contracted sinus, 6—10 in. long, 4-8 in. across, red-veined, 
biglandular above the base, at first more or less tomentose 
on both surfaces, at length becoming glabrous above, 
but remaining tomentose beneath, especially along the 
principal nerves; petiole subcylindric, 2-4 in. long, soon 
becoming glabrous, red; stipules oblong-lanceolate, 
caducous. Catkins 4-6 in., in fruit up to 8 in. long, in 
our cultivated specimens bearing short-pedicelled poly- 
gamous flowers ; rachis rather stout, tomentose, sparingly 
pilose or becoming glabrous; bracts scarious, ovate or 
obovate, narrowed towards the base, finely laciniate 
upwards, 4} in. long. Disk of the florets somewhat 
patelliform, about + in. across, shortly and unequally 
6—10-lobed, usually quite glabrous. Stamens in the male 
florets 23 or more, in the bisexual florets fewer and at 
times only 3-6; anthers oblong, ;5 in. long, apiculate. 
Ovary ovoid-globose, woolly, longer than the disk. Style- 
arms 2-4, broadly many-lobed at their tips. Capsule 
ovoid, densely woolly, }—} in. long, 2-4-valved. 
Fig. 1, base of a leaf, showing the glands; 2, bract; 3, male flower; 4 and 
5, stamens; 6, hermaphrodite and female flowers; 7, a female flower, laid 
open :—all enlarged. 
