions. The common birch is one 
of the hardiest of known trees; and there are only one or two other species 
of ligneous plants which approach so near to the North Pole. The common 
birch has been known from the earliest ages ; and it has long been the most 
useful tree to the inhabitants of the extreme north of Europe; as the canoe 
birch has been to those of the north of North America. The species all ripen 
seeds in the climate of London, and are all of the easiest culture in any 
ordinary soil; but, being hair-rooted, they do not grow so well in very strong 
clays; nor do plants of this genus, when raised from layers or cuttings, grow 
so freely as in the case of some other genera. The leaves of the birch having 
‘ 
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