SALICACEAE 

 Crack Willow. Brittle Willow 



Salix frag His, L. 



HABIT. A tree 50-60 feet high, with a short, stout trunk 

 3-4 feet in diameter; stout, spreading branches form a broad, 

 open crown. 



LEAVES. Alternate, simple, 3-6 inches long, Y 2 -iy 2 inches 

 broad; lanceolate, long-pointed; finely glandular-serrate; thin 

 and firm ; lustrous, dark green above, paler beneath, glabrous 

 both sides; petioles short, stout, with 2 glands at the junction 

 of blade and petiole. 



FLOWERS. April-May, with the leaves; dioecious; 'borne 

 in slender, pubescent catkins 1-3 inches long; calyx o; corolla o; 

 scales blunt, somewhat pubescent; stamens usually 2; ovary 

 abortive, with stigmas nearly sessile. Staminate trees rare. 



FRUIT. April-May ; i-celled, long-conical, short-stalked 

 capsule, about % inc'h long, containing many minute seeds whidh 

 are furnished with long, silky, white hairs. 



WINTER-BUDS. Terminal bud absent; lateral buds long- 

 conical, pointed, glabrous, bright red-brown, about Y^ inch long. 



BARK. Twigs pubescent, yellow-green, often reddish, be- 

 coming glabrous, lustrous, brown ; thick, gray on the trunk, 

 smooth in young trees, very rough, irregularly scaly-ridged in 

 old trees. 



WOOD. Light, soft, tough, close-grained, red-brown, with 

 thick, w'hitish sapwood. 



NOTES. A native of Europe and Asia, where it is a valu- 

 able timber tree. Hardy throughout the state and of very rapid 

 growth. Thrives in rich, damp soil. Easily grown from cuttings. 

 The twigs are very brittle at the base and are easily broken by 

 the wind, hence the name Brittle Willow. 



41 



