Betula nana

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Dwarf birch

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Betulaceae
Genus: Betula
Subgenus:
Betula subg. Chamaebetula
Species:
B. nana
Binomial name
Betula nana

Betula nana, the dwarf birch,

Arctic region
.

Specimen at 1000m

Description

It is a

monoecious, deciduous shrub growing up to 1–1.2 metres (3 ft 3 in – 3 ft 11 in) high. The bark is non-peeling and shiny red-copper colored.[3] The leaves
are rounded, 6–20 millimetres (0.24–0.79 in) diameter, with a bluntly toothed margin. The leaves are a darker green on their upper surface. Leaf growth occurs after snow melt and become red in autumn.

The wind-pollinated fruiting catkins are erect, 5–15 millimetres (0.20–0.59 in) long and 4–10 millimetres (0.16–0.39 in) broad.

Distribution

Betula nana is native to arctic and cool

Ydre is deemed a glacial relict.[5]

In general, it favours wet but well-drained sites with a nutrient-poor, acidic soil which can be xeric and rocky. B. nana has a low tolerance for shade.

Ecology

There are two subspecies:

  • Betula nana subsp. nana. Canada (Baffin Island), Greenland, northern Europe (south to the Alps at high altitudes), northwestern Asia. Young twigs hairy, but without resin; leaves longer (to 20 mm), usually as long as broad.
  • Betula nana subsp. exilis. Northeastern Asia, northern North America (Alaska, Canada east to Nunavut). Young twigs hairless or with only scattered hairs, but coated in resin; leaves shorter (not over 12 mm long), often broader than long.

Genome

The genome of B. nana has been sequenced.[6]

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T194495A2341542.en
    . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ISBN 978-0-415-73545-2
    .
  3. ^ Ewing, Susan. The Great Alaska Nature Factbook. Portland: Alaska Northwest Books, 1996.
  4. PMID 30111882
    .
  5. ^ Hellgren, George (1960). "Något om växtligheten i Ydre". In Filén, Thure (ed.). Ydre-Boken (in Swedish). Linköping. pp. 86–91.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. S2CID 206179485
    .

External links

Wikispecies has information related to Betula nana.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Betula nana.
Betula nana photographed north of the village of Upernavik Kujalleq, north-east of the mountain Kingigtoq, western Greenland
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