N. ORD.—SALICACE. s 164 
GENUS.—SALIX,* TOURN. 
SEX. SYST._DICECIA DIANDRIA. 
SALIX PURPUREA. 
PURPLE WILLOW. 
SYN.—SALIX PURPUREA, LINN.; 8S. HELIX, LINN.; S. MONANDRA, EHR.; 
S. LAMBERTIANA, PURSH. 
COM. NAMES.—BITTER PURPLE WILLOW, RED WILLOW; (GER.) PUR- 
PURISHE WHIDE. 
A TINCTURE OF THE BARK OF SALIX PURPUREA, L. 
Description.— [his species only attains a growth of from 6 to 10 feet. Branches 
terete and lithe; éwzgs olivaceous or reddish; dark very smooth and bitter. Leaves 
partly opposite on some branches, alternate on others, all oblanceolate, pointed, 
smooth, minutely and sparingly toothed. Jzflorescence in lateral, sessile aments 
appearing before the leaves ; catkins cylindrical, bracted at the base; sca/es entire, 
round and concave, very black, more or less hairy, and persistent. Sterile flowers: 
stamens 2; filaments united into one, and having a little gland at their base ; anthers 
double, 4-celled, reddish. Fertile flowers: ovary sessile or nearly so, downy, with 
a little fat gland on the inner side of the base; stigmas 2, nearly sessile, or more 
properly 1, and emarginate. 
Salicaceee.— This small order is composed of but 2 genera, both of which are 
represented in North America bya total of 51 species and 29 varieties. Its species 
are all of the temperate and frigid zones, (Sa/x arctica, Pal.) being found farther 
north than any other known woody plant. The order is characterized as follows - 
Trees or shrubs with a bitter bark. Leaves alternate, undivided ; sézpules scale-like 
and deciduous, or leaf-like and persistent.. /zflorescence amentaceous, the aments 
from under each bract; flowers dicecious; pertanth wanting. Sterile flowers with 
from 2 to 12 or more stamens, sometimes monadelphous. fertile flowers of a 
single 1- or imperfectly 2- -celled ovary ; s¢y/e very short or none. /ywzt a 2-valved 
pod; placente 2. Seeds numerous, ascending, provided with a long ory down ; . 
cotyledons flattened ; albumen none. ae 
Beside the two species here represented, there are a few others osed ae 
medicine, viz.: The European Salix Russelliana, Smith, which was considered by. 
Sir James Smith to be the most highly therapeutic of the genus; the European = 2 
S. alba, eee is the usual peeeccpa apeniee: the Sweet Willow of Europe a 
ea * Ceti, sal near} a water. 
