Download NYNHP Conservation Guide for Tundra Dwarf Birch

Tundra Dwarf Birch
Scientific Name
Betula glandulosa
Michx.
Family Name
Betulaceae
Birch Family
Did you know?
The scientific epithet glandulosa is in reference to
the very dense gland-like structures that occur on
the twigs of this species. Unfortunately, in New
York, tundra dwarf birch has fewer and less glands
on its twigs than in the rest of its range (Furlow and
Mitchell 1990). This species has the smallest
leaves of any birch in New York.
Summary
Protection Endangered in New York State, not listed federally.
This level of state protection means: listed species are those with: 1) 5 or fewer extant
sites, or 2) fewer than 1,000 individuals, or 3) restricted to fewer than 4 U.S.G.S. 7 ½
minute topographical maps, or 4) species listed as endangered by U.S. Department of
Interior.
Rarity G5, S1
A global rarity rank of G5 means: This species is demonstrably secure globally, though it
may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
A state rarity rank of S1 means: This plant is endangered/critically imperiled in New York
because of extreme rarity (typically 5 or fewer populations or very few remaining
individuals) or is extremely vulnerable to extirpation from New York due to biological
factors.
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Tundra Dwarf Birch (Betula glandulosa)
Conservation Status in New York
There are only three known populations, all restricted to the highest summits of the
Adirondacks. One population has fewer than than 50 individuals, and two of the
populations are only about one mile apart.
Short-term Trends
Short-term trends are unknown except that to at least some degree trampling by hiker
traffic is threatening and perhaps has already damaged at least part of some populations.
Long-term Trends
No populations are believed to have been extirpated in the past 100 or so years. At least
one population appears to be robust and vigorous. There are no other data indicating the
long-term trends for this species in New York.
Conservation and Management
Threats
Trampling by hiker traffic is a threat to at least part of the population at two of the three
populations present in New York State.
Conservation Strategies and Management Practices
The Summit Steward program which works to inform hikers of the fragile nature of alpine
plants is a critical program which is helping to reduce trampling of alpine vegetation. This
program and other efforts designed to reduce trampling of alpine meadows are needed.
Research Needs
Continued regular inventories which include an assessment of the size of the populations
are needed. A clear assessment should also be determined for the impact of trampling by
hiker traffic.
Habitat
In New York, the species is restricted to alpine meadows and openings in alpine krummholz (New
York Natural Heritage Program 2007). Throughout the range of the species it occurs in arctic and
alpine tundra, acidic rocky slopes and barrens, muskegs, peat bogs, stream banks, and open
subalpine summits (Furlow 1997). In New York, it grows only on crests and summits (Furlow 1990).
Throughout the range of the species it occurs in bogs and wet alpine slopes and summits (Gleason
and Cronquist 1991). In arctic North America it occurs on acidic rocky barrens, crests, and
summits. Also in more southern areas such as the Adirondacks it grows in alpine areas (Fernald
1970).
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Tundra Dwarf Birch (Betula glandulosa)
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Associated Ecological Communities
Alpine Krummholz
A dwarf woodland dominated by balsam fir that occurs at or near the summits of the high
peaks of the Adirondacks.
Alpine Meadow
A very low-growing community similar in many ways to arctic tundra. Alpine meadows
occur above timberline on the higher mountain summits and exposed ridges of the
Adirondacks. Dwarf shrublands, small grassy meadows, small boggy depressions, and
exposed bedrock with lichens and mosses are all commonly found within this broadly
classified community.
Associated Species
Arctic Bentgrass (Agrostis mertensii)
Bigelow Sedge (Carex bigelowii)
Northern Singlespike Sedge (Carex scirpoidea ssp. scirpoidea)
Wavy Hair Grass (Deschampsia flexuosa)
Black Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum ssp. hermaphroditum)
Appalachian Fir-clubmoss (Huperzia appressa)
Boott's Rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes boottii)
Dwarf Rattlesnakeroot (Prenanthes nana)
Bearberry Willow (Salix uva-ursi)
Alpine Goldenrod (Solidago leiocarpa)
Trichophorum cespitosum ssp. Cespitosum
Northern Blueberry (Vaccinium boreale)
Identification Comments
In New York, Tundra dwarf birch is often a very low shrub growing in dense thickets, but
very rarely it can get grow up to 6 or occasionally 10 feet. The branches are often twisted
together and the twigs have large resinous glands, although in the western part of this
species range the twigs are more densely glandular. The leaves are leathery, up to 1/2 or
rarely 1 and 1/4 inches long, and have teeth along the edges. The flowers are small and
inconspicuous but grow in dense clusters known as catkins. Separate catkins are
composed entirely of female or male flowers.
Best Life Stage for Identifying This Species
This species is easy to identify vegetatively although it can sometimes approach B. pumila
except that the habitats where they grow are quite different and the two are not found
together at least in New York. Therefore, vegetative characteristics and a description of the
habitat are all that is needed for identification although fruiting characteristics are useful.
