88 



wedge-shape at the base, average blades 5-8 cm. long, usually irregular- 

 ly double-serrate, hairy at first, becoming glabrous above or nearly so, 

 remaining more or less pubescent below, especially on the veins and 

 with tufts of hairs in the axils of the veins, minutely glandular on both 

 surfaces, sometimes with only a few glands on the midribs above; 

 fertile catkins 2-4 cm. long and about 6-9 mm. wide, bracts about 4 mm. 

 long, pubescent on both faces, lobed to about one-third the distance 

 from the apex, the lateral lobes the largest, divaricate or slightly re- 

 curved; seed deeply notched at apex, nut oval, pubescent at the apex, 

 wings as broad as, or broader than the nut. 



Distribution.- Alaska to Labrador, south to New York, northern 

 Indiana, Colorado and Washington. In Indiana it has been reported 

 from Lake, Laporte, Marshall and St. Joseph Counties. It has not 

 been found as a native in Ohio. This species is another example of a 

 northern form finding its southern limit near Lake Michigan. 



Remarks. This species in other parts of the country is known as 

 white, paper and canoe birch. I have not seen specimens more than 

 2 dm. in diameter in Indiana. 



4. Betula nigra Linnaeus. BLACK OR RED BIRCH. Plate 35. A 

 medium sized tree; bark on young trees peeling off transversely in thin 

 reddish-brown strips which roll back and usually persist for several 

 years, bark of older trees dark brown, furrowed and separating into short 

 plates or peeling off in strips; young twigs hairy, becoming glabrous and 

 reddish at the end of the season; leaves rhombic-ovate, acute, short and 

 broadly wedge-shaped at the base, blades of ordinary leaves 4-8 cm. long, 

 irregularly toothed, glabrous above and pubescent beneath, rarely 

 entirely glabrous; fertile catkins generally 2-3 cm. long, and usually 

 slightly less than 1 cm. wide; bracts 6-10 mm. long, pubescent, ciliate, 

 lobed to near the middle, the lobes about equal; nuts broadly ovate, 

 broader than its wings, pubescent at the apex; wood light, strong, 

 close-grained, heart wood light brown. 



Distribution. Massachusetts west to Minnesota and south to 

 Florida and Texas. In Indiana it is found more or less frequent in the 

 counties bordering the Kankakee River, and as far east as St. Joseph, 

 Marshall and Miami Counties. Along the Kankakee River it is fre- 

 quently a tree of 6-8 dm. in diameter. This species has not been found 

 in Michigan, northeastern Indiana or northern Ohio. It has never been 

 noted near Lake Michigan, and the nearest point is Cedar Lake in Lake 

 County about 20 miles south of the Lake. It is more or less frequent 

 along certain streams throughout the southwestern part of the State. 

 It is found as far north as Putnam and Marion Counties and eastward 

 as far as Bartholomew, Scott and Clark Counties. There aie no 

 records for this species for eastern Indiana or western Ohio. About 



