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Betula nana

Table of Contents

Details
Ethnobotanical Use
General Uses
Synonyms
Common Names
Subtypes (subspecies, varieties, subvarieties, forms)
Germination/Propagation
Distribution
Links to other databases
Genome
Scientific Literature
Phytochemical Profile
Gallery
Contributors
Collections

Details Top

Internal ID UUID643ff0da2a180052764623
Scientific name Betula nana
Authority L.
First published in Sp. Pl. : 983 (1753)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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General Uses Top

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Common products:
Small branches, twigs, and stems are used locally as fuel and kindling, particularly in Arctic and subarctic regions where larger wood is scarce. The low wood mass and small-diameter stems make it suitable for open fire, stoves, and smoking (Porsild and Cody 1980; Hultén 1968; Johnson 1995).

Industrial and craft applications:
Whole stems are woven into baskets, brooms, and other small items; strips of bark are used to line containers or produce cordage in craft contexts (Hultén 1968; Porsild and Cody 1980; Johnson 1995). Its small size limits large-scale timber or construction uses.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
No edible parts, food ingredients, or beverages are documented for Betula nana in primary literature.

Colorants and tanning:
No confirmed use of bark or cambium for dyes or tanning is reported for this species.

Wood and fiber:
The shrubby habit yields only small diameters and limited lengths; no record of structural timber, plywood, or pulp applications.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
No aromatic resins, essential oils, or cosmetic uses are documented.

Properties relevant to use:
Fine-stemmed wood and paper-thin bark are adapted to cold, windy habitats, enabling quick ignition and flexibility in cordage; these traits support the observed fuel and craft uses (Porsild and Cody 1980; Hultén 1968).

Standards and regulation:
No species-specific standards identified.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Being a small, often abundant dwarf shrub, it can provide small amounts of material without major ecological impact when harvesting is selective. In the Arctic it is less critical for fuel than Salix spp. due to limited biomass per plant (Johnson 1995; Anderson 1985).

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Betula crenata Rydb. ex Butler Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 36: 429. 1909
Betula littelliana Tuck. Amer. J. Sci. Arts 45: 30 (1843)
Betula nana var. europaea Ledeb. Fl. Ross. 3: 653. 1850
Betula nana var. flabellifolia Hook. Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 157 (1838)
Betula nana var. relicta Th.Fr. ex Gürke Pl. Eur. 2: 50. 1897
Betula nana subsp. tundrarum (Perf.) Á.Löve & D.Löve Bot. Not. 128: 505 (1975 publ. 1976)
Betula nanaeformis Lindeb. ex Kindb. Bot. Not. 1909: 120 (1909)
Betula tundrarum Perfiljev Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 48: 1139 (1963)
Betula viminea Kindb. Bot. Not. 1909: 120 (1909)
Betula glandulosa f. intermedia Kurtz Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 19: 405 (1894)
Betula nana f. magnifolia Hartz Meddel. Grønland 18: 342 (1895)
Betula nana var. reducta Hultén Acta Univ. Lund., 2 , 40(1): 581 (1944)
Betula nana f. reducta (Hultén) B.Boivin Naturaliste Canad. 94: 631 (1967)
Chamaebetula acutifolia Opiz Lotos 5: 259 (1855)
Chamaebetula nana Opiz Lotos 5: 259 (1855)
Betula nana subsp. relicta (Th.Fr. ex Gürke) Nyman Consp. Fl. Eur. 673. 1881 (1881)
Betula nana var. borealis Regel Nouv. Mém. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 13(2): 104. 1861
Betula nana var. macrophylla Kindb. Bot. Not. 1909: 116 1909
Betula viminea var. serrulata Kindb. Bot. Not. 1909: 120.
Alnus nana Clairv. Man. Herbor. Suisse : 280 (1811)
Betula nana var. intermedia Regel Nouv. Mém. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 13(2): 102 (1861)
Betula alba subsp. nana (L.) Bonnier & Layens Tabl. Syn. Pl. Vasc. France 289 (1894)
Betula nana var. genuina Regel Nouv. Mém. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 13(2): 101 (1861)
Betula nana var. macrophylla Gaudin Fl. Helv. 6: 177 (1830)

