980 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



The timber, of which I brought home a specimen now at Kew, is a hard wood of a 

 bright pinkish brown colour, and is used for flooring. It seems at least as good 

 as the best American birch timber. It was, however, very difficult to identify the 

 species of birch, of which no less than five 1 are said to be found in this district, and 

 the foresters of Japan were not themselves sure of their scientific names. 



(H. J. E.) 



BETULA LUMINIFERA 



Betula luminifera, Winkler, Betulacea, 91, fig. 23 (1904). 



A tree, the dimensions of which are not known. Young branchlets covered 

 with dense, erect, pale pubescence, non-glandular. Leaves (Plate 270, Fig. 16), 

 about 5 inches long and 3^ inches wide, broadly ovate, sub-cordate or truncate at 

 the broad base, acuminate at the apex ; margin ciliate, irregularly serrate, the 

 serrations ending in cartilaginous points ; nerves ten to fourteen pairs ; covered 

 more or less on both surfaces with white, short pubescence ; petiole f inch, 

 pubescent. Fruiting catkins (Plate 270, Fig. 16), solitary, cylindrical, elongated, 

 about 3 inches long and f inch in diameter ; on a peduncle f inch long ; scales 

 lanceolate, auricled on each side a little below the middle ; nutlets pubescent, with 

 broad wings. 



This species, which is the representative in central China of B. Maximowiczii 

 of Japan, was discovered by Pere Farges in the north-eastern mountains of 

 Szechwan, and was introduced into cultivation in 1901 by E. H. Wilson, who sent 

 seeds from the same locality. A young tree in Veitch's nursery at Coombe Wood 

 is now 16 feet high at seven years old, and is very flourishing. This species is 

 remarkable for its fine foliage, and is worthy of cultivation as an ornamental tree. 



(A. H.) 



BETULA UTILIS, Himalayan Birch 



Betula utilis, Don, Prod. Fl. Nepal. 58 (1825); Hooker, Fl. Brit. India, v. 599 (1888); Gamble, 

 Indian Timbers, 668 (1902); Winkler, Betulacea, 61 (1904); Schneider, laubholzkunde, 102 

 (1904); Brandis, Indian Trees, 622 (1906). 



Betula Bhojpattra, Wallich, PI. As. Far. ii. 7 (1832); Brandis, Forest Flora, N.-W. India, 457 

 (1874). 



Betula Jacquemontii, Spach, in Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 2, xv. 189 (1841). 



A tree, attaining in the Himalayas about 60 feet in height, but becoming a 

 shrub at high elevations. Bark on young trees thin, smooth, brownish red, with 



1 Matsumura, in Shokubutsu Alei-I. 47 (1895), enumerates eight distinct species of birch as occurring in Japan ; but of 

 these, B. utilis, as explained in a note under our account of that species, and B. grossa, mentioned above, are doubtful. 

 There remain six distinct species, undoubted natives of Japan, viz. : B. Maximowiczii, B. corylifolia, B. Ermani, B. 

 globispica, B. ulmifolia, and B. verrucosa, var. japonica ; all of which are referred to in this account of the genus Betula, and 

 under each species is given its native name. 