The Best Time to See
This species can be surveyed for when the leaves are mature in June although it is always
helpful to have fruits, which begin to be produced in late June. Therefore the best time to
survey for this species is from late June through September although starting to survey for
this species in early June is very acceptable.
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Tundra Dwarf Birch (Betula glandulosa)
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Vegetative
Flowering
Fruiting
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
The time of year you would expect to find Tundra Dwarf Birch in New York.
Similar Species
Betula pumila can be somewhat similar although in New York it primarily grows in bogs and
fens unlike the exposed alpine summits where B. glandulosa occurs. Morphologically, B.
pumila has leaves (2-)3-4(-6) cm long, twigs with a few scattered glands, leaf apices acute
to rounded, abaxial leaf surfaces glabrous to tomentose, and lateral lobes of fruiting scales
widely divergent while B. glandulosa has leaves (0.5-)1-2(-3) cm long, twigs with more
resinous glands, leaf apices rounded, abaxial leaf surfaces mostly glabrous, and lateral
lobes of fruiting scales upturned and parallel.
Betula glandulosa is distinguished from all other birches by its singly toothed leaves. It can
also distinguished from B. minor which it can grow with by its rounded rather than
acuminate leaf apices and smaller overall size.
Conservation Comments
Following Furlow (1997), Betula glandulosa is considered distinct from B. pumila and B.
nana (only the former also occurs in New York). This species is known to hybridize with B.
pumila, producing plants known as B. x sargentii Dugle but this hybrid is not known to
occur in New York probably because the two species grow in different habitats and
locations that are isolated from each other (Furlow and Mitchell 1990).
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Anthophyta
Class
Dicots (Dicotyledoneae)
Order
Fagales
Family
Betulaceae (Birch Family)
Additional Common Names
Alpine Birch
Arctic Birch
Dwarf Birch
Resin Birch
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Tundra Dwarf Birch (Betula glandulosa)
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Synonyms
Betula littelliana (Tuckerman)
Betula nana (L.)
Additional Resources
Links
USDA Plants Database
http://plants.usda.gov/java/nameSearch?mode=sciname&keywordquery=
BETULA+GLANDULOSA
NatureServe Explorer
http://natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=BETULA+GLANDULOS
A
Google Images
http://images.google.com/images?q=BETULA+GLANDULOSA
References
Fernald, M.L. 1950. Gray's manual of botany. 8th edition. D. Van Nostrand, New York. 1632 pp.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 1997. Flora of North America, North of Mexico. Volume
3. Magnoliophyta: Magnoliidae and Hamamelidae.
Furlow, J. 1997. Betulaceae Gray. Pages 507-538 in Flora of North America Editorial Committee
(Editors), Flora of North America, North of Mexico, Volume 3, Magnoliophyta: Magnoliidae and
Hamamelidae. Oxford University Press, New York, NY, USA. 590pp + xxi
Furlow, J.J. and R.S. Mitchell. 1990. Betulaceae through Cactaceae of New York. New York State
Museum Bulletin No. 476. The State Education Department, Albany, NY. 93pp+ vi
Gleason, Henry A. 1952. The New Britton and Brown Illustrated Flora of the Northeastern United
States and Canada.
Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States
and Adjacent Canada. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. 910 pp.
Holmgren, Noel. 1998. The Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual. Illustrations
of the Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. The New York
Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York.
Keys, Jr.,J.; Carpenter, C.; Hooks, S.; Koenig, F.; McNab, W.H.; Russell, W.;Smith, M.L. 1995.
Ecological units of the eastern United States - first approximation (cd-rom), Atlanta, GA: U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. GIS coverage in ARCINFO format, selected imagery,
and map unit tables.
Mitchell, Richard S. and Gordon C. Tucker. 1997. Revised Checklist of New York State Plants.
Contributions to a Flora of New York State. Checklist IV. Bulletin No. 490. New York State
Museum. Albany, NY. 400 pp.
NatureServe. 2005. NatureServe Central Databases. Arlington, Virginia. USA
New York Natural Heritage Program. 2010. Biotics database. New York Natural Heritage Program.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Albany, NY.
Reschke, Carol. 1990. Ecological communities of New York State. New York Natural Heritage
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Tundra Dwarf Birch (Betula glandulosa)
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Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Latham, NY. 96 pp. plus
xi.
Voss, E.G. 1985. Michigan Flora. Part II. Dicots (Saururaceae - Cornaceae). Cranbrook Institute of
Science and University of Michigan Herbarium. Ann Arbor, Michigan. 724 pp.
Weldy, T. and D. Werier. 2010. New York flora atlas. [S.M. Landry, K.N. Campbell, and L.D. Mabe
(original application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research
http://www.fccdr.usf.edu/. University of South Florida http://www.usf.edu/
New York Natural Heritage Program
This project is made possible with funding from:
625 Broadway, 5th Floor,
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River
Albany, NY 12233-4757
Estuary Program
Phone: (518) 402-8935
- Division of Lands & Forests, Department of Environmental Conservation
[email protected]
- New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Information for this guide was last updated on Oct 29, 2015
This guide was authored by
NYNHP Conservation Guide - Tundra Dwarf Birch (Betula glandulosa)
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