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
English arctic dwarf birch
English swamp birch
English bog birch
English dwarf birch
English scrub birch
Spanish abedul enano
Arabic بتولا قزمة
Belarusian Бяроза карлікавая
Bulgarian бреза джудже
Bulgarian ниска бреза
Catalan bedoll nan
Czech bříza trpasličí
Czech bříza zakrslá
cv Карликла хурăн
Welsh corfedwen corfedw
Danish dværgbirk
Danish dværg-birk
German strauch-birke
German zwerg-birke
German polar-birke
German zwergbirke
Ewe madal kask
Esperanto nana betulo
Estonian vaevakask
Basque urki nano
Persian توس کوتوله
Finnish vaivaiskoivu
French bouleau nain d'europe
French bouleau nain
Manx beih veg
Upper Sorbian madal kask
Upper Sorbian mólička brěza
Icelandic fjalldrapi
Icelandic drapi
Icelandic fjallhrapi
Japanese ヒメカンバ
Georgian ქონდარა არყი
Kazakh Тырбықтоғай
kl avaalaqiaq
kl avaalagiaq
kl avaalaqiak
li liekninis beržas
Lithuanian beržas keružis
Lithuanian zemais bērzs
Latvian pundurbērzs
Macedonian џуџеста бреза
Norwegian Bokmål dvergbjørk
Norwegian Bokmål dvergbjerk
Dutch dwergberk
Norwegian Nynorsk kjerringris
Norwegian Nynorsk dvergbjørk
Polish brzoza niska
Polish brzoza karłowata
Romanian mesteacăn pitic
Romanian mesteacănul pitic
Russian берёзовый стланец
Russian Берёза карликовая
Russian берёза карличная
Russian берёза малорослая
Russian Берёзка карликовая
Russian ерник
Russian карликовая берёза
Yakutian Ыарҕа
se skierri
sjd Кӣрре
sma skierrie
smj skierre
smn skierri
sms jeäʹǧǧreʹss
Serbian Патуљаста бреза
Swedish dvärgbjörk
Ukrainian Береза карликова
Chinese 矮樺
Chinese 欧洲矮桦
Chinese 圆叶桦
Chinese 矮桦

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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No forms added yet.

Germination/Propagation Top

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No germination or propagation data was added yet.

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Europe
    • Eastern Europe
      • Baltic States
      • Belarus
      • Central European Russia
      • East European Russia
      • North European Russia
      • Northwest European Russia
    • Middle Europe
      • Austria
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Germany
      • Poland
      • Switzerland
    • Northern Europe
      • Finland
      • Great Britain
      • Iceland
      • Norway
      • Svalbard
      • Sweden
    • Southeastern Europe
      • Italy
      • Romania
    • Southwestern Europe
      • France
  • Northern America
    • Subarctic America
      • Greenland
      • Northwest Territorie

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!
Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000334679
Canadensys 3693
USDA Plants BENA
Tropicos 3600013
INPN 85897
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:301322-2
The Plant List kew-21505
Plantarium 6568
Open Tree Of Life 567481
Observations.org 135252
NCBI Taxonomy 216990
NBN Atlas NBNSYS0000003832
Nature Serve 2.135221
IUCN Red List 194495
IPNI 301322-2
iNaturalist 159228
GBIF 5332004
Freebase /m/08ld1j
FEIS plants/shrub/betnan
EPPO BETNA
EOL 1149387
Elurikkus 3099
USDA GRIN 7117
Wikipedia Betula_nana

