186 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



Betnla — continued. 

 many others ; consequently it is invaluable for Rkirtiiig- and 

 nursing more tender mubjocts, and is especially desii-able fur 

 clothing- mountainous and exposed distriuts. It is also very 

 beautiful and picturesque. It is tlie commonest tree 

 throufjhout Russia, from the Baltic to the Eastoni Pea, fre- 

 quently monopolising' g-ij^'-atitic forests. In Italy, it forms 

 excellent forests up to GOOOft. altitude, and in our own 

 Highlands of Scotland it occurs up to a height of 2.500ft. 

 In Greenland, although much reduced in siiie, it holds its 

 own as the only arboreal vegetation. 



FiQ. 249. Leaves and Catkin or Uktula alba. 



B. alba (white).* Silver, White, or Conmion Birch, ft. whitish. 

 February and March. Jr. brown, ripe in September and October. 

 I. ovate, acute, somewhat deltoid, unequally serrated ; autuiniial 

 tints rich yellow, scarlet, or red. A diminutive shrub in tlie 

 extreme north, but a tree from 50ft. to 60ft. high in the middle 

 re^ons. Britain. A most beautiful and invaluable forest tree, 

 with a large number of varieties. See Fig. 249. 



B. a. alba-purpurea (white and purple).* L rich purple above, 

 vnth a lustrous luctallic hue, pale beneath. Brunches with a 

 sub-pendulous disposition. A very effective variety. 



B. a. dalecarllca (Dalecarlian).* I. deeply pinnatifiil, with the 

 lobes toothed. 



B. a. foUis-varlegatls (variegated-leaved).* I. blotched with 

 yellowish white. 



B. a, laclniata pendula (pendulous and laciniate).* I. rather 

 larger th;in the typical form, deeply laciniated, deep green, and 

 decidedly pendulous. It appears there are two forms of this, but 

 that known as Young's variety is the best. 



B. a. macrocarpa (large-fruited).* Female catkins twice as long 

 as those of the type. 



B> a. pendula (pendulous).* A well-known tree, distinct from 

 the species in having the shoots more sleiider, smoother, and 

 pendulous. 



B. a. pontlca (pontic). L somewhat larger than in the species, 

 and the plant of more robust growth. (W. ]). B. 2, 94.) 



B* a. pubescens (downy). L covered with hairs. 



B. a, urticlfoUa (nettle-leaved).* I. deeply laciniated, serrated, 

 and hairy. Severrd others, reputed as distinct, are mere forms 

 of the typical B. alba. 



B. Bhojpattra (Bhojpattra).* ft., female c^itkins erect, cylin- 

 drical, oblong; bracts smooth, woody, two-parted, blunt, much 



Betiila — ro 71 tinned. 



longer than the fruit, which has narrow vrings. May. I. oblong- 

 acute, with nearly .simple serratures, somewhat ciudate at the 

 base; their stalks, veins, and twig.s hairy; the bark is of a pale 

 cinnamon colour, k. 50ft. Himalayas, 1840. This requires a 

 sheUiMecl position. 



B. carpinifolia (Iloiiil)eam-leaved). Synonymous with B. tenia. 



B. daurica (Daurian).* il., catkins whitish-brown, larger than 

 tliose of tlie comnum Birch. February and March. I. ovate, narrow 

 at the l):ise, quite entire, unequally dentate, glabrous ; scales of 

 the strobiles ciliated on their margins ; side lobes roundish, h. 

 30ft. to 40ft. Siberia, 1786. The variety paroifulia has smaller 

 leaves tlirin the type. 



B. excelsa (tall). Synonymous with B. lutea. 



B. ftniticosa (slirubby).* jl. whitish-brown ; female catkins oblong. 

 February and March. I. roundish-ovate, nearly equally serrated, 

 glabrous, k. 5ft. to 6ft. in moist situations, but much higher on 

 mountains. Kiustern Siberia, 1818. (W. D. B. 2, 154.) 



