









■ 







V 











- 





RETTSION OF THE BRITISH WILLOWS. 44B 



scales more uniformly narrow, the catkins rather larger, and the 



stigmas spreading. 



Messrs. Groves' specimens have often obovate and sometimes 

 oblong leaves, the largest about 1 inch long by f inch broad, but 

 most of them less than half that size ; slender, more flexuous 

 twigs ; young leaves less hairy ; petioles rather shorter ; the 

 solitary catkin more slender, with scales shorter, broadly obovate, 

 and involvent, the pedicel of the ovary rather shorter, and the 

 stigmas larger and spreading. 



There can, I think, be no doubt that this species is a hybrid 

 between Salix herbacea and 8. aurita. The Edinburgh Botanic 

 Garden plants are, in the shape of the scales and in the capsules, 

 nearer aurita than herbacea, to which, in these parts, Messrs. 

 Groves' specimens are more related. Both sets are, however, 

 intermediate in character between their parents. 



16. Salix reticulata, L. 



In several email points 8. reticulata departs from the usual 

 descriptions of this well-marked species, but these variations 

 require no special notice. The margin of the leaf is described 

 as entire, but on the apparent margin (though not usually on 

 the real edge) there is frequently a row of glands which give the 

 appearance of a minute serration. 



Andersson mentions two varieties— a. typica and p. nivalis 

 {8. nivalis, Hooker), the latter being a remarkable small form 

 which occurs in Iceland, Spitzbergen, and N. America. The 

 var. a. typica is divided into :— 1. glabra (leaves quite glabrous on 

 each side), and 2. sericea (leaves more or less villous, and the 

 margin towards the base here and there glaudularly subserrate). 

 'The latter is the more frequent form in limestone districts of 

 s - Europe. Whilst the Scottish plant must be referred to 

 L ylabra, I think that the Glen Callater examples retain the 

 '■airs ou the underside of the leaf (both surfaces are more or less 

 hairy when young) for a longer period than the Perthshire ones do. 

 ( I have Been two Scottish plants which have been referred to 

 & reticulata, but which seem to be evidently hybrids of it with 

 other species. They are well worth further investigation. 



One of these plants is in the British Museum Herbarium, and 

 « labelled « Solicit reticulates varietas ?, Ben Lawers, Perthshire, 

 J-793, H. Brown." Unfortunately it has no flowers, but it may 

 b c thus described : 











■ 



i 

 ■ 



