DIOKCIA-DIANDllI A. Salix. 21 1 



45. ^. prostrata. Early Prostrate Willow. 



Leaves elliptic-oblong, convex, somewhat toothed, with 

 a curved point; glaucous, silky and veiny beneath. Sti- 

 pulas minute. Stem prostrate, with elongated, straight 

 branches. Gormen stalked, ovate, silky. Style shorter 

 than the stigmas. 



S. prostrata. FLBr. 1060. Engl. Dot. v. 28. L 1959.' Rees'sCi/cl. 



n. 105. mild. Sp. PL V. 4. 695. 

 S. polymorpha. Ehrh. Arh.A9. 



On heaths and commons, in various parts of Britain, 



Brought from Scotland by Mr. Dic/cson. In Epping forest. Mr. 

 E. Forster. On Porland heathy near Norwich. Mr. Crowe. 



Shrub. March, April. 



Root woody, rather long and slender. The sterns compose an en- 

 tangled mat, several feet in diameter,with straight, slender, round, 

 leafy, tough, downy or silky branches, a foot or more in length, 

 spreading close to the ground in every direction, with a few short 

 upright ones occasionally. Leaves elliptic-oblong, numerous, 

 scattered, on short and rather thick stalks, ascending, an inch 

 long, convex but scarcely revolute, partly entire, partly toothed; 

 the point recurved, or twisted; the upper side dark green, ob- 

 scurely downy, veiny; under concave, glaucous, rugged with 

 prominent veins, and silky, especially while young. ^ Stipulas 

 acute, rare and small, sometimes mere glandular points. Buds 

 rather small and pointed. Catkins ranged numerously along 

 the naked branches, before the leaves appear, almost sessile, 

 each with a few small, acute, silky bracteas ; barren ones ovate, 

 sulphur-coloured, half an inch long ; fertile somewhat longer, 

 and more cylindrical. Scales of both obovate, densely bearded. 

 Nect. cylindrical. Stam. thrice the length of their scale. Gerin. 

 on a shortish, silky stalk, ovate, rather tapering, densely silky. 

 Strjle short, not so long as the cloven, obtuse stigrnas. 1 have 

 not seen ripe capsules. 



This appears to be a very common Salix, often confounded with 

 the totally distinct, not less com,mon, S. repens, to which latter 

 Willdenow refers Ehrhart's polymorpha. Nevertheless, I am 

 now more confirmed in considering the specimens of this latter 

 as answering to my prostrata. By the name it should seem that 

 he jumbled various things together under his polymorpha, and 

 Hoffmann may have seen some specimens of repens, in Ehrhart's 

 collection of trees and shrubs. Mr. Crowe at one time took 

 S. prostrata for repens, and observed its flowering regularly three 

 weeks earlier than either variety of ihefcetida, along with which 

 he cultivated it for many years. To that species it is most allied, 

 nor is it easy to define their distinctive characters. The peculiar 

 scent of the latter, its rounder leaves, and stouter, more ascend- 



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