Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Water Birch
Betula occidentalis
Birch family (Betulaceae)

Water Birch is found in moist soils often within a few feet of year-round streams or in swampy areas. It can grow to 35 feet tall but usually is shorter in thicket clumps. Clusters of stems merge at their base and older, multiple-trunked trees appear to be perched on a pedestal. Water Birch is , having male and female flowers in separate but both of these are present on each tree. In each of the slits in the , tiny protrude. "Betula" is the classical Latin name for the plant, and "occidentalis" means "western," in reference to the plants location in the U.S.


©2008 Steve Matson

Description

Small trees to typically 10-20 feet tall with several trunks to 10" in diameter. Bark does not exfoliate, is red or yellow brown, shining, marked with pale horizontal . Twigs can be hairy or smooth and have resin . Leaves to several inches long and broad, almost circular in outline, widest at base and tapering gradually to , , to minutely hairy. to 1 1/2" long.

Field Marks

Medium sized tree with , shiny leaves, brown/red trunks with horizontal ; in wet areas.

© Al Schneider

stamen -- the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower; The stamen consists of an anther supported by a filament.

A catkin is a tight cylindrical flower cluster where flowers connect directly to a stem. The flowers generally don't have petals and the stem is often drooping.

The apex is the tip or the furthest point from the attachment.

serrate -- toothed with asymmetrical teeth pointing forward; like the cutting edge of a saw.

Lenticels facilitate gas exchange in bark and skin of fruit. On bark they may form lines which can be an aid in tree identification.

Glands are plant structures that secrete liquids, salts or other substances. Glands often appear as hairs with a drop of liquid at the end.

glabrous -- smooth, glossy, having no bristles or hair-like structures. Bald.

monoecious -- all flowers have both sexes; or both sexes in different flowers on the same plant.