196 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



employed for boarding floors. In Scotland it is sometimes used in mill-work and by 

 the cabinet-makers and turners ; and for making wooden dishes and casks. The 

 leaves are eaten by cattle in Sweden, and are considered wholesome. As an orna- 

 mental tree, the grey poplar is chiefly to be recommended in scenery on a large scale, 

 since its great height and ample head overpower most artificial objects, such as 

 buildings, and most exotic trees, from their comparative slowness of growth. Mr. 

 Loudon recommends as the fittest tree to plant with this poplar, other rapid-growing 

 poplars and willows ; and says the fittest situations are the margins of broad rivers, 

 or that of a large lake. Mr. Winch informs us that the grey poplar and its varieties 

 are remarkable for withstanding the north-east winds, so detrimental to vegetation 

 on the coast of Northumberland and Durham. 



SPECIES II.— POPULUS TREMULA. Unn. 



Plate MCCCI. 



Eeicli. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XI. Tab. DCXVII. Fig. 1273 and DCXVIII. Fig. 



1274. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2742. 



Young barren branches pubescent, not felted or hoary. Buds 

 all glabrous, shining, slightly viscous ; flower-buds ovoid ; leaf-buds 

 conical, very acute. Leaves suborbicular, sinuate-serrate or dentate- 

 serrate, glabrous or silky grey when young, at length glabrous, 

 those of the suckers ovate, cordate or subcordate, serrate or dentate- 

 serrate, permanently hairy on the veins beneath or sometimes all over 

 the lower surface. Male and female catkins cylindrical while in flower. 

 Catkin-scales in both sexes deeply laciniate, 



Var. a, villosa. 



P. villosa, Lange, Reich. Fl. Germ. Excurs. p. 173. 

 P. canescens, Beich. Ic. I.e. p. 30. (non Sm.). 



Young leaves densely silky, those of the suckers and barren shoots 

 often permanently pubescent beneath. 



Var. ^, glabra. 



Young leaves glabrous and ciliated, or subglabrous. 



By the banks of streams, and in woods and rocky places. Rather 

 common, and universally distributed. In the absence of specimens 

 with young leaves, I am unable to define the distribution of the two 

 varieties. Var. a is common about Claygate, Surrey, and appears to 

 be the most frequent form in England. I have var. 3 from Orphir, 

 Orkney ; near Bonar Bridge, Sutherland ; and Glen Callater, Braemar. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Tree or shrub. Spring. 



