Betula occidentalis, the water birch or red birch, is a species of birch native to western North America, in Canada from Yukon east to Northwestern Ontario and southwards, and in the United States from eastern Washington east to western North Dakota,[citation needed] and south to eastern California, northern Arizona and northern New Mexico, and southwestern Alaska. It typically occurs along streams in mountainous regions,[1] sometimes at elevations of 2,100 metres (6,900 feet) and in drier areas than paper birch.[2]
It is a deciduousshrub or small tree growing to 14 m (46 ft) high, up to 25 centimetres (10 inches) thick.[2] It tends toward epicormic growth, with many small limbs sprouting from the trunk and causing the wood to be full of small knots. The bark is dark red-brown to blackish,[2] and smooth but not exfoliating. The twigs are glabrous or thinly hairy, and odorless when scraped. The leaves are alternate, ovate to rhombic, 1–7 cm (1⁄2–2+3⁄4 in) long and 1–4.5 cm (1⁄2–1+3⁄4 in) broad, with a serrated margin and two to six pairs of veins, and a short petiole up to 1.5 cm (1⁄2 in) long. The flowers are wind-pollinated catkins 2–4 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄2 in) long, the male catkins pendulous, the female catkins erect. The fruit is 2–3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) long and 8–15 millimetres (1⁄4–1⁄2 in) broad, composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts.[1][3][4]
The identity of similar birches in Alaska is disputed; some include them in B. occidentalis, while others regard them as hybrids between Betula neoalaskana and Betula glandulosa.[1]
The foliage is browsed by sheep, goats,[5] and birds; some small birds also consume the seeds.[2]
Some Plateau Indian tribes used water birch to treat pimples and sores.[6]
Saliendra, NicanorZ.; Sperry, JohnS.; Comstock, JonathanP. (1995). "Influence of leaf water status on stomatal response to humidity, hydraulic conductance, and soil drought in Betula occidentalis". Planta. 196 (2). doi:10.1007/BF00201396. ISSN 0032-0935. S2CID 40158479.
Sperry, J. S.; Pockman, W. T. (1993). "Limitation of transpiration by hydraulic conductance and xylem cavitation in Betula occidentalis". Plant, Cell and Environment. 16 (3): 279–287. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3040.1993.tb00870.x. ISSN 0140-7791.
Sperry, J. S.; Saliendra, N. Z. (1994). "Intra- and inter-plant variation in xylem cavitation in Betula occidentalis". Plant, Cell and Environment. 17 (11): 1233–1241. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3040.1994.tb02021.x. ISSN 0140-7791.
Sperry, John S (2000). "Hydraulic constraints on plant gas exchange". Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 104 (1): 13–23. doi:10.1016/S0168-1923(00)00144-1. ISSN 0168-1923.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Betula occidentalis.
January 31, 2023
betula, occidentalis, water, birch, birch, species, birch, native, western, north, america, canada, from, yukon, east, northwestern, ontario, southwards, united, states, from, eastern, washington, east, western, north, dakota, citation, needed, south, eastern,. Betula occidentalis the water birch or red birch is a species of birch native to western North America in Canada from Yukon east to Northwestern Ontario and southwards and in the United States from eastern Washington east to western North Dakota citation needed and south to eastern California northern Arizona and northern New Mexico and southwestern Alaska It typically occurs along streams in mountainous regions 1 sometimes at elevations of 2 100 metres 6 900 feet and in drier areas than paper birch 2 Betula occidentalisFoliageScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade RosidsOrder FagalesFamily BetulaceaeGenus BetulaSubgenus Betula subg BetulaSpecies B occidentalisBinomial nameBetula occidentalisHook Natural range of Betula occidentalisSynonymsB fontinalis Sarg Trunk from along the Columbia River in Chelan County Washington It is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 14 m 46 ft high up to 25 centimetres 10 inches thick 2 It tends toward epicormic growth with many small limbs sprouting from the trunk and causing the wood to be full of small knots The bark is dark red brown to blackish 2 and smooth but not exfoliating The twigs are glabrous or thinly hairy and odorless when scraped The leaves are alternate ovate to rhombic 1 7 cm 1 2 2 3 4 in long and 1 4 5 cm 1 2 1 3 4 in broad with a serrated margin and two to six pairs of veins and a short petiole up to 1 5 cm 1 2 in long The flowers are wind pollinated catkins 2 4 cm 3 4 1 1 2 in long the male catkins pendulous the female catkins erect The fruit is 2 3 cm 3 4 1 1 4 in long and 8 15 millimetres 1 4 1 2 in broad composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts 1 3 4 The identity of similar birches in Alaska is disputed some include them in B occidentalis while others regard them as hybrids between Betula neoalaskana and Betula glandulosa 1 The foliage is browsed by sheep goats 5 and birds some small birds also consume the seeds 2 Some Plateau Indian tribes used water birch to treat pimples and sores 6 References Edit a b c Flora of North America Betula occidentalis a b c d Arno Stephen F Hammerly Ramona P 2020 1977 Northwest Trees Identifying amp Understanding the Region s Native Trees field guide ed Seattle Mountaineers Books pp 215 220 ISBN 1 68051 329 X OCLC 1141235469 Plants of British Columbia Betula occidentalis Jepson Flora Betula occidentalis Little Elbert L 1980 The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees Eastern Region New York Knopf p 368 ISBN 0 394 50760 6 Hunn Eugene S 1990 Nch i Wana The Big River Mid Columbia Indians and Their Land University of Washington Press p 352 ISBN 0 295 97119 3 Further reading EditSaliendra NicanorZ Sperry JohnS Comstock JonathanP 1995 Influence of leaf water status on stomatal response to humidity hydraulic conductance and soil drought in Betula occidentalis Planta 196 2 doi 10 1007 BF00201396 ISSN 0032 0935 S2CID 40158479 Sperry J S Pockman W T 1993 Limitation of transpiration by hydraulic conductance and xylem cavitation in Betula occidentalis Plant Cell and Environment 16 3 279 287 doi 10 1111 j 1365 3040 1993 tb00870 x ISSN 0140 7791 Sperry J S Saliendra N Z 1994 Intra and inter plant variation in xylem cavitation in Betula occidentalis Plant Cell and Environment 17 11 1233 1241 doi 10 1111 j 1365 3040 1994 tb02021 x ISSN 0140 7791 Sperry John S 2000 Hydraulic constraints on plant gas exchange Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 104 1 13 23 doi 10 1016 S0168 1923 00 00144 1 ISSN 0168 1923 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Betula occidentalis Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Betula occidentalis amp oldid 1090190990, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
