70 Bulletin 145 



KEY TO THE SIX COMMON SHRUBBY WILLOWS 



(Based primarily on characters of mature leaves) 

 1. Mature leaves woolly or soft-hairy on under side 2 



1. Mature leaves smooth on under side 3 



2. Leaves rather broad in proportion to length (length 2-3 X width) 



widest at about the middle, apex acute, margins flat or 

 wavy. A large shrub of wide range Beaked willow. 



2. Leaves narrower in proportion to length (length 3-4 X width) 



widest above middle, apex bluntish, margins rolled down, 

 a small shrub of dry sand plains Prairie willow. 



3. Leaves whitish (glaucous) on under side 4 



3. Leaves green on under side 5 



4. Leaves bluish-green above, long and narrow (length 6 X width 



or more), finely toothed, introduced for basketry, not com- 

 mon Purple willow. 



4. Leaves bright green above, broader in proportion to length 



(length 3-4 X width) coarser toothed, a native shrub, com- 

 mon Pussy willow 



5. Leaves shining as if polished, smooth even when young, stipules 



small and inconspicuous Shining willow. 



5. Leaves not shining, usually silky-hairy when young, stipules 

 relatively large Heart-leaved willow. 



The v^rillows are remarkable for the length, toughness and 

 vitality of their roots and for the readiness with w^hich broken 

 branches strike root and throw up new shoots. For these reasons 

 they are nature's best covering to hold river banks, for which pur- 

 pose the introduced tree species are preferable in most places. 

 The bark possesses a bitter tonic principle (salicine) which may 

 replace quinine in medicine and is also rich in tannin. The greatest 

 economic usage of the willows is, however, as a source of osiers 

 for making basketry and furniture. For landscape planting the 

 willows have value but the shrubs are not of so much worth as 

 the viburnums and dogwoods. The shining willow is the best 

 for foliage effect and the beaked willow has a place where large 

 mass effects are desired on drier ground. The European species 

 which have been improved by long selection are, however, gen- 

 erallv preferable to the natives for ornamental and other uses. 



