492 SALIX 



Var. AMYGDALINA, Syme (S. amygdalina, Linnceits], is distinguished by 

 having the leaves pale and glaucous instead of green beneath, but there are 

 intermediate forms. 



S. VIMINALIS, Linnczus. COMMON OSIER. 



An erect shrub or small tree, up to 20 ft. high ; young shoots grey with 

 fine down at first, becoming smooth and yellowish later. Leaves rather 

 erect, -linear or linear-lanceolate, tapering gradually to a fine point, not 

 toothed ; 3 to 6 ins. long, J to \ in. wide ; dull dark green and smooth above, 

 covered beneath with a shining, silvery grey, close down ; stalk \ to \ in. 

 long ; midrib prominent. Catkins produced on the naked wood in March 

 and April ; up to I in. long, f in. wide. Stamens two, twice as long as 

 the scale ; ovary downy. 



Native of Europe (including Britain), spreading eastwards to Siberia and 

 the Himalaya. Very common on the banks of rivers and lakes, and extensively 

 cultivated in Europe for basket-making. The sorts known in the trade as 

 " Long Skein," " Brown Merrin," "Yellow Osier," belong to this species. It 

 is very distinct among the willows with long, narrow leaves in the glistening, 

 silvery under-surface. 



S. viminalis has hybridised with several other willows. The two most 

 important of the hybrids S. rubra and S. Smithiana are noticed separately. 

 There are also the following among many others : 



S. FERRUGINEA, Forbes (viminalis x cinerea). 



S. FRUTICOSA, Doell (viminalis x aurita). 



S. HIPPOPJUEFOLIA, Thuillier (viminalis x .triandra). 



S. STIPULARIS, Smith (viminalis x Pspecies). This is one of the most 

 distinct and striking of this group, a very vigorous shrub, having leaves up 

 to 7 ins. long by i in. wide, the down beneath very dense but less shining 

 than in viminalis, and the stipules much larger. The other parent is cinerea 

 or one of its allies, but the influence of viminalis is most apparent. 



S. VIRIDIS, Fries. 



This willow occupies a place intermediate between S. alba and S. fragilis, 

 may be a hybrid between them, although some authorities have regarded 

 alba and fragilis as extreme forms of one species. In any case, S. viridis 

 fills the gap between these two willows by an almost complete series of 

 intermediate forms, sometimes midway between them in most respects, 

 sometimes approaching one of them in vegetative characters, whilst 

 resembling the other in reproductive ones. What may be termed the 

 central or typical form is a tree branching at angles of about 60, with leaves 

 broader and larger than those of S. alba, and averaging 2 to 5 ins. in length, 

 f to i in. in width ; silky at first, but soon becoming smooth ; dark glossy 

 green above, glaucous beneath. The male catkins are longer and more 

 densely flowered than those of alba, and the ovaries are more distinctly 

 stalked and have more distinctly formed styles. The timber of S. viridis is 

 .valued by cricket-bat makers, but ordinarily is inferior to that of S. coerulea, 

 being heavier and coarser, and of about three fifths its money value. This 

 refers to the typical or central form of S. viridis; as it approaches S. alba 

 in relationship its value improves. By leaves alone it is sometimes difficult 

 to distinguish between some of the forms and S. coerulea, and the influence 

 of S. fragilis is only to be seen in the stalked, more tapered seed-vessels. 

 It is never pyramidal in growth like S. ccerulea. 



Native of the lowlands of Britain, where it is widely spread from the 

 south and south-west counties of England to Perthshire ; also of continental 



