- Betula alleghaniensis
Taxobox
name = "Betula alleghaniensis"
status = secure
image_width = 240px
image_caption = Yellow Birch foliage
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
ordo =Fagales
familia =Betulaceae
genus = "Betula"
subgenus = "Betulenta"
species = "B. alleghaniensis"
binomial = "Betula alleghaniensis"
binomial_authority = Britt.
synonyms=
*"B. lutea" Michx."Betula alleghaniensis" (Yellow Birch), is a species of
birch native to easternNorth America , fromNova Scotia ,New Brunswick , and southernQuébec west toMinnesota , and south in theAppalachian Mountains to northern Georgia.It is a medium-sized
deciduous tree reaching 20 m tall (exceptionally to 30 m) with a trunk up to 80 cm diameter. Thebark is smooth, yellow-bronze, flaking in fine horizontal strips, and often with small black marks and scars. The twigs, when scraped, have a slight scent of oil of wintergreen, though not as strongly so as the relatedSweet Birch . The leaves are alternate, ovate, 6-12 cm long and 4-9 cm broad, with a finely serrated margin. Theflower s are wind-pollinatedcatkin s 3-6 cm long, the male catkins pendulous, the female catkins erect. Thefruit , mature in fall, is composed of numerous tiny wingedseed s packed between the catkin bracts."Betula alleghaniensis" is the provincial tree of
Québec , where it is commonly called "merisier", a name which in France is used for thewild cherry .The name "yellow birch" reflects the color of the tree's bark.
The wood of "Betula alleghaniensis" is extensively used for flooring, cabinetry and
toothpick s. Most wood sold as "birch" in North America is from this tree. Several species ofLepidoptera use the species as a food plant for theircaterpillar s. SeeList of Lepidoptera that feed on birches .External links
* [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500246 Flora of North America: Profile and
]
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=BEAL2 NCRS: USDA Plants Profile and
]
* [http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/frame/beal2.htm "Betula alleghaniensis" images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.