54 THE BRITISH WILLOWS 



Exs. Hb. Linn. Nos. 74, 75 (2). Wimmer, Sal. Eelict. (Coll. 

 Sal. 27b, 28). Billot, No. 2364. Seringe, Nos. 27, 95. Leefe, 

 Sal. Brit. exs. Nos. 39, 44 ; Sal. exs. No. 46. E. F. & W. R. 

 Linton, Nos. 36, 61, 62. Hb. B. White, Nos. 17, 21, 33, 158, 159, 

 176, 193, 226. 



A large shrub, becoming under favourable circumstances a 

 small tree, 20-30 ft. in height, much branched ; young branches 

 rather stout, torulose, tomentose, the pubescence usually per- 

 sistent and becoming blackish in the winter ; buds oval similarly 

 pubescent ; wood under the peel, when 2-3 years old, streaked 

 with short striations. Stipules sessile, usually rounded and entire, 

 or sometimes + dentate. Leaves very variable ; blades 1-3 in. 

 long, obovate-acuminate, narrowly obovate-lanceolate (S. oleifolia 

 Sm.), or broadly oblong-obovate or roundish obovate with a short 

 tip (S. aquatica Sm.) ; usually narrowed and not unfrequently 

 cuneate to the base ; when well developed serrate or crenate-serrate 

 in the upper half, + pubescent and dull or greyish-green above, 

 ashen or ashen-green below, and usually pubescent with both 

 white and rust-coloured hairs ; lower leaf-blades commonly entire 

 and + glabrescent. Catkins flowering in March and into April 

 before the leaves, subsessile, with scarcely any leaves at their 

 base ; <? about 1 in. long, ovoid to ovoid-oblong, upper usually 

 flowering first, nectaries quadrate or oblong, filaments pilose in 

 their lower half, anthers yellow, rarely at all reddish at first ; 

 $ ovoid, elongate to \\ or 2 in. long, then cylindric ; bracts 

 broadly or narrowly obovate, or oblong-obovate, obtuse or rounded 

 at the tip, more rarely simply oblong and then sometimes sub- 

 acute, always + clothed with silky hairs ; pedicels at length 

 3-5 times as long as the short quadrate (or more rarely oblong) 

 nectaries ; ovaries ovoid-conic, grey-tomentose becoming grey- 

 green ; styles usually very short, shorter than the rather short 

 stigmas, but occasionally, at least in the South of England, as 

 long as that of S. phylicifolia. 



Smith described two species, S. aquatica and S. oleifolia, which 

 have long been relegated to the position of varieties, and latterly 

 of mere forms, of S. cinerea. 



Var. aquatica (Sm.). 



Syn. S. aquatica Sm. Flor. Br. 1065; in Rees Cycl. 118; 

 Engl. Fl. iv. 218. 



Icon. E. Bot. t. 1437. Forbes, No. 127. 



A bush, rarely a tree. Stipules rounded, not conspicuous. 

 Leaf-blades about 2 in. long, obovate, serrate upwards, soft, dull 

 greyish-green above, glaucous or ashen and shortly pubescent 

 beneath. In other respects like S. cinerea. 



Var. oleifolia (Sm.). 



Syn. S. oleifolia Sm. Fl. Br. 1065; in Bees Cycl. No. 119; 

 Engl. Fl. iv. 219. 



Icon. E. Bot. t. 1402. Forbes, No. 126. 



A shrub of hedgerows, growing into a tree, if not cut back; 

 branches softly pubescent when young; buds large and prominent. 

 Stipules or small. Leaf-blades 2-3 in. long, narrowly oblong- 



