BETULACEAE. — BETULA 4G9 



in Bull. Sec. Nat. Mosc. XXXVIII. pt. 2, 414 (1865); in De Candolle, Prodr. 

 XVI. pt. 2, 176 (1868). — Middcndorff, Sibir. Reise, IV. pt. 1, 568 (Gewdchse Sibir.) 

 (1864). — Herder in Act. Hort. Pelrop. XII. 69 (1892). — Dippcl, Handb. 

 Lnubholzk. II. 187, fig. 89 (1892). — Koehne, Deutsch. Dendr. 108(1893).- 

 Shirai in Tokyo Bot. Mag. VIII. 321, t. 6, fig. 7-9 (1894). — Sargent, Silva 

 N. Am. IX. 48 (1896). — Komarov in Act. Hort. Petrop. XXII. 49 (/'7. Mansh. 

 II.) (1903). — Schneider, III. Handb. Laubholzk. I. 102, fig. 53, f-gS 54 1-1^ 

 (1904). — Winkler in Engler, Pflanzenr. IV.-61, 66 (excl. icon.) (1904). -Henry 

 in Elwes & Henry, Trees Gr. Brit. & Irel IV. 977, t. 270, fig. 12 (1909). — Nakai 

 in Jour. Coll. Sci. Tokyo, XXXI. 201 {Fl. Kor. II) (1911); in Tokyo Bot. Mag. 

 XXIX. 43 (1915). — Koidzumi in Tokyo Bot. Mag. XXVII. 147 (1913). 



Betula ulmifolia, var. typica Kegel in Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. XXXVIII. pt. 2, 

 414 (an tantum pro parte?) (non B. ulmifolia Siebold & Zuccarini) (1865); 

 in De Candolle, Prodr. XVI. pt. 2, 176 (1868). — Winkler in Engler, Pflan- 

 zenr. IV.-61, 64, fig. IS D-F (1904). 



Betula Bhojpattra, var. typica Regel in Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. XXVIII. 416 

 (1865), quoad specim. japon. — Franchet & Savatier, Enum. PL Jap. I. 

 456 (1875). 



Betula ulmifolia Franchet & Savatier, Enum. PI. Jap. 456 (non Siebold & 

 Zuccarini) (1875). — Dippel, Handb. Laubholzk. II. 189, fig. 90 (pro parte) 

 (1892). — Schneider, Ul. Handb. Laubholzk. I. 101 (pro parte) (1904). 



Betula alba, var. communis Shirasawa, Icon. Ess. For. Jap. I. t. 21, fig. 1-15 

 (1900). 



Betulaidmifolia,rar.dglandidosaWink\eTinEng\eT,Pflanzenr. IV.-61, 64 (1904). 



This is the most common Birch in Japan and has there a greater latitudinal and 

 altitudinal range than any other species. It also grows to a larger size than any 

 other Birch of eastern Asia with the possible exception of B. grossa Siebold & 

 Zuccarini, but in the alpine zone of the higher moimtains of northern Japan it is 

 reduced to a low, very broad shrub with branches prostrate on the ground. I 

 met with it on the higher mountains northward from those of the Shinano province 

 in central Hondo. It is common in the Nikko region, and m.ost abundant in Hok- 

 kaido and Saghalien. In Hokkaido it is known as Gambi (White Birch), and the 

 wood with that of B. japonica Siebold, which is known by the same name, is like 

 that of B. Maximoioicziana Regel, exported in quantity to America and Europe 

 and used for making furniture. This species growing in such a wide area and under 

 Buch diverse climatic conditions exhibits naturally much variation. The trees 

 differ in habit, the leaves vary greatly in size and in degree of dentation and con- 

 siderably in shape also; the bract of the female flowers varies enormously both in 

 size and shape. The bark is grayish and is sometimes suffused with red-brown or 

 it may be nearly white, and exfoliates in thin sheets or the sheets usually remain on 

 the tree in shaggy masses. The fruit is always erect. Usually the trunk divides 

 a few feet from the ground into several massive stems and these branch to form 

 a wide-spreading crown, but when the trees grow crowded together in rich woods 

 the trunk is relatively slender and very tall and the branches are thin and short. 

 During 1914 I paid much attention to this Birch in Japan, but I failed to discover 

 any constant character by which any variety or form of this species could be defi- 

 nitely distinguished in the field. Its variability notwithstanding, B. Ermanii 

 Regel is a well-marked species. Soot obtained by burning the bark of this Birch 

 is used by Ainu women in tattooing themselves. Pictures of this tree will be found 

 under Nos. x237, x238, x252, x257, x258, x2.59, x268, x299, x310, x366, x370, 

 x377, x509, x512 of the collection of my Japanese photographs. 



E. H. W. 



