birch
birch / bərch/ • n. (also birch tree) a slender, fast-growing tree (genus Betula, family Betulaceae) that has thin bark (often peeling) and bears catkins. Birches grow chiefly in north temperate regions. ∎ (also birchwood) the hard fine-grained pale wood of any of these trees.
birch
birch Any of c.40 species of trees and shrubs native to cooler areas of the Northern Hemisphere. The double-toothed leaves are oval or triangular with blunt bases and arranged alternately along branches. The smooth, resinous bark peels off in papery sheets. Male catkins droop, whereas smaller female catkins stand upright and develop into cone-like clusters with tiny, one-seeded nuts. Well-known species include the grey, silver, sweet, and yellow birches. Height: up to 40m (130ft). Family Betulaceae; genus Betula.
birch
birch OE. bi(e)rċe = MLG. berke, OHG. birka (G. birke) :- Gmc. *berkjōn; rel. to synon. OE. be(o)rc = Du. berk, ON. bjǫrk :- Gmc. *berkō; Cf. Skr. bhūrja-, L. farnus, fraxinus ash-tree.
More From encyclopedia.com
tree fern , tree fern Tree-like fern of the family Cyatheaceae. Tree ferns grow in tropical and sub-tropical regions, particularly moist mountainous areas. Heigh… Monkey-puzzle Tree , monkey-puzzle tree
monkey-puzzle tree, evergreen tree (Araucaria araucana) native to Chile and widely cultivated elsewhere as an ornamental. The symm… macadamia , mac·a·da·mi·a / ˌmakəˈdāmēə/ • n. an Australian tree (genus Macadamia, family Proteaceae) with glossy evergreen leaves and globular edible nuts. Seve… Bo Tree , Bo tree (Bodhi tree) In Buddhism, the pipal under which the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) found enlightenment (bodhi) at Bodh Gaya, near Varanasi, n In… Tree Shrews , Tree shrews
tree shrew, small, arboreal mammal of the family Tupaiidae, found in S Asia. The 17 known species of tree shrews are classified as the or… Ginkgo , Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba is a woody tree with a spreading form and a large trunk that reaches a height between fifty to eighty feet. The trees are sexual…
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
birch