POPULTJS.] SALICINE^. 335 



SECTION 1. Leu'ce. Young shoots pubescent. Fruiting caikins dense ; 

 scales ciliate. Stamens 4-12. Stigmas with 2-4 linear lobes. 



1. P. al'foa, L. ; buds not viscid, leaves of shoots more or less lobed, 

 of branches broadly ovate-cordate sinuate-lobed white and cottony be- 

 neath. 



Moist woods, river-banks, &c. ; fl. March-April. A large tree, 60-100 ft.; 

 bark grey, smooth ; wood white ; branches spreading, buds cottony ; suckers 

 many, with large deltoid-ovate lobed and toothed leaves 2-4 in: diam. 

 Leaves on the branches 1-3 in., glabrous in age ; petioles very long, slender, 

 compressed. Catkins 2-4 in., cylindric ; female shorter. Stamens 6-10; 

 anthers purple. Capsules ^in., narrow ovoid. DiSTiiiB. Europe from Goth- 

 land southwards, N. Africa, N. Asia, W. Asia to the N.W. Himalaya. Wood 

 light, useful, does not burn easily. 



Sub-sp. AL'BA proper ; leaves of the suckers lobed, of the branches white and 

 cottony beneath. White Poplar, Abele. A doubtful native, cultivated as 

 far N. as Forfar, but does not flower in Scotland ? 



Sub-sp. CANES'cENS, 8m. (sp.) ; leaves of the suckers angled and toothed, of 

 the branches hoary beneath or glabrous. Grey Poplar. Indigenous in the 

 S.E. of England. Wood said to be superior to that of P. alba proper. 



2. P. trem'ula, L. ; buds not viscid, leaves of shoots cordate acute 

 entire, of branches suborbicular-ovate sinuate-serrate with incurved teeth 

 glabrous or silky beneath. Aspen. 



Copses, &c., indigenous, but more often planted ; ascends to 1,600ft. in York- 

 shire ; fl. March-April. Erect, 40-80 ft., short-lived. Bark grey, wood 

 white ; suckers many, pubescent ; branches spreading ; buds pubescent. 

 Leaves 1-4 in., versatile, old obtuse, young acute, cottony beneath ; petiole 

 very long, slender, glabrous, compressed. Catkins 2-3 in., cylindric; scales 

 laciniate. DISTRIB. Europe (Arctic), N. Africa, N. Asia. Wood in- 

 different. 



SECTION 2. Aigei'ros. Young shoots glabrous. Fruiting catkins lax ; 

 scales subglabrous. Stamens 8-30. Stigmas 2-fid, short, cuneate. 



P. NI'GRA, L. ; buds viscid, leaves rhombic deltoid or suborbicular 

 finely crenate- serrate at length glabrous. Slack Poplar. 

 Moist places, river-banks, &c. ; not indigenous ; fl. April. Erect, 50-60 ft., 



of very rapid growth and short duration. Bark grey ; wood soft, white ; 



branches spreading, buds glabrous. Leaves 1-4 in., angles rounded, acu- 



young silky 

 Male catkin 2-3 in., cylindric ; female shorter, ascending, peduncle" curved 



minate, young silky beneath and ciliate ; petiole slender, compressed. 



in fruit ; scales shortly cut. Stamens 12-20 ; anthers purple. Cajmults % in., 

 ovoid, pedicelled, recurved. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Asia. Wood light, much 

 used for carving, charcoal, &c. ; bark for tanning. 



2. SALIX, Tournef. WILLOW. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves quite entire or serrate ; stipules persistent or 

 deciduous. Stamens 2 or more, filaments free or connate. Catkins erect ; 

 scales entire. Stigmas entire or 2-fid. DISTRIB. of the Order ; species 160. 

 ETYM. The Latin name. For the species of this troublesome genus I 

 have followed Andersson, and for the vars., Syme. 



