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Birch

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Birch
Temporal range: Ypresian–Recent
Silver birch
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Betulaceae
Subfamily: Betuloideae
Genus: Betula
L.
Subgenera
  • Betulenta
  • Betulaster
  • Neurobetula
  • Betula
  • Chamaebetula
Range of Betula
Synonyms[1]
  • Betulaster Spach
  • Apterocaryon Opiz
  • Chamaebetula Opiz
Birch trunk' relief

A birch tree is a thinleaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus Betula.[2] They are in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams.

Betula contains 30 to 60 species of which 11 are on the IUCN 2011 Green List of Threatened Species. They are usually rather short-lived pioneer species widespread in the Northern Hemisphere.[3]

References

[change | change source]
  1. "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". apps.kew.org.
  2. Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
  3. Ashburner K. & McAllister H.A. 2013. The genus Betula: a taxonomic revision of birches. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.