50 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



COPROSMA PERSiC-a:FOLiA ( Gray, I. c.) : fruticosa, glabra ; stipulis 

 connatis late triangulatis cuspidatis ; foliis membranaceis lanceolatis 

 sensim acuminatis, petioli brevi ; peclunculis brevissimis paucifloris ; 

 calycis limbo vix dentato ; corolla profunde quadrifida ; drupa oblonga. 

 — Feejee Islands. 



The Corresponding Secretary, in behalf of the author, pre- 

 sented the following paper : — 



Salices Boreali-Americcmce : a Synopsis of North American 

 Willoivs. By N. J. Andersson, Professor of Botany in the 

 University of Stockholm, Sweden. 



In attempting an enumeration of the Willows of North America, 

 every author must feel himself rather at a loss. Any acquaintance, 

 even the most superficial, with the different species of that genus, is 

 sufficient to show that a proper treatment of the subject requires, not 

 only access to the richest collections, but also an opportunity of seeing 

 almost every shrub for many years. Distributed over a great part of 

 the surface of the globe, inhabiting a great variety of localities, the 

 species of this genus are exposed to the most heterogeneous influences 

 from all kinds of soil and all variations of climate, — thus presenting a 

 greater multiplicity of forms than most plants now known. The liter- 

 ature of the subject also proves how very difficult it has been, and per- 

 haps ever will be, to estabKsh certain determinations. While some 

 authors believe that there are only a few species, others (as Schleicher, 

 Tausch, Host, &c.) seem to think " species tot numeramus, quot creata 

 sunt individua." If, then, a botanist most favorably situated for the pur- 

 pose finds it no easy matter rightly to understand the Willows of bis 

 own limited native country, how embarrassed must not a stranger be, 

 who tries to form an exact idea of this intricate genus in a distant and 

 extensive part of a new world, which he has seen only in one spot 

 (California), and for a few weeks? But, as it may perhaps always 

 be impossible for one person fully to examine, in a living state, and in 

 their native regions, the Willows of Lapland, Switzerland, the Pyre- 

 nees, Siberia, Himalaya, and North America (not to speak of the trop- 

 ical regions), and as it nevertheless is of advantage to science to have 

 a synopsis of all the known species, constructed upon uniform prin- 

 ciples, a botanist may hope to be favorably judged when he undertakes 



