SAI,IX.] SALICINEJE. 339 



A procumbent shrub or tree, 10 ft. Leaves entire or serrate, black when dry. 

 Catkim ^-1 in., appearing before or after the leaves, scales acute or obtuse ; 

 filaments hairy at the base. Capsule narrowly conical, glabrous or tomentose ; 

 pedicel and styles slender. DISTRIB. N. and Alps of Mid. Europe. Anders- 

 son describes this as the most variable of the genus. It is perhaps a form of 

 S. phylicifolia, which presents a parallel series of variations. Syme sums up 

 its differences as consisting in the thinner more reticulate darker leaves, 

 more or less glaucous beneath, blackening more when dry, and more 

 permanently hairy ; more pubescent twigs ; large stipules ; more glabrous 

 capsule ; shorter style and longer pedicel. 



Mr. Baker's experience of the general habit of the two is : phylicifolia, twigs 

 bright chesnut, rarely hairy ; leaves firmer brighter coloured above glaucous 

 (very rarely not) quite glabrous beneath ; stipules of the leaf-shoots smaller 

 and more deciduous ; whole plant drying without turning black : nigricans, 



twigs much shorter, dull-coloured, pubescent (like cinerea) ; leaves softer 

 usually grey-pubescent and much less if at all glaucous below ; stipules of 

 barren" shoots larger, more persistent ; style and pedicel the same in both, 

 and ovary similarly variable in silkiness ; plant turning black when dried. 

 Both, when growing with Caprea and cinerea, flower a little later (through 

 May into June), and are mostly plants of subalpine valleys. 



The erect varieties with broad leaves 1-4 in., more or less glaucous beneath, 

 and silky capsules are : Time nigricans; cotinifolia, Sm. ; and Forsteriana, 

 Sm. S. rupestris, Sm., is a trailing variety with small broad leaves. 

 S. Andersoniana, Sm.; damascena, Forbes, and petrcea, G. Anders., are erect 

 shrubs with glabrous capsules. S. kirta, Sm., is a subarborescent form 

 (male only) with silky twigs and leaves densely pubescent beneath. S. flo- 

 ribunda, Forbes (tenuifolia, Sm. ; bicolor, Hook.), is a doubtful plant. 

 9. S. phylicifo'lia, L. ; leaves ovate-oblong or elliptic-lanceolate quite 



glabrous shining above glaucous beneath, stipules or very small, catkins 



sessile bracteate, scales linear-oblong black acute. Tea-leaved Willow. 



Rocks and mountain streams, from Cheshire and Lancashire northwards ; 

 ascending to 2,000 ft. in the Highlands ; abundant in Yorkshire and the 

 Breadalbane range ; rare in Ireland ; fl. April-May. A very handsome 

 large bush or small tree (10 ft.). When fully developed, conspicuous from 

 its spreading shining chesnut or reddish branches, and glistening green and 

 glaucous foliage ; it resembles S. nigricans so closely in the size and all 

 characters, that the varieties of each are often undistinguishable. Andersson 

 thus sums up their differences : Leaves of phylicifolia less unequal, thicker, 

 blacken less in drying, and have no minute white dots ; capsule larger, with 

 longer beaks : he adds that it is the earliest flowerer of the genus (in Eng- 

 land S. Caprea flowers first) ; Syme, on the other hand, says it is amongst the 

 latest ! DISTRIB. Almost the same as S. nigricans. 



The British forms described as species are, 1st, the erect with silky capsules. 

 S. Davalliana, Sm. ; Weigeliana, Willd. (Wulfeniana, Sm.); nitens, G. 

 Anders.; C'roiceana, Sm.; IHcksoniana, Sm. (myrtilloides, Sm. not L.) ; and 

 tenmor, Borr. 2d, erect with glabrous or nearly glabrous capsules, laxiflora, 

 G. Anders.; propinqua, Borr.; tetrapla, Walker; orreriana, Sm.; philly- 

 recefolia, Borr.; tenuifolia, Borr. 3d, a more or less decumbent rooting 

 form, with silky capsules, S. radicans, Sm. (phylicifolia, Sm.). 



S. lanrina, Sm. (laxiflora, Borr.; bicolor , Sm.), a small handsome tree, 

 20-30 ft., found in various parts of England and Ireland, is, according to 

 Andcrsson, prolably a hybrid between S. phylicifolia and Caprea. 



