LXIX. BETULA CEE: BE’TULA. 843 
by the bark of no other tree, is the construction of canoes. The plant 
usually known by the name of B. papyracea, in the London nurseries, is the 
B. ribra of Michaux, jun., the B. lanuldsa of Michaux, sen., and our B. nigra, 
No.9. This mistake has arisen from the bark of B, nigra, even in trees not 
above 1 in. in diameter, separating from the trunk, and rolling up in very thin 
paper-like laminz. 
_ £9, B.nt‘era L. The black Birch. 
Identification. Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 464. ; Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept. 2. p. 621.; N. Du Ham., 3. p. 203. 
Synonymes. B. lanuldsa Michz. Fl. Bor. Amer. 2. p. 181.; ? B. rdbra Miche. Arb. 2. p. 162.; B. 
angulata Lodd. Cat. ed. 1836; red Birch, Amer.; Betula da Canoa, Ital. 
Engravings. Dend. Brit., t. 153.; Michx. Fl. Bor. Amer., 2. t. 3.; Bot. Cab., t. 1248.5 the plates 
of this tree in Arb. Brit. Ist edit., vol. vii.; and our figs. 1537. and 1538, 
Spec. Char., §c. Leaves rhomboid-ovate, doubly serrated, acute ; pubescent 
beneath, entire at the base. Scales of the strobiles villose; segments 
linear, equal. (Willd.) A deciduous tree, with the bark rising in very 
thin paper-like lamin. 
New Jersey to Carolina. 
Height 60 ft. to 70 ft. In- 
troduced in 1736. Flow- 
ers greenish white; May. 
Fruit brown ; ripe in June. 
The epidermis is red- 
dish, or of a cinnamon 
colour. The petioles are 
short and downy. The 
leaves, on young trees, are 
about 8 in. long, and 2 in. 
broad, of a light green on 
the upper surface, and 
whitish beneath, though on 
old trees they are much 
smaller: they are doubl 
denticulated he the aoe, 
very acuminate at the sum- 1538, B. nigra. 
mit, and terminated at the base in an acute angle, more regular than is seen in 
the leaf of any other tree. The female catkins in America are 5 or 6 inches long, 
straight, and nearly cylindrical; about London, they are not half the size. 
¥ 10. B. exce’tsa H. Kew. The tall Birch. 
Identification. Ait. 
ort. Kew., 3. p. 
337. ; | Pursh 
1537. B. nigra 
3. p. 203. 
Synonymes. B. Wtea 
Michx. N. Amer. Syl. 
2. 103.; ? B. nigra Du 
Roi Herb. Baum. 1. 
p. 148. ; yellow Birch, 
Amer. t 
Engravings. _Michx. 
N. Amer. Syl., 2. 
103. ; Wats. Dend. 
Brit., t.95.; N. Du 
Ham., 3. t.52.; Willd. 
Baum., t. 1. f. 2.3 
and our fig. 1539. 
from Michaux, and 
. 1540, from the 
Nouv. Du Ham. 
Spec. Char., &e. 
Leaves ovate, 
acute, serrated ; 
petioles pubes- 
cent, shorter 
143+ B. excélea, than the pedun- 1810 
B.excélsa, 
