THE WILLOWS OF OHIO. EST 
The blue willow, Salix alba coerulea, has not yet been recog- 
nized in Ohio. Indeed there are some willow students of high 
authority who do not distinguish it at allin this country whatever 
may be its status in the old world. 
As hinted above Salix alba hybridises with Salix jragilis 
though not so frequently as might be supposed. It also crosses 
with S. lucida as described under that species. 
SALIX BABYLONICA L. WEEPING WILLOW. 
The Weeping Willow grows into a large graceful tree 20—25 
m. tall, easily recognized by its very long drooping twigs, which 
have a habit peculiar to themselves of sending out numerous 
short branches at a very acute angle with the main stem. Leaves 
commonly rather small, 7-10 cm. long, about 1 cm. broad, nar- 
trowly lanceolate, long acuminate and often falcate at the tip, 
narrowed to the base, sharply serrate, glabrous unless very 
young, greenish glaucous or at least paler beneath, petiole short, 
stipules apparently absent; primary veins forming regular acute 
loops which run together into a more or less straight marginal; 
this together with the very fine reticulations caused by the rela- 
tive prominence of the tertiaries often gives the leaf a more or 
less close resemblance to that of S. nigra, which, however, is 
never glaucous as in the present species. Aments on rather short 
few leaved peduncles, rather dense, not more than 3 cm, long! 
capsule short conic, glabrous, green, all but sessile, style short. 
It is aremarkable fact that the staminate plant of this species 
is unknown in America. It is sometimes stated that it does not 
occur at all and it is sufficiently rare to warrant such an assertion 
but yet in the national herbarium is what I believe to be a gen- 
tine specimen of the staminate flowers. It was collected by 
Coville at Ithaca, N. Y., in 1885 (?). The leaves are similar to 
those commonly appearing with the carpellate catkins. The 
aments are short, less than 25 mm. long, densely flowered with a 
thachis densely covered with short hairs. The stamens are sub- 
tended by a very short ovate scale which is much shorter than in 
any other of the Fragiles. 
Doubtless it is with the Weeping Willow as with the Purple 
Willow that the absence of one kind of flowers prevents the nat- 
ural spread of the species and is responsible for the fact that so few 
plants have escaped when conditions for their growth seem so 
favorable. But whatever the reason it is certain that the species 
though commonly planted, esceaps very rarely. During the last 
Plate V. Salix alba. 
Leaves and flowers typical; natural size; capsule enlarged three times, 
photographed and brightened with pencil. 
