424 
BETULACEJE. (BIRCH FAMILY.) 
§ 2. Alnaster, Spach. — Fruit winged : sterile flowers with a calyx 
of a single scale , much as in Birch. 
3. A. vi rid is, DC. (Green or Mountain Alder.) Leaves 
round-oval or ovate, sometimes heart-shaped, glutinous and smooth 
or softly downy underneath, serrate with very sharp and closely set 
teeth, on young shoots often somewhat cut-toothed; fertile catkins 
long-stalked, ovoid; fruit surrounded by a broadly-winged margin. 
(A. unduh\ta, Willd. Betula crispa, Michx.) — On mountains and 
along streams which descend from them, N. New England and New 
York. Shrub 3? -8° high. 
Order 104. SALIC ACEiE. (Willow-Family.)* 
Dioecious trees or shrubs , with both kinds of flowers in 
catkins , one under each bract , entirely destitute of calyx or 
corolla; the fruit a \-celled and 2-valved pod , containing 
numerous seeds clothed with a long silky down . — Ovary 1* 
celled or imperfectly 2-celled : styles 2, very short, or more 
or less united, each with a 2-lobed stigma. Seeds ascend- 
ing, anatropous, without albumen. Cotyledons flattened. — 
Leaves alternate, undivided, with scale-like and decidous, or 
leaf-like and persistent stipules. Wood soft and light: bark 
bitter. 
SALIX, Toum. Willow. Osier. 
Bracts ( scales) of the catkins entire. Sterile flowers of 2-6 
(rarely single) stamens, accompanied by 1 or 2 little glands. Fer¬ 
tile flowers also with a small flat gland at the base of the ovary on 
the inner side : stigmas short. — Trees or shrubs, generally grow¬ 
ing along streams, with round flexible branches and large tough 
roots. Leaves mostly long and pointed, entire or glandularly 
toothed. Buds covered by a single scale, with an inner adherent 
membrane (separating in $ 2). Catkins appearing before or with 
the leaves. (The classical name, said to be derived from the Cel¬ 
tic sal , near, and lis , water.) 
§ 1. Catkins lateral and sessile , appearing before the leaves in April or 
• f a y • stamens 2 : scales dark red or brown becoming black , more or 
less hairy, persistent. 
* I am indebted to John Carey, Esq., for the entire elaboration of this difficult 
