DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS 41 



I. SA'LIX, Willow 



Trees or shrubs, growing near water. Leaves generally 

 long and pointed ; with stipules generally present on young 

 shoots, disappearing from the older leaves. Stamens 1-6 to 

 each scale of the staminate catkin. On the pistillate catkin 

 the pods are small, ovate, pointed, splitting from the top into 

 two pieces. In bud the catkins are covered with scales that 

 fall off. (The following species generally occur as trees, 

 sometimes also as 'shrubs.) 



a. S. ni'gra Marsh. BLACK WILLOW. Trunk nearly black, gen- 

 erally leaning over the water. Leaves narrowly lanceolate, long-pointed, 

 closely serrate, smooth and light green on both sides. Catkins on 

 leafy branchlets. Pods brownish on short pedicels. Stamens 3-5 to 

 each scale. Along the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers. 



b. S. laeviga'ta Bebb. Trunk straight, with dark brown bark. Leaves 

 rather thick, glossy green above, glaucous beneath. Scales of the 

 catkin toothed. Otherwise much like the preceding, but with broader 

 leaves. Widely distributed. 



c. S. lasiol'epis Benth. Trunk generally straight, with grayish 

 brown bark, almost smooth. Leaves thick, oblanceolate, unequally 

 serrate, glaucous and brown-hairy beneath. The young leaves are 

 closely covered with silky hairs. Catkins on very short peduncles ; 

 scales dark brown, densely covered with white hairs. Stamens 2 to 

 each scale, with the filaments united at the base. Pods on short pedicels. 

 This is the most common willow and varies considerably. Widely 

 distributed. 



d. S.Scouleria'naBarratt(S.flaves'censNutt.). Small tree or shrub. 

 Leaves silky tomentose on the underside when young, obovate or 

 oblanceolate. Catkins short, sessile, appearing before the leaves, densely 

 flowered. Stamens 2 to each scale of the catkin ; scales covered with 

 long silky hairs. Capsules tomentose on short pedicels. Styles 

 wanting ; stigmas long, entire or deeply parted. The freshly broken 

 twigs of this species have a strong and disagreeable odor. It is one 

 of the earliest willows in bloom and is very lovely and conspicuous 

 when in bloom. It is found from Santa Barbara to Alaska. 



e. S. Sitchen'sis Sanson. Similar to the above but. with leaves 

 much more tomentose, with permanent and shining tomentum. 

 Catkins long, appearing before the leaves but often in the axils of the 



previous season's persistent leaves. Stamens 1-2 to each scale of the 

 catkin; scales villous and catkins tomentose. This is a beautiful 

 willow with large broad leaves. It is found from Santa Barbara to 

 Alaska. 



