342 . COVILLE 



laris^ and Dr. Rydberg in taking up this name ^ extends the range of 

 the species across the continent, and states that he has seen no typical 

 specimens of Salix 7'eticulata from North America. The distinguish- 

 ing characters assigned by Andersson are the yellowish rose-colored 

 catkin scales and elliptic-rotund, oval-rotund, elliptic-obovate, or ob- 

 long leaves of 7'eticulata and the fuscous scales and suborbicular, or 

 obovate-orbicular leaves of orbicularis. He says also of the latter 

 species, " Truncus longissime serpit ramulos subvillosos radiciformes 

 undique emittens," and, " A formis vulgaribus S. reticulatae habitu 

 abunde diversa." Of these leaf characters it may be said that w^e have 

 specimens w^ith oblong leaves from Alaska, and specimens with orbic- 

 ular leaves from northern Europe, and Dr. Rydberg, although main- 

 taining the species to be distinct, says, "The two cannot be distin- 

 guished by the leaves." Our Alaska collection contains specimens 

 with pale rose-colored scales, and we have European specimens with 

 dark purple scales. As for habit character, we have specimens 

 from Alaska, collected in drier situations than usvial, with branches 

 just as short and rootless and congested as any of those from Europe. 

 An equal lack of constancy is found in the distinguishing characters 

 assigned by Dr. Rydberg. Our specimens of European reticulata 

 have bracts not " oblong" but broadly obovate, and instead of being 

 ' ' densely woolly " they are rarely hairy over the entire surface and are 

 often smooth throughout. The size of the capsule and the density of 

 its hairy covering appear to be correlated not with the continental 

 origin of specimens but with the degree of maturity of the capsule 

 itself. While European as well as American specimens show much 

 variation among themselves, I am unable, from the material now avail- 

 able, to see in our American plant a species distinct from the Euro- 

 pean. 



Andersson in iS68 published a Salix venusta"^ from Sitka, the de- 

 scription of which suggests that the plant may prove to be a form of 

 Salix reticulata grown in a shaded situation. It is described as dif- 

 fering from reticulata in its long styles and its leaves bright green on 

 both sides though somewhat joaler beneath. It is very desirable that 

 the plant be again collected. It should be looked for on Mount Vers- 

 tovia. 



1 Rydberg, Bull. N. Y. Bot. Gard. i : 260. 1S99. 



2 Anders, in DC. Prod. 162; 28S. 1868, not Host. 1S2S. 



