416 SALICACE^E. (WILLOW FAMILY.) 



(S. myricoides, Muhl.) — Inundated banks of rivers and low meadows; com- 

 mon. — Shrub 2° -6° high: the first var. larger, or a small tree 6° -15° high, 

 with leaves 4'- 6' long. Fruiting catkins 2'-3' in length. 



11. §. aiignstata, Pursh. (Narrow-leaved Willow.) Leaves lan- 

 ceolate, acute, long and tapering to the base, slightly toothed, smooth and scarcely 

 glaucous beneath ; stipules half-heart-shaped ; catkins large, appearing before the 

 leaves; ovarii tapering into a long style. — New York to Wisconsin and southwest- 

 ward. — Catkins resembling those of No. 4 in size and aspect; but the c varies 

 are quite smooth and very white. 



§ 3. Catkins lateral, with a few leafy bracts at the base, appearing with the leaves in 

 May or June : ovary stalked, silky : stamens 2 : scales persistent. 



12. S. rostra ta, Richardson. (Long-beaked Willow.) Leaves oblong 

 or obovatc-lanceolate, acute, obscurely toothed, downy above, prominently veined, 

 softly hairy and glaucous beneath ; stipules semilunar, toothed ; catkins cylindrical, 

 the fertile becoming loose in fruit ; pods tapering into a long beak, on stalks longer 

 than the yellow lanceolate scales. — Borders of woods and meadows, New England 

 to Penn., Illinois, and northward. — A shrub or small tree, 4° -15° high, 

 with soft velvety leaves, somewhat variable in form. A transformation of the 

 anthers into imperfect ovaries is frequently observable in this species, and occa- 

 sionally in some others. 



13. S. pfgylieifolia, L. (Smooth Mountain- Willow.) Leaves lan- 

 ceolate or ovate-lanceolate, somewhat pointed, or obtuse at each end, remotely 

 and minutely repand-toothed, smooth and shining above, glaucous beneath ; fertile 

 catkins ovoid ; ovary ovoid-conic, very short-stalked ; style elongated; stalk oftlie 

 mature pods about twice the length of the gland ; scales black, sparingly clothed with 

 long white hairs. — Moist ravines, on the alpine summits of the White Moun- 

 tains, New Hampshire, Oakes, Tucker man, &c. — A low spreading shrub, with 

 leaves of a coriaceous texture when old. (Eu.) 



§ 4. Catkins peduncled (long and loose), borne on the summit of lateral leafy branches 

 of the season, appearing in May and June : scales greenish-yellow, more or less 

 hairy, falling before the pods are ripe : f laments slightly united, hairy below. — 

 Shrubs and trees, with the branches very brittle at the base. 



* Ovary sessile, smooth : stamens 2. 



14. S. Alba, L. (White Willow.) Leaves lanceolate or elliptic-lanceo- 

 late, pointed, toothed, clothed more or less with white and silky hairs, especially 

 beneath ; stipules lanceolate ; stigmas nearly sessile, thick and recurved. — Var. 

 vitellina has yellow or light red branches; leaves shorter and broader. (S 

 vitellina, Smith <j- Borrer. S. Pameachiana, Barratt.) — Var. c.erulea has the 

 leaves nearly smooth at maturity, and greatly resembles the next species. (S. 

 cffirulea, Smith.) — A familiar tree, of rapid growth, attaining a height of 50°- 

 80°. (Adv. from Eu.) 



* # Ovary stalked, smooth : stamens 2-6. 



15. S. fragilis, L. (Brittle Willow.) Leaves lanceolate, taper-pointed, 

 smooth, glaucous beneath (slightly silky when young), serrate with inflexed teeth ; 

 stipules half-heart-shaped ; stamens commonly 2.- Var. decifiens has dark 



