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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Sweet Birch
| status = {{StatusSecure}}
| image = Betula lenta subsps lenta 01-10-2005 14.53.56.JPG
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fagales]]
| familia = [[Betulaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Birch|Betula]]''
| subgenus = ''[[Betula classification#Subgenus Betulenta - Wintergreen oil birches|Betulenta]]''
| species = '''''B. lenta'''''
| binomial = ''Betula lenta''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
'''Sweet Birch''' (''Betula lenta''), also known as '''Black Birch''', '''Cherry Birch''', '''Mahogany Birch''', '''River Birch''', or '''Spice Birch''' is a species of [[birch]] native to eastern [[North America]], from southern [[Maine]] west to southernmost [[Ontario]] and southern [[Michigan]], and south in the [[Appalachian Mountains]] to northern [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].
It is a medium-sized [[deciduous]] [[tree]] reaching 20 m tall with a trunk up to 60 cm diameter. The [[bark]] is (unlike most birches) rough, dark blackish-brown, cracking into irregular scaly plates. The twigs, when scraped, have a strong scent of [[methyl salicylate|oil of wintergreen]]. The [[leaf|leaves]] are alternate, ovate, 5-10 cm long and 4-8 cm broad, with a finely serrated margin. The [[flower]]s are wind-pollinated [[catkin]]s 3-6 cm long, the male catkins pendulous, the female catkins erect. The [[fruit]], maturing in fall, is composed of numerous tiny winged [[seed]]s packed between the catkin bracts.
Sweet Birch was used commercially in the past for production of oil of wintergreen before modern industrial synthesis; the tree's name reflects this scent of the shoots.
The [[sap (plant)|sap]] flows about a month later than [[maple]] sap, and much faster. The trees can be tapped in a similar fashion, but must be gathered about three times more often. [[Birch sap]] can be boiled the same as maple sap, but its syrup is stronger (like [[molasses]]).
== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Betula lenta subsps lenta 01-10-2005 14.54.08.JPG
Image:Black_birch_bark.jpg|Birch bark
Image:Koeh-021.jpg|19th century illustration
</gallery>
== External links ==
*[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500250 Flora of North America: ''Betula lenta''] [http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=5742&flora_id=1 RangeMap:]
*[http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/frame/bele.htm ''Betula lenta'' images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu]
{{Commons|Betula lenta}}
[[Category:Betulaceae]]
[[Category:Trees of Appalachia U.S.|Birch, Sweet]]
[[Category:Trees of Northeastern United States|Birch, Sweet]]
[[Category:Trees of Maine|Birch, Sweet]]
[[Category:Trees of Mississippi|Birch, Sweet]]
[[Category:Trees of Ontario|Birch, Sweet]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = Sweet Birch
| status = {{StatusSecure}}
| image = Betula lenta subsps lenta 01-10-2005 14.53.56.JPG
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fagales]]
| familia = [[Betulaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Birch|Betula]]''
| subgenus = ''[[Betula classification#Subgenus Betulenta - Wintergreen oil birches|Betulenta]]''
| species = '''''B. lenta'''''
| binomial = ''Betula lenta''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
'''Sweet Birch''' (''Betula lenta''), also known as '''Black Birch''', '''Cherry Birch''', '''Mahogany Birch''', '''River Birch''', or '''Spice Birch''' is a species of [[birch]] native to eastern [[North America]], from southern [[Maine]] west to southernmost [[Ontario]] and southern [[Michigan]], and south in the [[Appalachian Mountains]] to northern [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].
It is a medium-sized [[deciduous]] [[tree]] reaching 20 m tall with a trunk up to 60 cm diameter. The [[bark]] is (unlike most birches) rough, dark blackish-brown, cracking into irregular scaly plates. The twigs, when scraped, have a strong scent of [[methyl salicylate|oil of wintergreen]]. The [[leaf|leaves]] are alternate, ovate, 5-10 cm long and 4-8 cm broad, with a finely serrated margin. The [[flower]]s are wind-pollinated [[catkin]]s 3-6 cm long, the male catkins pendulous, the female catkins erect. The [[fruit]], maturing in fall, is composed of numerous tiny winged [[seed]]s packed between the catkin bracts.
Sweet Birch was used commercially in the past for production of oil of wintergreen before modern industrial synthesis; the tree's name reflects this scent of the shoots.
The [[sap (plant)|sap]] flows about a month later than [[maple]] sap, and much faster. The trees can be tapped in a similar fashion, but must be gathered about three times more often. [[Birch sap]] can be boiled the same as maple sap, but its syrup is stronger (like [[molasses]]).
== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Betula lenta subsps lenta 01-10-2005 14.54.08.JPG
Image:Black_birch_bark.jpg|Birch bark
Image:Koeh-021.jpg|19th century illustration
</gallery>
== External links ==
*[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500250 Flora of North America: ''Betula lenta''] [http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=5742&flora_id=1 RangeMap:]
*[http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/frame/bele.htm ''Betula lenta'' images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu]
{{Commons|Betula lenta}}
[[Category:Betulaceae]]
[[Category:Trees of Appalachia U.S.|Birch, Sweet]]
[[Category:Trees of Northeastern United States|Birch, Sweet]]
[[Category:Trees of Maine|Birch, Sweet]]
[[Category:Trees of Mississippi|Birch, Sweet]]
[[Category:Trees of Ontario|Birch, Sweet]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]