VIII. THE WILLOW FAMILY. 239 



FAMILY VIII. THE WILLOW FAMILY. SALICINEM. 



Endlicher. 



The willows and poplars form an eminently natural family, 

 of striking properties and extensive and important uses. They 

 are lofty or spreading trees, or low, slender shrubs, occupying 

 the cooler parts of both hemispheres. One of the willows, Sa- 

 lix arctica, is found farther north than any other woody plant ; 

 and they extend southward into Africa, a single species being 

 found in Senegal. This family has always been one of the 

 most important to mankind. Several species are valuable for 

 their wood, and as affording materials for many of the arts ; 

 and the bark of all has important astringent and tonic proper- 

 ties. The bark of the common poplar, the round-leafed aspen, 

 has been used in this country as a febrifuge ; and from that of 

 several species of willow, Salix Russellia?ia, Helix, and others, 

 most of which are naturalized in this country, a substance 

 called salicine has been extracted, possessing the best virtues of 

 the extract from Peruvian bark. The buds of the balsam pop- 

 lar, or Balm of Gilead, have reputation as a vulnerary. They 

 yield a resinous substance which is collected in shells, and im- 

 ported for medicinal purposes, into Europe, from Canada. A 

 similar substance, resembling storax, and said to possess diu- 

 retic and antiscorbutic properties, is yielded in less quantity by 

 the fragrant buds of the white and tremulous poplars of Europe. 

 The bark of the willow contains, according to Sir Humphrey 

 Davy, as much of the tanning principle as that of the oak ; and 

 the leaves of one species are used in Iceland for tanning leather ; 

 and the bark of another, in Sweden, Switzerland, and Scotland, 

 for tanning, and for dyeing black. The twigs, the young trees, 

 the wood, and the outer and the inner bark, have been used, in 

 all periods, for the greatest variety of purposes ; for cords, ropes, 

 baskets and hurdles, as material for cloth, for the food of domes- 

 tic animals, and even of man. For in Kamtschatka, the inner 

 bark is sometimes made into bread ; and the leaves of the goat's 

 willow, Salix caprea, are considered in France, at the present 



