Betula glandulosa Michx.

TSO logo

Sponsor this page

For information about how you could sponsor this page, see How You Can Help

Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Betula glandulosa' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/betula/betula-glandulosa/). Accessed 2024-03-28.

Genus

Glossary

glabrous
Lacking hairs smooth. glabrescent Becoming hairless.
glandular
Bearing glands.
included
(botanical) Contained within another part or organ.
indumentum
A covering of hairs or scales.
variety
(var.) Taxonomic rank (varietas) grouping variants of a species with relatively minor differentiation in a few characters but occurring as recognisable populations. Often loosely used for rare minor variants more usefully ranked as forms.

References

There are no active references in this article.

Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Betula glandulosa' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/betula/betula-glandulosa/). Accessed 2024-03-28.

A shrub procumbent at high elevations, rarely more than 4 ft high anywhere; young shoots not downy, but covered with glands. Leaves obovate to roundish- or kidney-shaped, usually 13 to 34 in. (sometimes over 1 in.) long, green and glabrous both sides, conspicuously round-toothed; stalks up to 14 in. long. Fruiting catkins erect, 12 to 34 in. long.

Native of N. America, where it reaches across the continent at high latitudes and high altitudes; also of Greenland. It is closely allied to, and can only be confused with, B. nana (q.v.), but is abundantly distinct in its glandular-warted branchlets and longer-stalked leaves. It occupies similar moist positions in nature, and may be planted in similar positions in gardens.

From the Supplement (Vol. V)

The taxonomic position of B. glandulifera, mentioned under this species, is controversial. Originally described as a variety of B. pumila, it continues to rank as such in some works, but it has also been included in B. glandulosa without distinction. Both belong to the same group of shrubby birches as B. nana and B. pumila. Also in this group is:

† B. hallii Howell B. glandulosa var. hallii (Howell) Hitchc. – A shrub or a small tree to some 15 ft high, inhabiting boggy situations in western Washington and Oregon. Branchlets clad with a fine velvety indumentum mixed with longer hairs, but with the same wart-like glands seen in B. glandulosa. Leaves mostly elliptic, relatively narrower than in that species.


B glandulifera (Reg.) Butler

Synonyms
B. pumila var. glandulifera Reg

This closely allied species is distinguishable by its hairy, sparingly glandular branchlets. Native mainly of Canada.