SALIX 487 



narrowly lanceolate, tapered at both ends, finely and regularly toothed ; 

 U to 4 ins. long, J to j in. wide ; silky only when quite young, soon quite 

 smooth, bluish beneath ; stalk i to ^ in. long. Catkins downy, produced on 

 the naked shoots in April; males about f in. long, cylindrical, stamens two ; 

 females i to i ins. long in fruit, f in. broad, the seed-vessel slenderly stalked. 



Native of N. America from New Brunswick to Tennessee, Inhabiting damp 

 places. It has been cultivated in Britain since early in the nineteenth 

 century. 



S. SERICEA, Marshall. Silky Willow. This is sometimes made a variety 

 of petiolaris (S. p. var. sericea, Andersson\ but is no doubt distinct enough to 

 rank as a species. It is easily distinguished by the twigs being downy, and 

 the leaves very silky and lustrous beneath, and remaining more or less so 

 until autumn. The leaves also are generally broader, and the seed-vessel 

 blunter at the apex. Native of the same region. 



S. PHYLICIFOLIA ; Linnceus. TEA-LEAVED WILLOW. 



(S. bicolor, Ehrhart.} 



A bushy shrub, 6 to 10 ft. high; young shoots smooth or slightly downy, 

 shining, yellowish or brown. Leaves orbicular, oval, ovate, or obovate ; 

 slightly toothed or almost entire; f to 3 ins. long, \ to 2 ins. wide ; shining 

 green above, and either green or glaucous beneath ; sometimes downy, 

 sometimes smooth ; stalk to \ in. long. Catkins f to i ins. long. 

 Stamens two, thrice as long as the scale. 



Native of Europe, where it is very generally spread, including Britain. 

 Its close affinity with S. nigricans has been referred to under that species, 

 Iput it is a brighter-looking, neater shrub, distinguished by the greater 

 glossiness and smoothness of its young parts. It is not worth a place in the 

 garden. 



S. PlEROTII, Miquel. PlEROT'S WILLOW. 



(S. japonica, Dippel(r\Qt of Thunberg)^) 



A compact, much-branched shrub, up to 6 or 8 ft. high ; young shoots 

 smooth, or only slightly downy at first, brown and glossy ; buds downy at 

 the apex. Leaves closely set on the branch, lance-shaped, tapering at the 

 base, slender-pointed at the apex, finely and regularly toothed ; 2 to 5 ins. 

 long, to \\ ins. wide ; brilliant deep green and soon quite smooth above ; 

 vivid blue-white beneath and at first somewhat silky, later smooth ; stalk 

 \ to in. long, hairy above. Catkins leafy at base, I to 2 ins. long ; stamens 

 solitary (really two with the stalks united right up to the anthers) ; ovary 

 hairy. 



Native of Japan ; introduced about 1903. It is a handsome bush willow, 

 allied to S. gracilistyla, but that species has leaves silky beneath, dull green 

 above. 



S. PURPUREA, Linnceus. PURPLE WILLOW. 



A shrub with thin, graceful branches forming a loose-habited, spreading 

 bush, 10 to 1 8 ft. high under cultivation ; rarely a small tree ; young shoots 

 smooth, glossy, usually purplish where exposed to the sun, but often yellowish. 

 Leaves linear, or narrowly oblong, mostly broadening somewhat above the 

 middle, pointed at the apex, rounded or abruptly tapered at the base, 

 minutely toothed towards the apex ; smooth except when quite young, dark 

 glossy green above, more or less blue or glaucous beneath ; ii to 3 ins. long, 

 | to in. wide ; stalk aboui in. long. Catkins produced on the naked 



