











ItF/VISION OF THE BRITISH WILLOWS. 435 



me for a long time. I have found quite lately, however, several 

 bushes which, by their range of variation, indicate pretty clearly 

 the affinities. The plant seems, with little doubt, to be a hybrid 

 of Salix Myrsinites and 8. aurita, both of which occur on Ben 

 Laoigh, but is so altered that at first sight it does not sugges 

 either of the parents. As yet I have seen $ catkins only — from 

 at least three bushes, but I think that the c? also occurs*. 



The following description is made from a form tolerably inter- 

 mediate in its characters. It makes a low thick-stemmed bush, 



(t 



slightly shining 





twigs, which are at first somewhat pubescent, but soon become 

 glabrous. Leaves rather large (2x1 inches), especially at the 

 top of the shoots, obovate, with a more or less oblique short 

 point; margin wavy, coarsely crenate-serrate ; upper surface 

 dark shining green, with (when living) the veins slightly im- 

 pressed ; under surface dull pale green or subglaucous, with the 

 primary veins raised; young leaves slightly pubescent, soon 

 becoming glabrous, except on (to a greater or less extent) the 

 midrib and rather long petiole. Stipules very small, J-cordate, 

 glandular. Catkins moderate in size, erect or spreading, on long 

 or short peduncles which are furnished with several small leaves 

 whose axils have buds in them ; scales narrow, pointed, with the 

 upper half or third fuscous black ; capsule rather small, conical- 

 subulate, clothed with dense white hairs, and on a pedicel which 

 is three to four times as long as the small quadrate yellow 

 nectary; style rather short, bifid to, or nearly to, the base; 

 stigmas rather short, bifid, spreading. 

 Specimens from another bush show much the same characters, 



* Since this was written, the supposed <$ plant has flowered in cultivation. 

 The following description was taken from a living specimen :— Catkins ovate- 

 oblong, lateral, on a peduncle with about three leaves which are as long as the 

 catkin. Peduncular leaves minutely stipulate, glabrous, pale dull green, with 

 ♦he chief veins yellowish green and impressed above ; below clothed with 

 rather straight hairs on the midrib, chief veins, and apical margin, dull paler 

 e r een, with the principal veins yellowish and raised ; veins translucent, those 

 Wh,ch ar 'se from the midrib becoming subparallel to it; margin finely glandular- 

 Jfrate. Scales broad, greenish white below, the upper third or fourth becoming 

 Mack (the scales at the u top of the catkin are red between the pale and black 

 portions) ; upper part 8paringlv hairy with long whitish hairs ; apex usually 

 e marginate or erose. Filaments pale, glabrous. Anthers (with cells unequa ) 

 subquadrate, at first tinged with red, becoming yellow. Nectary rather small, 

 ♦•"ck, oblong, usually entire, but sometimes divided into two or more irregular 

 P'eees, green or yellowish-green. The date of flowering was the end of May. 





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