B. glandulosa (glandular).* /. whitish; female catkins oblong. 

 May. 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. 2583.) 



B. lenta (pliant), ft. greenish-white. May to June. I. 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 

 Ceorgia, 1759. SvN. B. carpinifolia. (\V. ]), B. 2, 144.) 



B. lutea (yellow).* ft,, greenish-white. May. I. 3iin. long, and 

 2Uu. 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, whicTi 

 remains covered with fine short hairs ; scales of the strobile.<i 

 having the side lobes roundish, h. 70ft. to 80ft. Nova Scotia, 

 1767. SVN. B. excelsa. 



B. nana (dwarf).* ft. whitish-green ; catkins erect, stalked, cylin- 

 drical, obtuse; the barren ones lateral, and the fertile ones ter- 

 miual ; scales of the latter three-Iobed, three-flowered, permanent. 

 April and May. I. orbicular, crenate, reticulated with veins be- 

 neath. A. 1ft. to 3ft. Scotland, Lapland, Sweden, Russia, &e. A 

 shrub ^vith munerous branches, slightly downy when young, and 

 lieset with numerous little, round, hrm, smooth, sharply crenated 

 leaves, beautifully reticulated with veins, especially beneath ; and 

 furnished with short footstalks, having a pair of brown lanceolate 

 stipules at their base. There is also a pretty variety named 

 jifndiUa, \vith drooping branches. 



B. nigra (black).* The Black Birch, ft. greenish-white ; female 

 catkins straight, and nearly cylindrical, about 2in. long. May. 

 . 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, 1756. 

 Syn. B. rubra. (W. D. B. 2, 153.) 



B. papyracea (papery).* ft. greenish- white ; female catkins on 

 long footstalks, drooping; scales having the side lobes short, 

 somewhat orbiculate. May to June. L ovate, acuminate, doubly 

 sermte ; veins hairy beneath ; petiole glabrous ; the branches are 

 much less flexible than those of the common Birch, and are more 

 ascending, k. 60ft. to 70ft. North Americii, 1750. (W. D. B. 2. 

 152.) 



B, p. fusca (bro^vn). I. smaller than those of the type, and less 

 downy. 



B, p. platyphylla (broad-leaved).* I. very broad. 



B, p, trichoclada (hairy-branched).* L cordate. Branches ex- 

 tremely hairy, and twigs in threes. 



B.populifolla (Poplar-leaved).* ft. greenish -white. April, May. 

 I. deltoid, much acuminated, unequally serrated, quite smooth; 

 scales of the strobiles having roundish side lobes ; petioles gla- 

 brous, h. 30ft. Canada, 1750. This species, although very 

 closely resembling B. alba, grows with less vigour, and does not 

 attain so large a size. (W. D. B. 2, 151.) 



B. p. laclniata (laciniated).* I. large, shining, and deeply cut. 



B. p. pendula (pendulous).* Spray drooping, like that of B. 

 alba jicndula. 



B. pumila (dwarf).* ft. whitish ; female catkins cylindrical. May 

 and June. I. roundish ovate, on long footstalks, densely clothed 

 with hairs on the under surface. Branches pubescent, dotless. 

 h. 2ft. to 3ft. Canada, 1762. A very beautiful kind, suitable for 

 furnishing large rockeries, or planting on hill sides, or rocky 

 ground. (W. !>. B. 2, 97.) 



B, rubra (red).* Synonymous with B. nigra. 



BISTUIaB.S2. A tribe of deciduous shrubs or trees. 

 Perianth none, or bract-like ; flowers monoBcious, in catkins, 

 in twos or threes. Fruit, a dry, compressed, lenticular, 

 often winged, indehiscent nut. Leaves alternate, simple, 

 stipulated. Tho gfenera are Ahiii^ and Betula. 



BI. In compound words, this signifies twice. 

 BXANCBA SCANDENS. See Csesalpiuia sepi- 



