XHE POPLAR FAMILY. 375 



The great distinction between the two genera Salix and Populus is, 

 that the stamens in the former are usually two, and very rarely three 

 or five, while the scales of the catkin are entire, the poplars ha^dng 

 eight to twelve stamens, and the scales of the catkin torn and ragged. 

 (Figs. 193, 194, and 196, 197.) The leaves of the willows are generally 

 narrow and motionless ; and those of the poplars broad and quivering. 



Genus SALIX, or WILLOWS and OSIEKS. 

 Section 1. 

 Catkins appearing before the leaves. 

 A. — Male plants. 

 * Stamens two. 

 ■Stems more or less procumbent, creeping extensively underground, and 

 rising six to twelve inches above the surface. Leaves, when they 

 appear, elliptic-lanceolate, under an inch long, acute, entire, or 

 nearly so, generally very white and silky underneath. 9. Creeping Willow. 

 Stems erect and shrubby, five to eight feet high. 



Stems very long, straight, round, slender, unbranched, except at the 

 base, or nearly so, wand-like, and pliant. Leaves, when they ap- 

 pear, linear-lanceolate, often four to five inches long, obscurely 

 crenate, white underneath with copious sUky down. Before they 



open the edges are rolled back C. Common Osier. 



Stems branched and spreading. 



Catkins broadly egg-shaped, one to two inches long, and often an inch 

 in diameter, with long silky hairs. Leaves, when they appear, 

 ovate-elUptical, acute, serrate, a little wrinkled, glabi'ous above, 

 cottony and very veiny beneath, but not silky. Stipules small, 



and usually only upon the upper leaves 7. Common Sallow. 



Catkins one-half to three-quarters of an inch long, and half an inch in 

 diameter, closely sessile on the twigs, and with very few and 

 short silky haii's. Leaves, when they appear, obovate, much 

 wrinkled and curled, tipped with a small curved point, gray and 

 downy, especially on the under side. Stipules very large, con- 

 spicuous, and characteristic 8. Ear-leaved Sallow. 



** Stamen solitary. (There are two stamens in reality, but the filaments 

 are united, so as to make them appear but one. The anther is 

 consequently quadruple.) 



Oatkins cylindrical, obtuse, very compact, downy, closely sessile along the 

 twigs, and generally opposite. Anthers purple after flowering. 

 ■Leaves, when they appear, usually long and narrow, but variable in 

 width, broadest upwards, linear towards the base, pointed, slightly 

 serrate, smooth, and of a fine green colour. Bark often yellow, or 

 purplish, or coral-red, and glossy. A shrub six to eight leet high 



5. Purple Willow. 



