Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Betula populifolia
Gray birch
Taxonomy

Synonyms:

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

  • Magnoliophyta

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA PlantsITISThe Plant ListIPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNAUSDA PlantsBONAPBISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
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F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: Formerly State Endangered

Notes:This species was recently delisted as endangered and is not considered a Vagrant Breeding Species in IL

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Dicot-woody, perennial

Roots: primary

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; doubly serrate leaf margin; Pinnate leaf venation; cordate leaf shape

Inflorescence: catkin

Flowers: unisexual, monoecious; incomplete, not petals; epigynous ovary position

Fruit: samara

Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Scrubby sand prairie.

ILPIN Notes: Probably native only in Winnebago County (Sheviak, 1981). An attractive ornamental tree which is not used extensively because it is so short lived. The light, soft wood is of little commercial importance but is used to some extent for spools, toothpicks, barrel hoops, paper pulp, and for fuel (Grimm, 1950). The sap can be used as a drink or can be reduced to syrup or sugar by boiling; it can also be used to make vinegar. The inner bark can be ground into flour and used as emergency bread-stuff (Fernald et al., 1958).

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators: wind
  • Dispersal: wind
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value: deer: poor
  • Cover Value: small non-game bird: good

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State:
  • Chicago Area: 10

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