DICOTYLEDONS. 47 



entire or sometimes serrate near the mostly obtuse apex, smooth 

 or pubescent on the veins beneath, tapering into a short petiole ; 

 staminate aments numerous, stamens 4 ; pistillate anients small, 

 bracts slightly 3-lobed, scales of the ovary 4, ciliate ; stigmas 2, fruit 

 very abundant, incrusted with white wax, i-i in. in diameter, some- 

 times persistent 2 or 3 years. March- April. Common on wet soils, 

 especially near the coast. 



23. SALICACEiE. WILLOW FAINIILY. 



Trees or shrubs with simple, alternate, deciduous, stipulate 

 leaves, buds scaly, covered with a resinous varnish ; flowers 

 dioecious, in aments expanding before or with the leaves ; 

 staminate aments usualty drooping, flowers consisting of one 

 or more stamens inserted on a receptacle in the axil of a 

 simple bract ; pistillate aments drooping, erect, or spreading; 

 ovary 1-celled, with 2-4 i^lacentse and usually numerous 

 ovules, style short, stigmas 2, often 2-lobed ; seeds small, 

 covered with fine silky hairs. 



L POPULUS. 



Trees witli prominent, scaly buds, twigs more or less angled, 

 leaves usually long-petioled, bracts of the aments irregularly 

 lobed at the apex ; stamens few or many, filaments distinct ; 

 pistillate aments often long, ovary sessile, style short, stigmas 

 2-A, elongated, capsule 2-4-valved. 



1. J\ DKLToiDKs Marsh. Cottonwood. Uranchcs acutely 

 angled ; leaves glabrous, large, deltoid, acute or acuminate at the 

 apex, truncate at the base, obtusely serrate, i)etioles flattened later- 

 ally ; pistillate anients (5-10 in. long at maturity, capsule usually 

 shorter than the pedicel. March-^hiy. On danij* soil. 



2. V. iiktf:ii<)1'iivi,i-a L. Swamp Toim-ak. IJranehes only 

 slightly angled; leaves ovate, niostly obtuse at the aj>ex. roundeil 

 or sub-cordate at th(^ base, serrate with obtus(^ teeth, densely tomen- 

 tose when young, but becoming smooth with age; petioles terete; 

 pistillate aments smooth, erect or spreading, loosely flowered ; capsule 

 ovoid, usually shorter tlian the ])edicel. March -Ajtril. Coinnion in 

 river swamps. A large tree with soft, light wood, which i>; often 

 used in making cheap fm iiitwri'. 



