CHAP. CIV. 



1705 



1557 



brane which surrounds it is narrower. The wood of the tree is hard, 

 and yellower than that of the common birch. Pallas says that it differs 

 from B. nigra L. (the red birch of America), in having smaller stipules, and 

 in the leaves being less frequently, and never doubly, serrated ; but, as he 

 had only an opportunity of comparing it with a .small dried specimen of 

 the American species, of which he has given us a figure, we cannot place 

 much confidence in his opinion. The young plants bearing this name at 

 Messrs. Loddiges's have every appearance of being nothing more than a 

 stunted variety of the common birch ; but these plants are too small and 

 unhealthy to enable us to determine, with certainty, whether they arc 

 really of the kind described by Pallas, or not. This species was introduced 

 in 1796 ; but it is not common in collections. There is a tree at Croome 

 bearing this name, which, after being 30 years planted, is 40 ft. high. One 

 in the Glasnevin Botanic Garden, 3.3 years planted, is 30 ft. high ; and 

 one in the Botanic Garden at Munich, 25 years planted, is 20 ft. high. 

 Variety, 



Sk % B. d. 2 parvifilia Hayne Dend., p. 167., has the leaves smaller than 

 the species. 



a 3. B. FRUTICO V SA Pall. The shrubby Birch. 



Identification. Pall. Koss., 1. p. 62. ; Du Roi Harb. Baum., 1. p. 151. ; Willd. Sp. PI., 4. p. 466., 



Bauin., p. 61. ; N. Du Ham., 3. p. 208. 

 Stjnunymes. B. humilis Schrank Sal., p. 56., Fl. Bavar., No. 305. ; B. quebecctfnsis Schrift. der 



Gesells. Naturf. Freunde, 5. p. 196., as quoted by Willdenow. 

 Engravings. Pall. Ross., 1. t. 40. ; Dend. Brit, t 154. ; and'our fig. 1557. 



Spec. Char., $c. Leaves roundish-ovate, nearly equally serrate, glabrous. 

 Female catkins oblong. (Willd. Sp. PI., iv. p. 466.) This species is always 

 shrubby, and never rises higher than 5 ft. or 6 ft., in moist situations ; but, 

 on mountains, it grows to a greater size, and 

 the trunk attains a thickness of 2 in. or 3 in. 

 The whole plant has a stunted appearance. 

 The buds are numerous, and come out soon 

 after those of B. alba. The leaves are small, 

 and generally two from the same bud. They 

 are lengthened out, and entire towards the 

 petiole ; and towards the end, which is very 

 sharp, they are unequally serrated. The 

 male catkins are sessile at the ends of the 

 twigs, frequently unaccompanied with any 

 leaf: they are more than 1 in. in length, and 

 pendent. The female catkins are lateral from 

 the leaf buds, solitary, alternate, upright, 

 small, commonly peduncled, and accompanied 

 by a small leaf ; and the ripe seeds remain upon them during the winter ; 

 their form is cylindric, and they are longer than those of B. nana ; the 

 scales are narrow at the base, three-forked at the end ; and there are three 

 seeds to each scale, of the same size and form as in B. nana. Pallas found 

 this species in marshes, and on rocky mountains in the cold subalpine re- 

 gions of Eastern Siberia. According to Willdenow, it is also found in 

 Canada, and in Germany, in Bavaria, and Mecklenburg. About Berlin, it 

 grows to the height of 4ft. or 5 ft. It was introduced in 1818j and there 

 are plants at Messrs. Loddiges's, and in some other collections. 



* 4. B. PU X MILA L. The hairy dwarf Birch. 



Identification. Willd. Sp. PI., 4. p. 467. ; Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept, 2. p. 622. ; N. Du Ham., 3. p. 207. ; 



Lin. Mant, 124. 



Synonyme. B. nilna Kalm Itin. t 2. p. 263. 

 Engravings. Jacq. Hort. Vind., 1. 122. ; Du Roi Harb., 1. t. 3. ; Wang. Beitr., t. 29. f. 61. ; Dend. 



Brit. t. 97, and our jig. 1558. 



Spec. Char., $c. Branches pubescent, without dots. Leaves roundish -ovate, 

 on long footstalks, densely clothed with hairs on the under surface. Female 

 catkins cylindrical. (Willd. Sp. PI., iv. p. 467.) A shrub, a native of bogs in 



