<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"><dc:title xml:lang="en">Betula papyrifera</dc:title><dc:identifier>http://AATesaurus.cultura.gencat.cat/aat/getty_en?tema=31467686</dc:identifier><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Getty Institute</dc:publisher><dcterms:created>2026-03-30 21:05:56</dcterms:created><dcterms:isPartOf xsi:type="dcterms:URI">http://AATesaurus.cultura.gencat.cat/aat/getty_en</dcterms:isPartOf><dcterms:isPartOf xml:lang="en">Tesaurus d&apos;Art i Arquitectura</dcterms:isPartOf><dc:format>text/html</dc:format> <dcterms:alternative xml:lang="en">American birch</dcterms:alternative> <dcterms:alternative xml:lang="en">American silver birch</dcterms:alternative> <dcterms:alternative xml:lang="en">American white birch</dcterms:alternative> <dcterms:alternative xml:lang="en">canoe birch</dcterms:alternative> <dcterms:alternative xml:lang="en">paper birch</dcterms:alternative> <dc:description xml:lang="en"><![CDATA[ Species of fast growing, short-lived, ornamental, shade, and timber tree native to northern and central North America, typically around 18 meters (60 feet) in height, with a brown bark that whitens over time and peels into paper-thin layers marked by narrow horizontal pores or lenticels. On the copper-colored inner bark, the pores are bright orange. Short, pendulous branches and numerous flexible twigs create a lacy silhouette in winter. The close-grained, almost white wood is used for turned articles, flooring, furniture, woodenware, pulp, and fuel. North American Indians used the thin, water-impervious bark for roofing, canoes, and writing material (thus the name "paper birch"). It is a pioneer species after fire. The sap is boiled down to produce birch syrup. The tree is known in several varieties. ]]></dc:description></metadata>