318 FAMILIAR TREES AND THEIR LEAVES. 



leaves, smooth above, persistently fine silky-hairy be- 

 neath, and from 3 to 5 inches long. 



Willow, Peach-leaved or Western Black. Salix amyg- 

 daloides, p. 118. This willow is found on lake shores 

 and river banks from central New York to Texas and 

 the Pacific slope. 



Willow, Purple. Salix purpurea. A slender tree or 

 shrub with supple purple-brown twigs; catkins densely 

 flowered, the sterile flowers with small bracts at the 

 base; scales small, round, and dark purple. The leaves 

 are oblanceolate, or widest near the tip, very slightly 

 toothed, smooth, green above and paler beneath. This 

 species was imported from Europe, and was cultivated for 

 the manufacture of willow baskets. It has established 

 itself on generally low ground in the Atlantic States. 



Willow, Ward's. Salix Wardii. A southern species 

 common along river banks and the shores of lakes, in 

 stony or gravelly situations; it is distributed from 

 Maryland south to Florida, and west to Kentucky and 

 Missouri. Leaves lance-shaped or oblong-lance-shaped, 

 sharp-pointed, rounded or narrowed at the base, bright 

 green above, and gray-white and smooth beneath. Cat- 

 kins long and slender, not crowded with flowers. A 

 moderate-sized tree similar in many respects to the 

 Black Willow. 



Willow, White. Salix alba, p. 116. The leaves of 

 the typical tree are light green, caused by a fine silky 

 hairiness on both sides, which is more or less perma- 

 nent; the twigs are greenish and break easily at the 

 base. An unusually tall tree, frequently reaching a 

 height of eighty or more feet, sometimes escaping from 

 cultivation and establishing itself along the banks of 

 streams or in other wet situations. 



