480 SALIX 



in a wild state to the eastern counties of England, especially Hertford, 

 Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, where it has been known for over a century. 

 Its timber is more prized by cricket-bat makers than any other, and having 

 now become somewhat scarce, fetches seven to twelve shillings (sometimes 

 more) per cubic foot. It grows with extraordinary rapidity in good situations 

 (it likes a stiff, moist, but not waterlogged soil), and, raised from a cutting 

 will, in twelve or fourteen years attain a girth of 4 to 5 ft. Henry has 

 suggested that this willow may be a hybrid between alba and fragilis, a 

 theory supported by the leaves becoming smooth with age, by the slightly 

 stalked oyary, and by the fact that, on vigorous shoots of newly rooted 

 cuttings, the leaves are almost identical with those of fragilis. 



S. CORD AT A, Muehlenberg. 



A vigorous, richly leafy shrub or small tree, making long stiff shoots- 

 annually, and reaching 10 to 15 ft. high ; young shoots downy at first, getting 

 smooth by late summer. Leaves closely set on the branch, often furnished 

 with a- pair of large ear-shaped stipules ; ovate-lanceolate, rounded or heart- 

 shaped at the base, slender pointed, finely toothed ; 3 to 6 ins. long, f to 

 ITT ins. wide ; green and smooth on both sides except the midrib, which is 

 slightly downy above ; stalk \ to I in. long. Catkins up to 2 ins. long, 

 produced on the naked wood in April, with one or a few tiny leaflike bracts 

 at the base of each. Stamens two. 



Native of N. America from New Brunswick to British Columbia and 

 southwards ; introduced in 1812. A very well-marked willow by reason of 

 the large, long-stalked leaves with a heart-shaped base, and the conspicuous 

 persistent stipules. Very common in its native country in different forms 

 that vary in the comparative length and width of the leaves. 



S. NICHOLSONI, Dieck, does not differ at all from S. cordata so far as 



1 can see, except that the young leaves are reddish. 



S. DAPHNOIDES, Villars. VIOLET WILLOW. 



A tree of erect, vigorous habit up to 40 ft. high; young shoots at first 

 downy, becoming smooth, and covered with a conspicuous plum-coloured 

 bloom; twigs brittle. Leaves oval-lanceolate, tapered at both ends, but more 

 gradually at the point, finely toothed (the teeth glandular); i| to 4^ ins. long, 

 | to i in. wide; somewhat leathery; smooth, dark green and glossy above, 

 blue beneath; stalk \ to \ in. long. Catkins produced in March; males i to 



2 ins. long, \ to f in. wide, rather striking, and resembling those of the goat 

 willow; females more slender. 



Native of Europe, eastwards to Siberia and the Himalaya. It has been 

 found naturalised in Cleveland, Yorkshire, but is not truly British. As a 

 willow for gardens it is worth growing for the beautiful purple or violet- 

 coloured waxy bloom on the shoots. If the plants are cut back about every 

 second spring the crop of young wands makes a pleasing winter effect. In 

 the osier basket trade it is known as " Violets." 



S. ACUTIFOLIA, Willdenow (S. violacea, Andrews ; S. pruinosa, WendiancT). 

 Sometimes regarded as a variety only of S. daphnoides, this differs from that 

 species chiefly in its more slender shoots, and in the narrower leaves and 

 lance-shaped (rather than semi-cordate) stipules. The shoots are similarly 

 covered with a fine plum-coloured bloom, and the leaves are white beneath. 

 A native of Russia and Turkestan, not quite so striking in its pruinose young 

 wood as S. daphnoides. 



Between S. daphnoides and S. Caprea there is a hybrid S. ERDINGERI, 



