SALIX 63 



Salix babylonica L i n 11 e 1753 



Tall tree, 50-70 ft. high, 2-6 ft. diam.; bark gray, rough; twigs very 

 long and drooping; leaves linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, with 30-50 

 minute sharp teeth on each edge, very long-pointed, tapering toward the 

 base, smooth on both sides when mature, green above, glaucous beneath, 

 8-12 cm. long, 1-1)4 cm. wide, petioles usually twisted, somewhat hairy. 

 l-ljA cm. long; stamens 2 with distinct hairy filaments, pistillate catkins 

 2-3 cm. long, )4 cm. wide, capsule ovate, beaked; babylonica, of 

 Babylonia, referring to its original home. 



Occasionally cultivated; native of Asia. 



Salix purpurea Linne 1753 Purple Willow 



Shrub, 6-12 ft. high, with somewhat purplish flexible twigs; leaves 

 oblanceolate to spatulate, rarely oblong, entire or finely and sharply 

 toothed, tip acute, tapering from above the middle to the base, smooth, 

 paler below, veiny, 5-8 cm. long, 1-154 cm. wide, petioles 3-6 mm. long; 

 staminate catkins 3-5 cm. long, 7-8 mm. wide, stamens 2, filaments hairy, 

 united, pistillate catkins 2-3 cm. long, 5 mm. wide, capsule ovoid, blunt, 

 densely hairy, scales minute, hairy ; purpurea, purple, perhaps in ref- 

 erence to the purple twigs. 



Occasionally cultivated; native of Europe. 



Salix lucida Muhlenberg 1803 Glossy Willow 



Tall shrub or low tree, 6-20 ft. high, 4-8 in. diam. ; bark smooth, 

 brown, twigs yellow-brown, shining; leaves broadly lanceolate to ovate- 

 lanceolate or ovate, finely and closely toothed, tip very long, pointed, 

 often 3-4 cm. long, base tapering or rounded, smooth, shining above., 

 paler below, veiny, glandular at base, 7-15 cm. long, 2-5 cm. wide, petioles 

 ]/z-\ cm., staminate catkins 2-3 cm. long, 1-1^ cm. wide, stamens 5, fila- 

 ments hairy at base, pistillate catkins 3-4 cm. long, 1-1^ cm. wide in fruit, 

 capsules ovoid, beaked, minutely rugose ; 1 u c i d u s, shining, in reference 

 to twigs and leaves. 



Common throughout the whole state along banks of streams and on 

 lake shores; Nfd-NY-Ky-Nebr-Athabasca. Flowering in April or May. 

 Used for ornament by reason of its shining leaves and large bright yellow 

 staminate catkins. The wood is not used and its qualities have not been 

 determined. 



