166 DIOECIA— DIANDRIA. Salix. 



wise able, authors are so extremely preposterous, as to 

 want no refutation; nor could they be set right without 

 an examination of their specimens, in order to know what 

 they intended. There is reason to suspect, that even the 

 acute Wahlenberg, one of the most justly esteemed bo- 

 tanists, has in many instances misunderstood the species 

 of Linnaeus, which indeed he had not sufficient materials 

 to determine. The great difficulty, originally attending 

 the Willows of Great Britain, consisted in ascertaining 

 Mr. Lightfoot's species. This I accomplished by taking 

 all the Saliccs of the Linnsean herbarium to Frogmore, 

 where his collection was then preserved in the hands of 

 her late Majesty Queen Charlotte. Thus, whatever mis- 

 takes might have been committed in the Flora Scotica, 

 were corrected, and the nomenclature of the whole set- 

 tled on the most indisputable grounds. In perusing the 

 remarks of the great Dillenius, recorded by Linnaeus, 

 under almost every species of Salix, in the Flo7-a Lappo- 

 nica, any botanist may perceive the erroneous ideas of 

 that eminent man with regard to their synonyms ; nor 

 did Linnaeus avoid great mistakes in his subsequent la- 

 bours. L'' such men err, others ought to be the more 

 guarded in their decisions. I submit what I have done, 

 to the correction of those who have paid equal attention 

 to the subject, and especially to the faithful and patient 

 observers of Nature and lovers of Truth. They may, in 

 the study of this important tribe of plants, render great 

 service to Botany and to Agriculture. 



* Adult leaves serrated, smooth, or nearly so. 



1 . S. tr'iandra. Long-leaved Triandrous Willow. 



Leaves linear-oblong, serrated, smooth; rather unequally 

 sloping at the base. Stamens three. Germen stalked, 

 ovate, compressed, smooth. Stigmas nearly sessile. 



S. triandra. Lihh. Sp. PL 1442. Willd.v. A.^^A. FL Br. 1044. 



Tr. of Linn. Soc. v. 6. 118. Engl. Bot. v. 20. t. 1435. 

 S. n. 9. Gmel. Sib. v.\.\ 55. t. 34./. 3. From the author. 

 S. n. 1637. Hall. Hist. V. 2.305. 

 S. folio amygdalino utrinque aurito, corticem abjiciens. Rail Si/n. 



ed. 2.292. erf. 3. 448. 

 In wet woods, hedges, and osier-grounds, frequent. 

 Tree. Maij and August. 

 An upright tree, rising naturally, vvhcn not injured, to the height 



