SALIX 491 



been included under this name, but the following description applies to the 

 commonest in gardens. A vigorous tree with erect branches, the young ones 

 covered with soft down. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, 3 to 6 ins. long, to 

 i ins. wide ; sharply pointed, broadly tapered at the base, indistinctly 

 toothed ; dark green above, glaucous and downy beneath ; stalk to in. 

 long. Male catkins produced in March and April so abundantly as to make 

 the male one of the handsontest f flowering willows ; they are i to 2 ins. 

 long and about i in. wide. Stamens in pairs. Female catkins more slender. 

 Native of Europe, including Britain. 



S. SORDIDA, Kerner. 



(S. pontederana, Sc/ileich.) 



A hybrid between S. purpurea and cinerea, found wild in Scotland and 

 on the Continent. It is a rather neat willow with downy twigs (often becoming 

 soon smooth). Leaves narrowly obovate, oblong, or sometimes oval ; 

 tapered at both ends, most abruptly at the apex, varying from almost entire 

 to rather prominently toothed ; i to 2^ ins. long, 3- to f in. wide ; dark glossy 

 green above, conspicuously blue-whife, and at first downy beneath. The 

 influence of S. purpurea is seen in the glaucous under-surface of the leaf, 

 and especially in the two stamens being more or less united by their stalks. 

 Like nearly all hybrid willows, S. sordida varies in its approaches now to 

 one parent now to another. It is at its best as a garden shrub when it 

 most resembles S. purpurea. 



S. SUBALPINA, Forbes. 



This, a probable hybrid between S. incana and S. repens, is said by Forbes 

 (Salictum Woburnense, t. 93) to have been introduced from Switzerland. It 

 is a low shrub of rather neat habit, branches ascending, downy, and retaining 

 their down till the second year. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, usually tapered 

 about equally at each end ; i to 2| ins. long, ^ to in. wide ; margins 

 decurved ; not or very slightly toothed towards the apex", bright green and 

 downy (especially at first) above, permanently grey and woolly beneath ; 

 stalk \ in. or less long. In his original description Forbes mentions 

 having only seen the male, and the only plants I have seen (at Kew, 

 Cambridge, etc.) are all male. Catkins i to i ins. long, slender, yellow ; 

 stamens two. 



S. TRIANDRA, Linnceus. ALMOND-LEAVED WILLOW. 



A shrub or small tree up to 30 ft. high, of erect habit ; young shoots 

 smooth or slightly downy at first, angled or furrowed. Leaves quite smooth 

 on both surfaces, lance-shaped, rounded or wedge-shaped at the base, 

 sharply pointed, finely toothed ; 2 to 4 ins. long, to i in. wide ; green on 

 both sides, but darker above ; stalk ^ to ^ in. long. Catkins produced on 

 very short, leafy shoots in April and May f males erect, slender, i to 2^ ins. 

 long ; stamens three, with stalks about twice as long as the scale. 



Native of Europe and N. Asia, wild in Britain, also much cultivated for 

 basket-making, etc. The osiers known under the trade names of " Black 

 Hollander," "Black Italian," "Black Mauls," "French," " Glibskins," 

 "Jel^tiver," Mottled Spaniards," " Pomeranian, ;; all belong to this species or 

 the following variety. 



