ss 



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, esjiecially 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 a]iex, nut oval, pubescent at the ai:)ex, 

 wings as broad as, or liroader than the nut. 



Distril)iition. — 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 

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

 northei'H foim finding its southern limit near Lake Michigan. 



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

 white, pa]ier and canoe birch. I have not seen specimens more than 

 2 dm. in diameter in Indiana. 



4. Beliila nigra Linnaeus. Black or Red Birch. Plate 3r>. A 

 medium sized tree; l)ark on young trees peeling off transversely in thin 

 reddish-bi'own strips which roll back and usua.ll.y persist for several 

 years, barkof older trees dark brown, furrowed and separating into short 

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

 reddish at the end of the season; leaves i'homl)ic-ovate, acute, short and 

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

 ii'regularlj' toothed, glabrous above and pubescent beneath, rarely 

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

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

 lobed to near the middle, the lobes aljoiit ecpial; nuts broadly ovate, 

 broader than its wings, ])iibescent at the apex; wood light, strong, 

 close-giained, heart wood light brown. 



Dislrihulion. — ^lassachusetts 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, 

 ;Mai-shall and Miami Counties. Along the Kankakee River it is fre- 

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

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

 noted near Lake ^lichigan, 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 noi'th as Putnam and Marion Counties and eastward 

 as far as Bartholomew, Scott and Clark Counties. Thei'c aie no 

 records for this species for eastern Indiana oi' western Ohio. About 



