Ri-m irh on fame B itijh Species of Salix. 1 1 1 



mod difficult feiaion, and 1 flatter myfelf I ijiall be able to furniftx 

 foTie new infirtnatioii rcl'pcfilin^ it. 



SomJ d.fTiciilties which atrend the inveftigation of this genus are 

 alnoft peculiar to it. Willows to be well undcrflood require to be 

 ftudied at three different jieriods of their growth ; firrt when in 

 flower, at which time the leaves in general Icarcely appear at all ; 

 next when the capiiiles are fully formed and nearly ripe, and the 

 leaves jult expanded, with their fHpulae ; laftly when the leaves have 

 attained their full fize, and all remains of the fruifification have dif- 

 appeared. In this lait ftate the true form, and pubeicen.e or fmooth- 

 nefs, of theleavea is to he known; in the fecond tl>e nature of the 

 Jlipul-tj which frequently are very deciduous, and th.- figure and fur-^ 

 face of the capfulcs ; whereas in the firfl ftare the very dilcrininativa 

 and curious parts of the flower, the itamina, neStaria, ami, above al!^ 

 the proportion and ftruiSlure of the germen, ftyie aoxl ftig uatd, are 

 only to be leainr. I have found the la(f-mentioned parts fo con- 

 ftant and important, fo llrongly indicative of natural fu'^divifions of 

 the genus, that if we could at all times command them, they would 

 certamly afford better charaftcrs for that purpofe than the margin or 

 pubcfcencc of the leaves. But the dioecious nature of thefe plants is 

 another inconvenience, and peculiarly militates againfl: a general ar- 

 rann-ement of them according to parts, which it is an even chance 

 whether we meet with or not, and which are moreover fo very 

 tranfient. 



J£ I Ibiould prove more fuccefsful in treating the fubje^H^ under 

 confidcration than my predeceffors Mr. Hudion and Mr. Lightfoot, 

 it will be greatly owing to three caufes. Firft the publication of 

 Profeffor He ffiuati's H'Jioria Salicnm, fo full, fo accurate, I might 

 almoft lay fo perfe<5>, as far as it goes. This work the authors of the 

 Flora A glca and Flora Scotica never knew. In the next place the 

 opportunity 1 have had of lludyiiig the Linnaean original fpecimens^ 



in. 



