|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
birch
birch common name for some members of the Betulaceae, a family of deciduous trees or shrubs bearing male and female flowers on separate plants, widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. They are valued for their hardwood lumber and edible fruits and as ornamental trees. The species of Betulaceae native to the United States represent five genera— Alnus ( alder ), Betula (the birches), Corylus ( hazel ), and Carpinus ( hornbeam ) and Ostrya (hop hornbeam), both also called ironwood. The sixth genus, Ostryopsis, is restricted to Mongolia. The birches, beautiful bushes or trees of temperate and arctic regions, are often found mingled with evergreens in northern coniferous forests. Most American species are trees of the Northeast; a few smaller and scrub species grow in the West. The close-grained hardwood of several of the trees is valued for furniture, flooring, and similar uses (in America, particularly that of the yellow birch, B. lutea ); stained birch provides much of the so-called mahogany of lower-priced furniture. White-barked birches are often used as ornamental trees, e.g., the famous paper, or canoe, birch ( B. papyrifera ) of the N United States and Canada. Its bark, which separates in layers, was used by the Native Americans for canoes and baskets. Various birches have yielded sugar, vinegar, a tea from the leaves, and a birch beer from the sap. The sweet, or black, birch ( B. lenta ) is now the chief source of oil of wintergreen . The Betulaceae is classified in the division Magnoliophyta , class Magnoliopsida, order Fagales. |
|
|
Cite this article
"birch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "birch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-birch.html "birch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-birch.html |
|
birch
birch [OE birce]. The deciduous hardwood tree with slender branches and distinctive smooth white or grey bark, genus Betula, has attracted an extensive body of folk belief in Celtic countries. The ogham alphabet of early Ireland associated the Roman letter B with birch. In Wales the birch tree is much associated with love; a lover's bower usually stands beneath a birch tree or in a birch bush. The maypole is usually made of birch; wreaths of birch may be presented as love tokens. The name Bedwyr may mean ‘birch hero’. On the isle of Colonsay in Gaelic Scotland, mothers put birch boughs over the cradles and carriages of babies to protect them from fairies. ModIr. beith; ScG beithe; Manx beih; W bedwen; Corn. besewen; Bret. bezvenn.
|
|
|
Cite this article
JAMES MacKILLOP. "birch." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JAMES MacKILLOP. "birch." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-birch.html JAMES MacKILLOP. "birch." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-birch.html |
|
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.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"birch." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "birch." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-birch.html "birch." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-birch.html |
|
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. |
|
|
Cite this article
"birch." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "birch." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-birch.html "birch." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-birch.html |
|
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.
|
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "birch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "birch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-birch.html T. F. HOAD. "birch." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-birch.html |
|
Birch
Birch Essex. Bric(ce)iam 1086 (DB), Brich 1194. Probably identical in origin and meaning with the next name.
|
|
|
Cite this article
A. D. MILLS. "Birch." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. A. D. MILLS. "Birch." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Birch.html A. D. MILLS. "Birch." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Birch.html |
|
birch
birch See BETULA.
|
|
|
Cite this article
MICHAEL ALLABY. "birch." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "birch." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-birch.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "birch." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-birch.html |
|
birch
birch
•besmirch, birch, church, lurch, perch, search, smirch
•Christchurch • pikeperch
•wordsearch
|
|
|
Cite this article
"birch." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "birch." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-birch.html "birch." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-birch.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
