ORDEB 122. SALIC ACEJL 651 



$ Amenta as long as the petioles, $ much shorter. Fruit large, globular. 

 (Pursh. Our specimens in flower,) Mar., Apr. 



2. COMPTCTNIA, Soland, SWEET FERN. (In lionor of Henry 

 Compton, Lord Bishop of London.) Flowers 8 , $ Ament cylindric ; 

 bract reniform-cordate, acuminate j calyx-scale 2-parted ; stamens 3, 

 forked, each bearing 2 half anthers. ? Amcnt ovate ; calyx-scales 6, 

 longer than the bract ; styles 2 ; nut ovoid, 1-celled, Low shrubs. 

 Lvs. long and narrow, pinnatifid-lobed, with small stipules, strongly aro- 

 matic. 



C. asplenifolia Ait. Lvs. long, linear-lanceolate, alternately sinuate-pinnatifiu- 

 A shrub 2f high, common in dry woods and hills, Can. to Md. (Shfiver) and 

 Wis. (Lapham). The main stem is covered with a fusty brown bark which be- 

 comes reddish in the branches, and white downy in the young shoots. Lvs. nu- 

 merous, on short peduncles, 3 to 4' by 6", divided nearly to the midveln into nu- 

 merous rounded lobes so as to resemble those of the Spleenwort. Stip. in pairs, 

 acuminate. Barren flowers in erect, cylindric catkins, terminal and lateral. Fer- 

 tile fls. in a dense, rounded burr or head, situated below the barren one. Fr. a 

 small, ovate, brown, 1-celled nut. May. 



ORDER CXXIL SALICACE^E. WILLOWORTS. 



Trees or shrubs with alternate, simple leaves and deciduous or persistent stipules. 

 Flowers $ $ , both kinds in aments, one undt r each bract of the ament. Calyx 

 none or cup-form and entire. Ovary 1 to 2 celled, with 2 short styles, fruit :i 

 capsule, 2-valved, 00-sscdecL Seeds with a coma, and no albumen. IllusL in 

 figs. 47, a; 81, 93, 266, 267, 268, 269, 465. 



Genera 2, species 220, chiefly natives of the tiorthern temperate and frigid zones, one species. 

 Salix arctica, extending farther north than any other known woody plant. 



Prupertiex. The bark is astringent and tonic, possessing the febrifugal properties nf the sul- 

 phate of quinia. The wood is employed for various economical purposes. Several of the Wil- 

 lows and Poplars are much admired as shade trees. 



1. S A LIX, Tourn. WILLOW. OSIER. (Celtic sal t near, and Us, water ; 

 alluding to their usual locality.) Aments cylindric, bracts imbricated, 

 entire, 1-flowered, each with a nectariferous gland at base. $ Calyx 

 ; sta. 2 7. $ Calyx ; ova. ovoid-lanceolate, acuminate ; stig. 2, 

 mostly bifid ; caps. 1-celled, 2 valved, valves acuminate, finally revoluto 

 at summit ; seeds numerous, minute, comous. Trees, shrubs and under- 

 shrubs. Lvs. usually narrow and elongated, usually with conspicuous 

 stipules. Aments terminal and lateral. 



Atnents sessile, expanding before the leaves In early sprihg. S'amens 2. Ovaries 

 clothed with wool, silk or down. Shrubs or small trees. (*) 



* Ovaries pedicellate. Leaves subentire, grayish'downy, rugous, margins subrev- 



olute. Upland grayish shrubs. Aments small Nos. I S 



* Ovaries pedicellate. Leaves serrulate, smooth and shining above, glaucous be- 



neath. Aments large, very hairy. Shrubs 8 to 15f Nog. 4 6 



* Ovaries pedicellate. Leaves serrate, grayish -si Iky beneath, drying black. 



Aments with 2 or 3 bracts at base Nos. 7, 8 



* Ovaries sessile. Leaves subentire, nut drying black Nos. 9, JO 



Aments more or less pedunculate, expanding with the leaves in latefpiing. Ovaries 



mostly elabrous. (*). 



* Ovaries clothed with silk, or down and pedicellate. Stamens 2. (s) 



a Leaves downy both sides. Ovary long-beaked. Shrub erect No. 11 



a Leaves glabrous when rnatnre. Shrubs low< mostlyalpine, spreading. . .Nos, 12 14 



* Ovaries glabrous. Shrubs alpine, low, creeping or ascending. .Nos. 15 17 



* Ovaries glabrous. Shrubs erect, or trees, 3 to 60S high, (a) 



a Ovaries pedicellate. Scales pfeenish-yeHpW, deciduous, (b) 



b Stamens mostly 2, form-times 3. Leaves glaucous beneath No.s. 1?, 19 



b Stamens mostly 5 (4 to G). Leaves green on both sides Nos. 20, iJl 



a Ovaries pedicellate" Scales dark or black, persistent, (b) 



b Leaves cordate or at least truncate at the base, 4 to 15f high \os. 22, 2:) 



b Leaves acute or tapering nt base. Shrubs 6 to lOf high NOR. 24. 20 



a Ovaries sessile. Stamens i Trees of tho largest size Nos. V6, 27 



