SALIX FPRAGILIS, ORD. II. Amentaceer, i9 
THIS species grows to a considerable height, sending off large 
branches, and is covered: with wrinkled bark of a grey colour: the 
leaves are long, narrow, ovate, or lance-shaped, serrated, and placed 
upon foofstalks, which are furnished with glandular teeth: _ the 
flowers are male and female upon different trees, and produced i in 
catkins: the calyx, or common catkin of the male flower, is oblong, 
imbricated, inclosed by an involucrum formed of a bud, and con- 
sisting of scales, which are oblong, flat, expanding, and unifloral: 
there is no corolla: the neta is a small cylindrical truncated 
gland, containing honey, and placed in the centre of the flower: 
the filaments are two, straight, filiform, longer than the calyx, and 
furnished with double anthere of four cells: in the female flower 
the scaly catkin resembles that of the male: the germen is egg- 
shaped; tapering, so as to leave no distinct style, and is longer than 
the scales: the stigmata are two, bifid and ereét: ‘the capsule is 
evate, one-celled, and furnished with two valves, which roll back: 
the seeds are numerous, egg-shaped, very small, and crowned with 
a Simple hairy pappus. The flowers appear in April and May. 
- This tree, which grows in hedges and about the banks of rivers 
in several parts of England, is easily to be distinguished from the 
other species of willow, by the readiness with which it breaks at the 
year’s shoot last made upon being slightly struck with the finger ; and 
hence the name fragilis. 
The bark of the branches of this tree manifests a considerable 
degree of bitterness to the taste; and is also astringent; hence it has 
been thought a good substitute for the Peruvian bark, and upon 
trial was found to stop the paroxysms of intermittents:* it is like- 
wise recommended in other cases requiring tonic or astringent 
* See Gerhard. Mat. Med. p. 301. Phil. Trans. vol. 53. p. 195. And Medical 
Comment. vol. 5. p- 298. Instances of the efficacy of Willow bark are also related 
by Clossius (nov. variol, Med. om p- 128.) And Gunz. Dire bine de cortice 
salicis. Lips. 1772. ‘ 
With Bergins however this bark did not succeed. “He says, Ego hunc corticem 
in febribus intermittentibus iterum iterumgue exhibui, sed/irrito conatu. 
