O THE BRITISH WILLOWS 



II. Catkins with their bracts blackened or darkened at the tip, 

 + pubescent. Stamens 2. 



A. Stamens adnate so as to appear single, each with a 



4-celled anther (or partially united in the hybrids). 



7. Purpurea. Branches and leaves glabrous (or 



almost so) from the first (hybrids if pubescent 

 soon glabrescent). 



B. Stamens 2, free (or joined only at the very base). 



i. Pedicels of ovaries elongating, towards maturity 3-4 

 times as long as the nectaries; nectaries quadrate 

 or shortly oblong. 



8. Capre^e. Leaves not blackening when dried, stipules 



foliaceous broad; ovaries pubescent, styles usually 

 short or 0. 



9. Phylicifolle. Styles long. 



a. S. phylicifolia. Leaves glabrous (theoreti- 

 cally), subcoriaceous, not blackening, entire at 

 the tip ; stipules not prominent. Ovaries usually 

 pubescent ; 1-year wood polished dark brown. 

 ft. S. nigricans Smith. Leaves very pubescent 

 at first, + glabrescent, blackening when dried ; 

 stipules prominent foliaceous. Ovaries usually 

 glabrous ; 1-year wood dull grey brown. 



10. Argente^e. Dwarf shrubs, much branched from the 



base ; leaves finely reticulate above with raised 

 veins, commonly blackening when dried ; stipules 

 or inconspicuous, narrow ovate. Ovaries com- 

 monly pubescent ; styles usually rather short, 

 ii. Pedicels of ovaries or very short ; shorter than the 

 nectaries (lowest sometimes longer). Styles long. 



A. Nectaries quadrate, about as long as the pedicels of the 



ovaries, or only shorter than the lowest. 



11. Myrtosalix. Leaves green and glossy on both 



sides, serrate. 



B. Nectaries linear, reaching to the broadest part of the 



ovaries. 



12. Nive^:. Leaves pubescent, with long silky hairs in 



early growth, blades entire. Catkins densely silky ; 

 ovaries glabrous. 



13. Arbuscul^j. Leaves commonly pubescent at first, 



soon glabrous, rather coriaceous, serrate. Ovaries 

 pubescent ; anthers purplish-red. 



14. Viminales. Leaves silkily pubescent, blades entire 



or subentire. Ovaries pubescent sessile ; anthers 



yellow or slightly tipped with red. 



a. S. viminalis L. Leaf-blades lanceolate, long, 



entire or obscurely crenate ; pubescence beneath 



a] >pressed; stipules lanceolate. 



ft. S. lapponum L. Leaf-blades short, entire, 



with lax pubescence ; stipules 0. 



