232 DIOECIA— DIANBRIA. Salix. 



most glandular ; both sides of a greyish, somewhat glaucous, 

 green, beautifully silky, with close-pressed silvery hairs, very 

 dense and brilliant on the uppermost, or youngest, leaves ; the 

 lowermost on each branch, like tiie bracteas, are smaller, more 

 obtuse, and greener. Stipulas variable, either roundish or ob- 

 long, small, often wanting. Catkins on short stalks, with three 

 or four spreading leafy bracteas, for the most part coming before 

 the leaves, but a few more often appear after Midsummer ; they 

 are all cylindrical, rather slender, obtuse, near an inch and half 

 long. Scales fringed, rounded at the end ; those of the barren 

 catkins narrow towards the base ; of the fertile dilated and con- 

 volute in that part. Nect. of two obtuse glands, one before, the 

 other behind the stamens. Filaments hairy in their lower part. 

 ylntli. roundish, yellow. Germ, very nearly sessile, green, 

 smooth, ovate-lanceolate, bluntish, longer than the scale. Style 

 short. Stigmas short, thickish, cloven. Caps, ovate, brown, 

 smooth, rather small. 

 /3 is a very remarkable variety, so much more valuable for cultiva- 

 tion, that my late most accurate friend Mr. Crowe was ever 

 anxious to find some specific character to distinguish it. We 

 could at last only discover that the under side of the Zeorues loses, 

 at an early period, most of its silky hairs. On this slight founda- 

 tion, I presumed to publish it as a species by the name of cceru- 

 lea, as much aware as the most critical botanist could be, that 

 such a character was not satisfactory, especially as it might ori- 

 ginate in the quick growth of the leaves, and the consequently 

 rapid extension of tlieir surface. Having brought this variety 

 into botanical notice, I wish some careful observer, pursuing 

 Nature, not empty fame, may be more fortunate ; and if the 

 plant can be increased by seed, it may possibly be still further 

 improved. Its qualities are of the highest importance. The 

 superior value of the wood and bark, the rapid growth, as well 

 as handsome aspect, of the tree, its silvery-blue colour, its easy 

 propagation and culture, in dry as well as wet situations, all 

 render it so superior to our Common White Willow, that a cul- 

 tivator might justly think lightly of any one, who should tell him 

 there was no difference between them. Indeed one of the few 

 botanists really acquainted with Willows, Mr. Borrer, has sug- 

 gested that there are some presumptive distinctions even be- 

 tween our S. alba and that of Hoffmann, in the shape of the 

 lower leaves, and of the scales of the catkins, as well as in the 

 length and density of the latter. So S. vitellina, strangely re- 

 ferred to alba by the great Haller, differs obviously in its longer, 

 more taper, catkins ; lanceolate pointed scales-, smooth stamens, 

 and perhaps other marks ; besides its smooth adult leaves, which 

 occasion it to be placed in the first section. All these things 

 deserve inquiry. The British Willows may now, perhaps, be 

 found tolerably intelligible 3 and the foreign ones are syste- 