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
A cryptic syngameon within Betula shrubs revealed: Implications for conservation in changing subarctic environments Touchette L, Godbout J, Lamothe M, Porth I, Isabel N Evol Appl 17-Apr-2024
PMCID:PMC11022622
doi:10.1111/eva.13689
PMID:38633131
Bacterial and fungal communities in sub-Arctic tundra heaths are shaped by contrasting snow accumulation and nutrient availability Männistö MK, Ahonen SH, Ganzert L, Tiirola M, Stark S, Häggblom MM FEMS Microbiol Ecol 28-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC10996926
doi:10.1093/femsec/fiae036
PMID:38549428
Treeline displacement may affect lake dissolved organic matter processing at high latitudes and altitudes Catalán N, Rofner C, Verpoorter C, Pérez MT, Dittmar T, Tranvik L, Sommaruga R, Peter H Nat Commun 26-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC10965997
doi:10.1038/s41467-024-46789-5
PMID:38531850
The Arctic Plant Aboveground Biomass Synthesis Dataset Berner LT, Orndahl KM, Rose M, Tamstorf M, Arndal MF, Alexander HD, Humphreys ER, Loranty MM, Ludwig SM, Nyman J, Juutinen S, Aurela M, Happonen K, Mikola J, Mack MC, Vankoughnett MR, Iversen CM, Salmon VG, Yang D, Kumar J, Grogan P, Danby RK, Scott NA, Olofsson J, Siewert MB, Deschamps L, Lévesque E, Maire V, Morneault A, Gauthier G, Gignac C, Boudreau S, Gaspard A, Kholodov A, Bret-Harte MS, Greaves HE, Walker D, Gregory FM, Michelsen A, Kumpula T, Villoslada M, Ylänne H, Luoto M, Virtanen T, Forbes BC, Hölzel N, Epstein H, Heim RJ, Bunn A, Holmes RM, Hung JK, Natali SM, Virkkala AM, Goetz SJ Sci Data 20-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC10954756
doi:10.1038/s41597-024-03139-w
PMID:38509110
N-fertilization and disturbance exert long-lasting complex legacies on subarctic ecosystems Manninen OH, Myrsky E, Tolvanen A, Stark S Oecologia 13-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC10980618
doi:10.1007/s00442-024-05524-z
PMID:38478083
Fecal DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonal and annual variation in willow ptarmigan diet Ingvaldsen EW, Østnes JE, Kleven O, Davey M, Fossøy F, Nilsen EB R Soc Open Sci 28-Feb-2024
PMCID:PMC10898975
doi:10.1098/rsos.231518
PMID:38420626
Mixed trends in heavy metal-enriched fugitive dust on National Park Service lands along the Red Dog Mine haul road, Alaska, 2006–2017 Neitlich PN, Wright W, Di Meglio E, Shiel AE, Hampton-Miller CJ, Hooten MB PLoS One 27-Feb-2024
PMCID:PMC10898755
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0297777
PMID:38412197
Arthropod diversity in the alpine tundra using metabarcoding: Spatial and temporal differences in alpha‐ and beta‐diversity Hein N, Astrin JJ, Beckers N, Giebner H, Langen K, Löffler J, Misof B, Fonseca VG Ecol Evol 09-Feb-2024
PMCID:PMC10857931
doi:10.1002/ece3.10969
PMID:38343576
Wilder rangelands as a natural climate opportunity: Linking climate action to biodiversity conservation and social transformation Simba LD, te Beest M, Hawkins HJ, Larson KW, Palmer AR, Sandström C, Smart KG, Kerley GI, Cromsigt JP Ambio 31-Jan-2024
PMCID:PMC10991972
doi:10.1007/s13280-023-01976-4
PMID:38296876
A checklist of European butterfly larval foodplants Clarke HE Ecol Evol 07-Jan-2024
PMCID:PMC10771928
doi:10.1002/ece3.10834
PMID:38192903
Fungal Planet description sheets: 1550–1613 Crous PW, Costa MM, Kandemir H, Vermaas M, Vu D, Zhao L, Arumugam E, Flakus A, Jurjević Ž, Kaliyaperumal M, Mahadevakumar S, Murugadoss R, Shivas RG, Tan YP, Wingfield MJ, Abell SE, Marney TS, Danteswari C, Darmostuk V, Denchev CM, Denchev TT, Etayo J, Gené J, Gunaseelan S, Hubka V, Illescas T, Jansen GM, Kezo K, Kumar S, Larsson E, Mufeeda KT, Piątek M, Rodriguez-Flakus P, Sarma PV, Stryjak-Bogacka M, Torres-Garcia D, Vauras J, Acal DA, Akulov A, Alhudaib K, Asif M, Balashov S, Baral HO, Baturo-Cieśniewska A, Begerow D, Beja-Pereira A, Bianchinotti MV, Bilański P, Chandranayaka S, Chellappan N, Cowan DA, Custódio FA, Czachura P, Delgado G, De Silva NI, Dijksterhuis J, Dueñas M, Eisvand P, Fachada V, Fournier J, Fritsche Y, Fuljer F, Ganga KG, Guerra MP, Hansen K, Hywel-Jones N, Ismail AM, Jacobs CR, Jankowiak R, Karich A, Kemler M, Kisło K, Klofac W, Krisai-Greilhuber I, Latha KP, Lebeuf R, Lopes ME, Lumyong S, Maciá-Vicente JG, Maggs-Kölling G, Magistà D, Manimohan P, Martín MP, Mazur E, Mehrabi-Koushki M, Miller AN, Mombert A, Ossowska EA, Patejuk K, Pereira OL, Piskorski S, Plaza M, Podile AR, Polhorský A, Pusz W, Raza M, Ruszkiewicz-Michalska M, Saba M, Sánchez RM, Singh R, Śliwa L, Smith ME, Stefenon VM, Strasiftáková D, Suwannarach N, Szczepańska K, Telleria MT, Tennakoon DS, Thines M, Thorn RG, Urbaniak J, van der Vegte M, Vasan V, Vila-Viçosa C, Voglmayr H, Wrzosek M, Zappelini J, Groenewald JZ Persoonia 30-Dec-2023
PMCID:PMC11041897
doi:10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.08
PMID:38665977
Soil Microbiome in Conditions of Oil Pollution of Subarctic Ecosystems Melekhina EN, Belykh ES, Kanev VA, Taskaeva AA, Tarabukin DV, Zinovyeva AN, Velegzhaninov IO, Rasova EE, Baturina OA, Kabilov MR, Markarova MY Microorganisms 30-Dec-2023
PMCID:PMC10820038
doi:10.3390/microorganisms12010080
PMID:38257907
Relating Paramagnetic Properties to Molecular Parameters of Humic Acids Isolated from Permafrost Peatlands in the European Arctic Lodygin E, Vasilevich R, Abakumov E Molecules 23-Dec-2023
PMCID:PMC10779841
doi:10.3390/molecules29010104
PMID:38202687
Reindeer and the quest for Scottish enlichenment Dominy NJ, Hobaiter C, Harris JM Iperception 15-Dec-2023
PMCID:PMC10725117
doi:10.1177/20416695231218520
PMID:38107029
Populus cathayana genome and population resequencing provide insights into its evolution and adaptation Xiang X, Zhou X, Zi H, Wei H, Cao D, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Hu J Hortic Res 11-Dec-2023
PMCID:PMC10809908
doi:10.1093/hr/uhad255
PMID:38274646

