DIOECIA— DIANDRIA. Salix. 229 



the length of thegermen. Stigmas above half the length of the 

 style, linear, acute, spreading slightly, undivided in our plant, 

 as Ehrhart, like Hoffmann, describes them, though in his own 

 published dried specimen they are cloven to the base. 



The value of the Common Osier, for various kinds of basket-work, 

 is universally known. There is a variety much esteemed, called 

 the Velvet Osier, in which no external difference is discernible, 

 but the twigs are said to be more pliant. There are also various 

 species, as well as varieties, comprehended under the name of 

 Osiers, some of which, having smooth leaves, are described in 

 the earlier part of our first section. Others, generally of much 

 less use, will presently follow ; or if not British, are described, 

 by the writer of this, in Rees's Cyclopaedia. 



Osiers differ from Sallows in their long, straight, flexible, and 

 mostly tough, twigs j their generally sessile germens, and elon- 

 gated styles and stigmas. 



Haller refers to our viminalis, the S.fragilis of Caspar Bauhin's 

 Prodr. 159, the description of which, as to its qualities, is 

 equally unsuitable with the name. S. folio longissimo angustis- 

 simo , utrinque albido , Bauh.Pin. 474, cited, by Ehrhart, as well 

 as by Linnaeus^ appears to be correct. 



62. S. Smithiana. Silky-leaved Osier. 



Leaves lanceolate, pointed, slightly wavy, minutely toothed; 

 soft and scarce visibly downy above ; whitish and silky 

 beneath. Stipulas crescent-shaped, minute. Catkins 

 ovate. Germen stalked. Style shorter than the linear, 

 deeply divided, stigmas. 



S. Smithiana. Willd. Enum. 1008. 



S. moUissima. Fl. Br. 1 070 ; excl. the syn. Engl. Bot. v.2\.t.\b(id. 

 Rees's Cycl. n. 135. 



In meadows and osier-grounds. 



About Bury, chiefly amongst Osiers. Mr. Crowe. 1801. Near 

 Pennard castle, Glamorganshire. Mr. D. Turner. 1803. 



Shrub. April, May. 



Branches erect, wand-like, round, long, slender, reddish, leafy, 

 smooth ; finely downy and soft when young ; brittle and unfit 

 for basket-work. Leaves on shortish downy footstalks, lanceolate, 

 3 or 4 inches long, tapering to a point j the margin wavy, or 

 slightly crenate, with minute teeth here and there, especially 

 towards the point ; the upper side green, delicately soft to the 

 touch with extremely minute, almost invisible, close, silky down ; 

 under pale, whitish, densely silky, and likewise peculiarly soft ; 

 the midrib and slender veins reddish, rather less downy. Stipulas 

 ■vTry small, at first lanceolate, a little toothed, hairy ; subse- 

 quently crcacent-shaped. Catkins before the leaves, numerous. 



