52 SILVA OF NORTH AMERICA. BETULACES. 
Rarities; published in London in 1672. It was first described by Clayton in his Flora Virginica in 
1739.’ 
The Black Birch,’ which is a handsome tree with its tall dark stem, graceful fragrant branches, 
and healthy dark green foliage, is especially beautiful in early spring when its long staminate aments 
hang from the leafless branches, changing them for a few days into fountains of golden spray, and 
making it the most conspicuous of the American Birches. 
1 « Birch, white and black; the bark of Birch is used by the 
Indians for bruised Wounds and Cuts, boyled very tender, and 
stampt betwixt two stones to a Plaister, and the decoction thereof 
poured into the Wound ; And also to fetch the Fire out of Burns 
and Sealds.” (Josselyn, New England Rarities, 51.) 
“The Birch-tree is of two kinds, ordinary Birch, and black Birch, 
many of these Trees are stript of their bark by the Indians, who 
make of it their Canows, Kettles, and Birchen-dishes.” (Josselyn, 
An Account of Two Voyages to Virginia, 69.) 
2 Betula julifera fructu conoide, viminibus lentis, 115. 
3 Betula lenta is sometimes also called Sweet Birch and Mahogany 
Birch. 
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE. 
Pirate CCCCXLVIII. Beruna LENTA. 
bo 
A stamen, enlarged. 
OoOND TK ow 
A nut, enlarged. 
bob 
co) 
. An embryo, enlarged. 
bb pee 
be 
. A leaf-scar, enlarged. 
rary 
ow 
A flowering branch, natural size. 
. Diagram of a cluster of staminate flowers. 
. Diagram of a cluster of pistillate flowers. 
. Scale of a staminate ament, rear view, enlarged. 
. Pistillate flowers with their scale, front view, enlarged. 
. A fruiting branch, natural size. 
. Seale of a strobile, enlarged. 
. A winter branch with staminate aments, natural size. 
. A young branchlet with unfolding bud and stipules, natural size. 
