Betula alnoides

Betula alnoides (Chinese: 西桦; pinyin: xi hua; Thai: กำลังเสือโคร่ง; Kảlạng s̄eụ̄x khor̀ng; literally: Tiger Power) is a species of birch that can be found in such countries as Burma, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam on an elevation of 700–2,100 metres (2,300–6,900 ft).^[1]

Description

The plant is 30 metres (98 ft) tall with white coloured branches. It have 1.5–3 centimetres (0.59–1.18 in) long petioles and have a 2.5–5.5 centimetres (0.98–2.17 in) long leaf blade that is lanceolate, ovate, papery, and even elliptic. Female inflorescences a pendulous and cylindric raceme, that, by time it get to a mature level, the diameter gets 5–10 centimetres (2.0–3.9 in) by 4–6 millimetres (0.16–0.24 in). The peduncle is 2–3 millimetres (0.079–0.118 in) long while the diameter of the bracts is only 3 millimetres (0.12 in). nuts ripe from March to May and are 1.5–2 millimetres (0.059–0.079 in) long while the flowers bloom from October to January.^[1]

Uses

Betula alnoides inner bark is edible and is used for making cakes and bread. It is also considered to be an antidote against snakebites and is used to treat dislocated bones.^[2]

References