Salix.] LXXI. SALICINE^E. 467 



A shrub or small tree, branches glabrous, dark brown or black, the 

 current year's branchlets, petioles, and upper side of midrib often pubes- 

 cent with short hairs. Leaves elliptic- or obovate-oblong, wholly glabrous 

 except midrib on the upper side, glaucous beneath, 2 in. long, when young 

 membranous, afterwards hard, subcoriaceous, lateral nerves indistinct, 

 numerous, joined by prominent reticulate veins. Flowers after the leaves ; 

 catkins slender, on pubescent leaf-bearing peduncles, scales yellow or dark 

 brown. Male catkins compact, 1 J in. long ; stamens 2, distinct, anthers 

 short-elliptic. Female catkins 3-5 in. long, drooping, scales minute, slightly 

 pubescent ; capsules glabrous on short pedicels ; styles short, stigmas 

 spreading. 



Common in the North- West Himalaya, particularly in the outer ranges from 

 6000 to 10,000 ft. Lahoul, Sdiling forest Kunawar, Niti Pass at 1 1,500 ft. Also 

 in Nepal. Known as far north as Marri. Fl. March, April. 



6. S. hastata, Linn. ; DC. Prodr. xvi. ii. 257 ; Reichenb. Ic. Fl. Germ, 

 tab. 570. 



A small shrub, young shoots with long soft deciduous silky hairs, 

 branches glabrous, dark brown or black. Leaves membranous, glabrous 

 when full-grown, or with long soft hairs along midrib and nerves beneath, 

 green on both sides, but somewhat paler beneath, elliptic, dentate, 1-3 in. 

 long, f-2 in. broad ; stipules large, broad-ovate or semicordate. Flowers 

 with the leaves ; catkins subsessile, supported by a few small leaves, scales 

 small, brown or black, but generally entirely concealed by long white 

 silky hairs. Male catkins cylindric, compact ; stamens 2, free, anthers 

 yellow, oblong, protruding with the shining filaments from the dense 

 mass of long silky hairs. Female catkins somewhat lax, 2-6 in. long ; 

 capsules glabrous, often \ in. long, on short pedicels, terminating in a long 

 filiform style with 2 spreading stigmas. 



Inner arid Himalaya and Western Tibet, between 9000 and 15,000 ft. Baltal 

 at the head of the Sind valley in Kashmir, head of the Butna valley below the 

 Bardar Pass in Kishtwar, Dras, Lahoul, and the Werang Pass in Kunawar, are 

 the outermost points where this Alpine Willow has yet been found. Alps and 

 mountains of Central Europe, also in Sweden and Denmark. Fl. June- Aug. 



This species is nearly allied to two Alpine European Willows which are also 

 found in the mountains of Scandinavia, England, and Scotland 8. nigricans, 

 Sm., and S. phylicifolia, Linn. ; Hook. Stud. Fl. 338, 339. They flower before 

 the leaves, the scales are less hairy, the capsule is pubescent, longer pedicellate 

 and terminating in a long filiform bifid style, with bifid stigmas. S. nigricans 

 has ovate-oblong reticulate pubescent and often rugose leaves. S. phylicifolia 

 has glabrous leaves, shining above, glaucous beneath, generally elliptic-lanceo- 

 late. Both are shrubs, but often attain the stature of small trees. 



7. S. Caprea, Linn. Tab. LX. Hook. Stud. Fl. 337 ; Reichenb. Ic. 

 Fl. Germ. t. 577. Sallow. Saule Marceau, Fr. ; Sahlweide, Germ. Vern. 

 Bed muslih (scented willow), Pb. 



A large shrub or small tree. Leaves elliptic or obovate, crenate, glab- 



