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BEVISION OF THE BBITI8H WILLOWS. 



351 



often, but by no means invariably, of a fine crimson colour 

 (frequently on the exposed side only), but not much, if at all, 

 polished, and, sometimes at least, longitudinally furrowed. 



The leaves are constantly smaller than those of Salix fragility 

 and while in the same specimen a good deal of variety of form may 

 be found, they are, as a rule, more oblong, more parallel-sided (i. e. 

 of nearly equal width for a greater part of their length), usually 

 less narrowed, and often indeed rounded at the base, and more 

 abruptly and less longly acuminate at the apex. On the whole, 

 the leaves are broader in proportion to their length than in 

 fragilis. In colour and texture there is a distinct difference, but 

 one more readily seen than described. The upper surface is less 

 shining and of a duller green, and the underside is pale dull green, 

 closely reticulated all over, from the veins, even the smallest, being 

 dark green. The secondary veins (those springing from he 

 midrib) in the larger and broader leaves seem to form with the 

 midrib an angle more acute than in triandra, and less acute than 



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In the ordinary form the leaves are always glabrous (except 

 perhaps at the very first), nor are they glaucous below ; but in 



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found to be quite unlike those of the common British form, inas- 

 much as they are denser-flowered and have the filaments much 

 longer than the scales. They are much more like those of the 

 European form, but are constantly smaller, and not so thick in 

 proportion to their length. The catkins seem to be always fewer in 

 number on a twig than in. fragilis, and much fewer than in triandra ; 

 and, so far as my observations go, the flowers are most usually 

 diandrous, but sometimes, though more rarely, triandrous. I am 

 not sure that any important characters lie in the peduncular leaves, 

 which are variable and usually entire. 



The 5 plant seems to be scarcer than the £; and, indeed, 

 Boswell Sy me says that the rf only is now known in Britain, which 

 is not, however, the case. Hoffmann describes the ovary as 

 attenuate from an ovate base, stalked, with the style scarcely 

 distinct; and the cansule as oblone: 



acuminate 



base. 



Smith says the ovary 



tapering into a stout style one third its own length, and that the 

 stigmas are half as long as the style. Smith does not figure the 

 ovary ; and from Hoffmann's figure there might be said to be 

 either no style, or else one one-third the length of the ovary so 



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