486 SALICACE^. (willow FAMILY.) 



^_ ^_ ^_ Prostrate or creeping and matted alpine shrubs. 



19. S. Uva-lirsi, Pursh. (Bearberry W.) Leaves elliptical and 

 pointed, or obovate and obtuse^ less than 1' long, 3-4" wide, tapering at base, 

 slightly toothed, strongly veined, smooth and shining above, pale and rather 

 glaucous beneath; atnents borne on slender lateral leaf ij peduncles, oUong-cylin- 

 dric, 6 - 9" long, the fertile lengthening to 2' and narrowly cylindric, densely 

 flowered above, often loose below ; scales obovate, rose-red at the tip, covered 

 with long silky hairs; stamens rarely 2; capsule ovate-conical, brownish at 

 maturity; pedicel scarcely exceeding the gland; style distinct. (S. Cutleri 

 Tucherm.) — Abundant over all the alpine summits of X. New Eng. and N. Y. 

 Closely prostrate, spreading from a stout central root over an area 1 - 2° ir 

 diameter. 



20. S. herbacea, L. Leaves roundish oval, heart-shaped, obtuse or retuse, 

 less than 1'' long, serrate, smooth and shining, reticulately veined; aments ter- 

 minating 2-leaved branchlets, small, ovoid, 4 -lO-Jlowered ; scales concave, obovate, 

 obtuse, glabrous or slightly pubescent ; capsule subsessile. — Alpine summits 

 of the White iMountains, and far northward. A very small herb-like species, 

 the haK-underground stems creeping and rooting to a considerable extent, the 

 branches seldom rising above 1-2' from the ground. (Eu.) 



2. PdPULUS, Tourn. Poplar. Aspen. 



Bracts (scales) of the catkins irregularly cut-lobed at the apex. Flowers from 

 a cup-shaped disk which is obliquely lengthened in front. Stamens 8 - 30, or 

 more ; filaments distinct. Stigmas 2-4, elongated. Capsules 2 - 4-valved. — 

 Trees, with broad and more or le s heart-shaped or ovate toothed leaves, and 

 often angular branches. Buds scaly, covered with resinous varnish. Catkins 

 long and drooping, appearing before the leaves. (The classical Latin name, 

 of uncertain origin.) 



§ 1. Styles 2, with 2-3 narrow or filiform lobes; capsules thin, oblong-conical^ 

 2-valved ; seeds very small ; leaves ovate. 



* Petioles laterally fattened ; bracts silky ; stamens 6-20; capsules numerous, 

 small, on very short pedicels. 



P. ALBA, L. (White Poplar. Abele.) The younger branches and the 

 under surface of the rhombic-oval sinuate-toothed acute leavec whlte-tomen- 

 tose : scales crenate, fringed. — Frequently cultivated for shade, spreading 

 widely by the root, and occasionally spontaneous. (Adv. from Eu.) 



1. P. tremuloides, Michx. (American Aspen.) Small tree 20 - 50^ 

 high, with smooth greenish-white bark ; leaves roundish-heart-shaped , with a 

 abort sharp point, and small somewhat regular teeth, smooth on both sides, with 

 downy margins, on long slender petioles; scales cut into 3-4 deep linear di- 

 visions, fringed with long hairs. — Maine to the mountains of Penn., N. Ky., 

 Minn., and far north and westward. 



2. P. grandidentata, Michx. (Large-toothed Aspen.) Tree 60- 

 75° high, with smoothish gray bark; leaves roundish-ovate, with large and ir- 

 regular sinuate teeth, Avhen young densely covered with wliite silky wool, at 

 length smooth both sides ; scales cut into 5-6 unequal small divisions, slightly 

 fringed. — Kich woods and borders of streams, N. Scotia to the mountains of 

 N. C, west to N. Minn, and Tenn. 



