Betula utilis to overuse of the tree for firewood. "Betula utilis" was described and named by botanist David Don in his "Prodromus Florae Nepalensis" (1825), from specimens collected by Nathaniel Wallich in Nepal in 1820. "Betula jacquemontii" (Spach), first described and named in 1841, was later found to be a variety of "B. utilis", and is now "Betula utilis" var. "jacquemontii". In its native habitat, "B. utilis" tends to form forests, growing as a shrub or tree reaching up to tall. It frequently grows among scattered conifers, with an undergrowth of shrubs that typically includes evergreen "Rhododendron". The tree depends on moisture
Cunninghamia vegetative propagation for use in forestry plantations. As the tree grows its trunk tends to sucker around the base, particularly following damage to the stem or roots, and it then may grow in a multi-trunked form. Brown bark of mature trees peels off in strips to reveal reddish-brown inner bark. Older specimens often look ragged, as the old needles may cling to stems for up to 5 years. This tree can be mistaken for the rare "Torreya taxifolia", one visible difference being the "Cunninghamia"'s bronze autumn branches which are shed and pile beneath it, as well as the propensity for