170 HORNBEAM. BIRCH 



from inside, showing the stamens, of which two are also seen separated 

 and viewed from behind and from the front ; 6 and 7, pair of female 

 flowers enveloped in their bracts and bracteoles ; 8, a separated female 

 flower; 9, fruits and cupule; 10, fruits; 11, the fruit in section; 12, seeds; 

 13, buds ; 14, seedling (Wi). 



less pointed crown, through which the stem can be traced. 

 The buds are shorter than those of Beech, more ovoid, and 

 not so divaricate. Leaves very like those of Elm, but 

 plaited. The fluted stem and serrate leaves, the buds, 

 and the fruit at once distinguish it from the Beech ; and 

 the smooth, pale [or dark] grey bark, and bracteate fruits 

 in catkins, from the Elms. 



© © Bark, or periderm, not persistent on the 



trunk and limbs, hut cast in strips or 



plate-like scales. 



[For O Periderm peeling or flaking in thin 



{CJ EJ\ papery strips round the limb or stem. 



seep* 17o.l 



§ Periderm silvery-white and opaque, 



peeling in broad thin papery lamella; 



marked with the transversely elongated 



hrown lenticels. Branches slender and 



at acute angles, the tv:igs particularly 



thin and overhanging ; with very light 



open foliage, and pendent catkins. 



Betula alba, L. Birch (Figs. 72,77, see also p. 162). Very 

 old trees form a peculiarly rugged and hard knobbly bark 

 at the foot of the trunk. The latter is tapering, sinuous, 

 traceable more or less through the oblong or ovoid or 

 rounded pyramidal crown, the branches obliquely ascending 

 and very loose. The leaves are rather small, more or less 

 rhomboid-ovate, and loosely hung. Flowers in pendent 

 catkins. 



There is no other common tree like it. The fine 

 twigs reddish-brown, polished, with prominent verrucose 

 lenticels ; the opaque white periderm, interlaminated with 

 brown cork, appears first on the branches. 



