IlAxnaooK OK Tkkks of the XoRTiiKirx Statks AM) ("axaka. 4L^"> 



lets. Floiccrs (lia'rious in ci'^ct tomeutose aim-iits. cxpiuMlinji hcfoiv ihe leiives: staminate 

 anients about 1 in. long mav the ends of the brandih'ts: perianth wanting stamens ."J-TJ, 

 inserted on the bases of the seales, with distinct lilauients and oblong introrse 2-eelled longi- 

 tudinally dehiscent anthers: pistillate anients sniallci'. with perianth consisting of small 

 scales: ovary superior, 1-celled. with an elongated llatteueed recurved style, stigmatic on 

 inner face: ovult^ solitary, laterally attached, ascending. Fruit an elongated compressed dry 

 drupe, solitary or 2 or 'A together, with thin-walled nutlet: seed flatteened with oblong 

 blackish hiluni. tlesliy albumen, erect end)ryo and flat cordate cotyledons. 



THE CORKWOOD. Gkxus LEITXERIA Chapmax. 



The geiuis is (•liara(teriz(>d as above and contains a single sjiecies. It was named after 

 Dr. K. F. Leitner, a Cerman naturalist who was killi'd in Florida during the Seminole war. 

 For six'cies scv pj). 7 .'-7.?. 



WILLOW FAMILY. SALICACE^. 



Trees and slind)s with soft light Wdod. brittle twigs, bitter bark and of wide distribution, 

 chielly of the northern lieinispliere. They are grouped in two genera, having the f(dlow!iig 

 characters in common : 



Leaves deciduous, simple, alternate anAwith stipules (sometimes minute and caducous i . 

 Floirers dioecious, appearing in early sprin^before the leaves, in aments. from axillary buds, 

 a single small flower appearing in the axil of each scale of the anient, perianth wanting: 

 stamens 2-mauy. subtended by a disk and with intror.ee 2-celled anthers longitudinally 

 dehiscent : pistil 'with short style, 2-4-lobed stigma and 1-celled ovary having 2-4 parietal 

 placenta* and numerous anatropous ovules. Fruit a 1-celled 2-4-valved ovoid capsule, bearing 

 numerous minute seeds surrounded by long silky white hairs and containing short radicle, 

 flat cotyledons and no allnimen. 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



Scales of the aments entire : stamens 2-10 and buds with a single scale Salix. 



Scale of the aments incised; stamens numerous and buds with several scales. .. . Populiis. 



THE WILLOWS. Genus SALIX L. 



Tree;- and shruv.J'of Kid or 170 species of wide distribution throughout the northern and 

 a few in the southern hemisphere. They grow generally along the banks of streams and 

 in low moist soil from the Arctic regions to the tropics. Numerous natural hybrids also 

 occur. About TO species are found in North America and of these 21 are recognized as 

 trees ^f which 9 or 10 species are found in the northeastern states. Besides these we have 

 two or three natualized arborescent species. 



Lcares commonly lanceolate but ranging from obovate to linear: petioles short, some- 

 times glandular at apex and more or less covering the bud : stipules oblique, serrate, large and 

 persistent (especially so on young shoots) or small and deciduous: winter buds covered 

 with a single scale of two coats, the inner thin and membranous. Floirers in aments with 

 entire or glandular dentate bracts and disk gland-like, minute and nectiferous ; stamens 2-12 

 (mostly 2) inserted at the base of the scale, with slender and mostly free filaments and 

 small oblong anthers : pistillate aments usually erect or spreading ; ovary sessile or short 

 stipitate with short style, 2 short more or less recurved 2-cleft stigmas and containing 4-S 

 ovules on each of the 2 placentas. Fruit an acuminate capsule dehiscent by 2 recurved 

 valves: seeds minute, dark brown. 



The name is the ancient Latin name of the genus. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 

 a Stamens .3-7, with filaments hairy at base: aments terminating leafy branchlets and with 

 light yellow caducous scales 

 b Petioles not glandular : leaves 



c Pale or whitish beneath, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate 



With longer petioles mostly V> in. or more long S. amygdaloides. 



With very short petioles mostly less than i/, in. long S. longipes. 



c' fJreen beneath, narrow-lanceolate, long-pointed : petioles short ... S. nigra. 

 V I'etioles glandular: leaves taper-jiointed 



Lustrous dark green above, pale beneath, tliickish and finely serratt'. 



S. lucida. 

 Dull dark green (not lustrous) above, pale beneath, thiniiisli and more coarsely serrate. 



S. fragilis. 



huicc.)lat.> and reniotciv dent i.-ulate : 

 S. fluTiatilis. 



