117 



GRAY BIRCH. 

 Betula populifolia, Marshall. 



FORM — A small tr-e usually ot.rurr:ii^ m slumps and attaining a height of 20-30 ft. with 

 a diameter of 9 inches, but may reach a height of 45 ft. and a diameter of 18 inches. 

 Trunk slender, often imlined, coutinnous, and t-ovi-red with ascending lateral branches with 

 dioupiii;: ends which form a narrow pyra>uidal, rather open, and pointed crown. 



BARE — Dull white, close, smooth, not peeling off into thin film-like layers but covered with 

 triangular black splits below the insertion of the lateral branches. On old trunks black and 

 roughened with fissures. Inner bark orange-yellow. See Figs. 64 and G!>. 



TWIGS — Slender, gretnish to brown, roughened by warty exudations and by raised, pale, 

 and boiizontally-elongated lenticels; later smooth and dull white. 



BUDS — Alternate, 2-ranked, ovate, 1/5 of an inch long, sharp-pointed, divergent, covered 

 with 3-4 visible smooth, slightly resinous, brown bud-scales with downy margins. 



LEAVES — Alternate, simple, triangular, o\ate, 2J-3 inches long, li-2 inches .wide, wedge- 

 shaped at base, decidedly serrate on margin, with long-toothed apex and long, slender 

 potioles whicli cause the leaves to quiver when stimulated by a slight breeze only. 



LEAF-SCARS — See "Leaf-Scars" under Black Birch, page 118. 



FLOWERS — Appear about April before the leaves. Stamina to in solitary or occasionally 



paired amonts which are about IJ-U Inches long and I of an inch wide during the winter, 



but develop in sprin- to a length of 2-4 inches. Pistillate cylindrical, slender, about } of 

 an inch long and stalked. 



FRUIT — A slender, c.vlicdrlcal, stalked strobile about 3 of an inch long and obtuse at the 

 apex. Scales small and downy; their lateral lobes broad and recurving, while the terminal 

 one is rather straignt and narrow. Seeds small, oval, and winged. Wings broader than 

 the seed. 



WOOD — Diffuse-porous; rays Inconspicuous; light, soft, not strong, not duraltle; heartwood 

 light brown: sapwood light. Weiglis 35.90 pounds per cubic foot. Used for fuel, and in the 

 manufacture of paper pulp, spools, shoe pegs, and hoops for barrels. 



DISTLNGXriSHING CHARACTERISTICS— The Gray Birch, also known as Oldfield. White, 

 Poverty, or Poplar Birch, can be distinguished from all the other Birches of Pennsylvania, 

 except the native Paper Birch, and the commonly introduced European White Birch, by 

 its white bark which is never renewed when once removed. The bark is close, dull white, 

 and marked with black triangular blotches just below the insertion of the lateral branches, 

 and does not peel off in thin paper-like layers like that of the Birch. The Gray Birch is 

 usually a small tree with a rather continuous trunk and frequently occurs in clumps. The 

 twigs of the Gray Birch are also rougher than the Paper Birch and its leaves are long- 

 acuminate, while those of the Paper Birch are ovate. 



RAKGE — Nova Scotia south to Delaware and southern Pennsylvania, west to the southern 

 shores of Lake Ontario. 



DISTRIBUTION IN PFNNSYLVANIA— Locally in the mountainous portion. Common in 

 Monroe, Schuylkill and Pike counties. Abundant along streams in northern part of the State. 

 A few specimens found on top of South Mountains in Franklin county near Mason and Dixon 

 line. 



HABIT AT^Usu ally occurs on moist soil along streams, ponds, and lakes; also grows on 

 hillsides and occasionally on rocky mountain tops. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES — This species is of little commercial value on account of 

 the small size which It attains due to its short life. The existing stands should, however, be 

 conservatively utilized. It cannot be recommended for forest planting, but is an extremely 

 attractive tree for ornamental purposes. 



