AMENTIFERJE. 223 



sul)stitutc for other more powerful tonics, and was discovered in 182S by Bnchner. 

 When pure, salicin forms minute rectanguhxr scales, very bitter, and somewhat 

 aromatic ; soluble in water and in rectified spirits, but not so in ether. As a febrifuge, 

 it may be used by iaifusing an ounce of the dried bark in a pint of water, and adminis- 

 tering the fusion in the dose of one or two ounces frequently. Salicin has been 

 largely used by French physicians in fever and ague, but it has not a place in our 

 IJritisli Pharmacopoeia. According to various reports, collecteel by Buchner, twelve 

 grains in divided doses will generally arrest ague. As a tonic stomachic in dyspepsia, 

 it is on a par with quinine, and is not, like quinine, apt to cause congestion in the head, 

 Avlien given in lai'ge doses. A curious instance of the presence of salicin is seen in a 

 little fish something like the minnow, which is caught in some of the smaller rivers 

 in Germany, and being packed in baskets made of willoAV twigs, acquii'cs the bitter 

 flavour of the salicin. This flavour is its peculiarity, i-endering it acceptable to 

 epicures, and we have had it pressed upon us as a great delicacy under the name of 

 " llhumfkin." 



Sub-Section II. — VIMEN. Dumort. 



Nectary linear. Stamens 2, monadelphous, or free; anthers ulti- 

 matel)^ yellow. 



Shrubs or small trees, with alternate leaves with revolute vernation, 

 and catkins bracteate at the base. Pubescence of the leaves silky. 



SPECIES XL— SAL IX VIMINALIS. Linn. 

 Plate MCCCXXII. 



Reich. Ic. n. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XI. Tab. DXCVII. Pig. 1248. 

 nniot, PI. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 1958. 



Wlmmer, Sal. Europ. p. 3G. Sm. Engl. Bot. ed. i. No. 1898, and Engl. Fl. Vol. IV. 

 p. 228. 



Leaves strapshaped or lanceolate- strapshaped, attenuated at each 

 end, acute, undulated and entire at the margins, which are revolute 

 when young, smooth and green above, white with satiny hairs beneath. 

 Stipules small, narrowly lanceolate. Catkins opening before the leaf- 

 buds expand, subsessile; the male catkins with small nonfoliaceous 

 bracts at the base, oblong, dense, at first erect, afterwards spreading; 

 female catkins short, cylindrical, rather thick, dense, suberect or 

 spreading, with small subfoliaceous bracts at the base. Catkin- 

 scales oblong or oblong-oblanceolate, pilose, brown. Stamens 2 ; 

 filaments free, glabrous. Capsule ovate-conical, white, tomentose, 

 subsessile ; style long, usually nearly equalling the stigmas ; stigmas 

 long, linear, entire or notched, very rarely bifid. Young branches 

 and buds more or less softly downy; young leaves at first downy 

 on both sides, afterwards glabrous above. 



