SALIX 485 



inhabited by the parent species. In general appearance it very much 

 resembles S. pentandra. The following distinctions, however, exist : the 

 leaf is thinner, more slender, pointed, and sometimes glaucous beneath, and 

 the tree is usually of larger size; the male flowers have fewer (three or four) 

 stamens, and the scale is more hairy; the female catkins are more slender and 

 more tapering, and the seed-vessels longer-stalked and more cylindrical. It 

 is worth growing for its vigorous habit, and its fine glossy foliage. Its leaves 

 are oval inclined to ovate, or obovate, i^ to 4^ ins. long and 4 to i^ ins. wide, 

 quite smooth; the marginal teeth fine, regular, glandular. 



S. MYRSINITES, LinncZUS. WHORTLE WILLOW. 



A dwarf shrub, i to i^ ft. high, of bushy habit, sometimes procumbent; 

 young shoots slender, at first silky-hairy. Leaves roundish to narrowly oval, 

 finely toothed, tapered at both ends, \ to \\ ins. long, \ to \ in. wide; bright 

 green on both sides, silky beneath when young, becoming smooth; veins in 

 six to ten pairs; stalk in. or less long. Catkins erect, borne on short leafy 

 shoots in May; males cylindrical, up to I in. long; stamens two; female 

 catkins rather longer in fruit; seed-vessels hairy. 



Native of the mountains of the northern hemisphere, including the 

 Scottish Highlands and the mountains of Sligo in Ireland. It blossoms with 

 great freedom, and is then pretty. Among willows it has perhaps most 

 resemblance to S. retusa, but that species has always smooth leaves and 

 shoots, and the parallel veins of the leaves are fewer. It much resembles 

 Vaccinium Myrtillus in appearance, and is suitable for rock garden 

 cultivation. 



Var. JACQUINII, Wimmer (S. Jacquinii, Host\ is found in the Tyrol, etc., 

 and differs from the type in its quite entire leaves. 



S. MYRTILLOIDES, Linnceus. 



A shrub from a few inches to 3 ft. high, of bushy or spreading habit; young 

 shoots and leaves smooth. Leaves obovate, oblong, or sometimes ovate, 

 rounded or tapered at the base, pointed, not toothed, but more or less 

 decurved at the margin; ^ to i ins. (sometimes 2) ins. long, ^ to ^ in. wide; 

 dark dull green above, blue-green or purplish beneath. Catkins borne on 

 short leafy twigs in April and May; males ^ to f in. long, narrowly 

 cylindrical, scarcely stalked; stamens two; females stalked, with flowers 

 loosely arranged; ovary smooth. 



Native of high latitudes or altitudes in the northern hemisphere, not of 

 Britain, but introduced in 1772. In general appearance it much resembles 

 S. myrsinites, both strongly recalling in their foliage the common whortle- 

 berry. S. myrsinites, however, has the young leaves quite silky beneath, and 

 the ovary is also downy. S. caesia is another species much resembling it in 

 foliage, but it also is distinct in its silky ovary, and especially in its united 

 stamens. 



Var. PEDiCELLARis, Anderson (S. pedicellaris, Pursh} has narrower, longer 

 leaves (up to 2^ ins. long), often blunt or rounded at the apex. Introduced in 

 1811 from Eastern N. America. 



S. NIGRA, Marshall. BLACK WlLLOW. 



An elegant tree, 30 to 40 ft. high, occasionally much more in a wild state; 

 shoots yellowish, smooth except when quite young. Leaves lanceolate or 

 linear lanceolate, tapered or rounded at the base, narrowing gradually to a 



