An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



315 



Saliz — continued. 



Insects. Several hundred species of insects are known 

 to feed more or less upon Willows : but only a com- 

 paratively small number are so hurtful as to require 

 notice here. Some of the latter are chiefly or wholly 

 associated with the SaUows allied to Snli.r Capreii. 



The trunks of Willows are very frequently tenanted 

 by larva3 of Aromia mosrlinfn (see Musk Beetle) and 

 of the Goat Moth (which see), and in some districts 

 the twigs of Osiers suffer much from the burrows of 

 larvK of the Clearwing Moths, Sesiti fonnic(eformis and 

 S. bembeciformis {.'^ee Sesia). For the proper remedies 

 against these insects, see the headings quoted. 



Certain species of Sawflies (e.j/., Cnjptocampus an- 

 gustus, C. pentamlrce, &c.), one or two Beetles (e.g., 

 Saperda populnea). and some Gall-midges {e.g. Cecidomyi'i 

 salicina), produce galls in the form of tapering swellings 

 on the twigs of Osiers ; while other species of Gall- 

 midges (C. rosarin, &c.) cause the leaves at the tips of 

 the twigs to become crowded into a stunted rosette. 

 These gall-makers can best be reduced in numbers by 

 cutting oil the twigs while the galls are still young, and 

 the larva? too immature to surTive the withering of their 

 food. 



The leaves are liable to be devoured by Cockchafers, 

 by species of Bhynchites, and, worst of all, by the 

 Willow-leaf Beetle {see Phratora vitellinse). For an 

 account of these insects, .s'fc the above headings. In 

 some parts of the Fen districts, Osiers have been very 

 m\ich destroyed by the last-named species, but Paris 

 green is now used with success to limit its ravages. 

 Some allied Beetles, of the group Chrysomelida', may 

 occasionally injure Willows, but are not often suflBciently 

 numerous to require special treatment. 



The larva? of a few Butterflies, of many species of 

 Moths, and of a good many Sawflies, feed, more or less 

 exposed, on the leaves of Willows ; but an enumeration 

 of the species is not needed, since their general habits 

 are much alike, and the same treatment is employed to 

 get clear of them, viz., to collect and destroy the 

 creatures, whether by hand-picking, or by shaking the 

 branches over sheets or other surfaces. 



The leaves of Willows are very liable to be thickly 

 studded with Sawfly galls, some resembling a small 

 bean in shape, imbedded in the leaf-blade singly or in 

 pairs (the work of Nematus riniinalis, also known as 

 N. gallarum), or like peas in form, attached to the 

 lower surface of the leaf by one side (galls of JV. galli- 

 cola, &c.). These galls often greatly disfigure the leaves, 

 but do not seriously affect the health of the plants. 

 The leaves, if necessary, should be removed, while the 

 galls are young, and allowed to wither. The same method 

 may be made use of against the smaller galls, such as 

 the fleshy tubes of Cecidotntjia marginem-foiyuens along 

 the leaf-margins of S. viminalis. or the warty galls of 

 various Mites on the surfaces of the leaves, especially on 

 Sallows allied to S. Caprea. 



The species described below are hardy trees, except 

 where otherwise stated. 

 S. acutifolia (acute-leaved). A synonym of S. tlaphnoules. 



S. alba (white).* White Willow. /., catkins appearing with 

 the leaves, slender, loose, erect, the scales linear. May. I. nar- 

 rowly hmceolate, lony-acimiinate, 2in. to 4in. long, silky on both 

 sides, glandular-serrate ; petioles eglandular. Trunk 20ft. in 

 girth ; bark tissured ; twigs silky, k. 80ft. Europe (Britain), &c. 

 (Sy. En. r.. 1309.) 



S. a. caerulea (blue). I., old ones glabrous, glaucous beneath. 



Twigs olive. (Sy. En. B. 1310.) 

 S. a. vitellina (yolk-of egg-colouTed). tioldeli Willow. Jl., scales 



of catkins longer than in the type. L, old ones glabrous above. 



Twigs ynllow or reddish. (Sy. En. B. 1311.) 



S. amblgua (ambiguous). A synonym of S. nuira. 



S. babylonica (Babylonian).* Weeping Willow, /f.. catkins 

 nearly lin. long, sub-coa'taneons, few-leaveii, very slender, shortly 

 curved ; scales ovate-lanceolate. AJay. I. uavrow-lauceolate, 3in. 

 to 6in. long, very long and rather obliquely acuminate, serrulated, 



Vol, III. 



Salix — continued, 



often glaurescent beneath ; stipules semi - lunar or obtuse ; 

 branches often very loosely and verv long-pendulous. Buds very 

 acute. //■ 30ft. Levant, 1730. (B. F. K. 59.) Sv.w S. peiitiula. 

 S. b. annularis (ringed). This foim is peculiar on account of 

 tlie blade of the leaves being twisted back, so as to form a 

 kind of ring. 



Fig. 403. M.4le Catkin of Salix Caprea. 



S. Caprea (Caprea).* Common Sallow ; (joat Willow. /I., cat- 

 kins silky, preceding the leaves ; males lin. long, very stout ; 

 females lengthening to 3in. April and May. I. elliptic, oblong- 

 ovate, or oblong - lanceolate, acute or acuminate, cuspidate, 

 2in. to 4in. long, dark green above, tonientose beneath, the 



Fio. 404. Female Catkin of Salix Caprea. 



margins narrowly recurved. Europe (Britain). A silvery tree 

 or large shrub, the earliest-flowering of the Briti.-.h Willows. 

 The twigs with catkins, gathered on Palm Sunday, are called 

 Palm-branche--. See Figs. 403 and 404. (Sy. En. 1!. 1331.) 



S. C. cinerea (waxy). ft., male catkins less stout than in the 

 type, opening later. I. "smaller, narrower, from elliptic-oblong 

 to oblanceolate, undulated at the margins, pubescent above. 

 Buds and twigs tomentose. S. aquatica and S'. olcifoUa are 

 mere forms of this sub-species. 



S. C. pendula (droopingX Kilmarnock Weeping Willow. A 

 variety renjarkable for the very decided pendulous ch.aracter 

 of its blanches. 



S. daphnoldes(l>aphne-like). Violet Willow. /., catkins .stout, 

 sessile, clothed with silky liairs, appearing before the leaves; 

 .scales black-pointed. April. I. narrow-oblong or linear-lanceo 

 late, very acuminate, 3in. to 5in. long, acutely seriated, with 

 persistent, glaucous bloom, shining above. Twigs violet. /(. 10ft. 

 to 20ft. Europe (naturalised in England). (B. F. F. 62 ; F. D. 

 2919.) SvN. S. acutifolia. 



S. falcata (sickle-shaped). A synonym of S. niijm falcala. 



S. fi-agilis (fragile), frack Willow ; Withy. Jl., catkins usually 

 siireading, stout, appearing with the leaves; males lin. to 2in. 

 long ; females slender, often longer. April and May. I. lanceo- 

 late, long-acuminate, 3in. to bin. long, gl.ahrous, glandularly 

 serrated, pale or glaucous lieneath. the young ones bairy. Tiunk 

 sometimes 20ft. in girth ; branches spreading obliquely ; twigs 

 yellow-brown, very fragile at the .junction, polished, h. 80ft. 



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