SALICACE^. (willow FAMILY.) 453 



or leafy and pcrsisteut. Buds covered with a siugle scale. Ameuts mostly 

 erect, appearing with or before the leaves. 



* Aments small, sessile: ovarij silky : stamens 2. — Low canescent shrubs, with 



small leaves. Aments developed before the leaves. 



1. S. tristis, Ait. Leaves very numerous, lanceolate, obtu.se or acute, 

 entire or wavy, at least on the margins, tapering at the base, nearly sessile, 

 covered with a grayish down, at length smoothish above ; stipules minute, 

 caducous ; flowering aments small, globular ; the oval bracts hairy on the 

 margins; style short; ovary slender, long-beaked. — Dry barren soil in the 

 upper districts. March - April. — Shrub 1° - 2° high. Leaves 1' - 2' long. 



2. S. humilis, Marshall. Leaves lanceolate, obtuse or abruptly pointed, 

 narrowed into a petiole, smoothish above, grayish-pubescent beneath, often 

 slightly serrate near the summit ; stipules small, semi-cordate or lunate, en- 

 tire or toothed ; flowering aments ovoid or oblong, often drooping, with the 

 lanceolate bracts villous; style conspicuous; ovary slender. — Barren soil, in 

 the upper districts. March. — Shrub 2° -4° high, often bearing cone-like 

 excrescences. 



* * Aments large, cylindrical, sessile, silky-villous, developed before the leaves: 



ovaries woolly. — Large shi-ubs. 



3. S. discolor, Muhl. Branchlets pubescent ; leaves oblong, petioled, 

 acute at each end, serrate in the middle, smooth and shining above, glaucous 

 beneath ; stipules semi-lunar, toothed ; ameuts woolly, with glossy hairs ; sta- 

 mens 2 ; ovary white-silky, sessile. — Low ground, Carolina (Pitrsh), and 

 northward. April. — Shrub 8° - 10° high. Leaves 2' -4' long. Aments 1'- 

 li' long. 



* * * Aments large, cylindrical, on leafy peduncles or branchlets, appearing 



with the leaves : ovaries smooth, stalked. 



4. S. Floridana, Chapm. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acute, smooth above, 

 glaucous beneath, finely serrate, rounded at the base, the petioles pubescent; 

 .stipules small, caducous ; fruiting anient oblong, den.se ; capsule ovate-lanceo- 

 late, smooth. — Rocky banks, West Florida, fruiting in April. — Shrub 8°- 12° 

 high. Leaves thin, 2' -3' long. Fruiting aments 2' -3' long, T in diameter, 

 enveloped in the copious wool of the seeds. Flowers not seen. 



5. S. nigra, Marshall. Leaves lanceolate, acute at each end, serrate, 

 petioled, pubescent when young, becoming smoothisii and green on both 

 surfaces ; stipules small and caducous, or sometimes lunate, toothed, and per- 

 sistent ; aments elongated, the fertile ones slender, loose-flowered ; bracts de- 

 ciduous ; stamens 3-6, hairy below ; capsule ovate, acuminate, pointed by the 

 conspicuous style. — Swamps and muddy banks of rivers. A slirub or small 

 tree, with brittle brandies. Leaves 2' -3' long, sometimes pubescent at ma- 

 turity, like the branchlets. Fertile aments 3' -4' long. 



6. S. fragilis, L. Leaves broadly lanceolate, acuminate, finely serrate, 

 white silky when young, glaucous beneath; ameJits hmg, cylindrical ; bracts 

 hairy ; stamens mostly 2 ; capsule short-pedicelled. — Tennessee, and north- 

 ward. — A small tree. 