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides / Triterpene glycosides / Triterpene saponins
(3S,5R,8R,9R,10R,13R,14R,17S)-17-[(2S)-5-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2-methyloxolan-2-yl]-4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-2,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol 102058355 Click to see 460.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00607559
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00574205
[(3R,5R,8R,9R,10R,12R,13R,14R,17S)-3-hydroxy-17-[(2S,5R)-5-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2-methyloxolan-2-yl]-4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-2,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-12-yl] acetate 44421640 Click to see 518.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599285
[3-hydroxy-17-[5-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2-methyloxolan-2-yl]-4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-2,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-12-yl] acetate 14587775 Click to see 518.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599285
3-[[(3R,5R,8R,9R,10R,12R,13S,14R,17S)-12-hydroxy-17-[(2S,5R)-5-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2-methyloxolan-2-yl]-4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-2,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-yl]oxy]-3-oxopropanoic acid 162957829 Click to see CC1(C2CCC3(C(C2(CCC1OC(=O)CC(=O)O)C)CC(C4C3(CCC4C5(CCC(O5)C(C)(C)O)C)C)O)C)C 562.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)84806-2
3-epiocotillol II 12313664 Click to see CC1(C2CCC3(C(C2(CCC1O)C)CCC4C3(CCC4C5(CCC(O5)C(C)(C)O)C)C)C)C 460.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599285
Dammarane-3,12,25-triol, 20,24-epoxy-, 3-(hydrogen propanedioate), (3alpha,12beta,24R)- 588525 Click to see CC1(C2CCC3(C(C2(CCC1OC(=O)CC(=O)O)C)CC(C4C3(CCC4C5(CCC(O5)C(C)(C)O)C)C)O)C)C 562.80 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)84806-2
Ocotillol 3850493 Click to see CC1(C2CCC3(C(C2(CCC1O)C)CCC4C3(CCC4C5(CCC(O5)C(C)(C)O)C)C)C)C 460.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599285
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids
(2S,5R)-2-[(3R,5R,8R,9R,10R,13R,14R,17S)-3-hydroxy-4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-2,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl]-6-methylhept-6-ene-2,5-diol 21607675 Click to see CC(=C)C(CCC(C)(C1CCC2(C1CCC3C2(CCC4C3(CCC(C4(C)C)O)C)C)C)O)O 460.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00574205
2-(3-hydroxy-4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-2,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl)-6-methylhept-6-ene-2,5-diol 72999868 Click to see 460.70 unknown https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00574205

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