AMONG THE WILD FLOWERS. 15 
alliance whatever with the Horse Chestnut, 
which is entirely foreign to our country. 
All these examples have their male and 
female flowers in separate catkins on the same 
tree, and are J/onecious. On the other hand, 
all the species of Willow, Sa/zx, of which there 
are about 30 indigenous to these Islands, have 
the male catkins on one tree, and the female 
on another, and are therefore called Dzeczous.. 
The meaning of these two terms is, that in 
the former class, the moncecious plants, the 
respective kinds of flowers have onze home on 
the same plant; whereas, in the latter, the 
Dicecious, they have ¢wo distinct homes on 
actually different trees. The male Willows 
in one species bear golden yellow catkins, 
which are a gorgeous ornament of the spring ; 
and the female trees bear silvery grey catkins, 
from which, later in the season, when their 
fruit is ripe, a profusion of silky seed is 
scattered. This species, the common Wil- 
low, is Salix Caprea. The Poplar, Populus, 
of which we have four species, is also dic- 
cious. 
One more. dicecious plant must be men- 
tioned ; it is the earliest to rise from the earth. 
