36 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



Var. S. Lyalli Sarg. is characterized as follows: Leaves often 7-8 in. long, with 

 rounded or subcordate base; petioles more glandular and scales of pistillate 

 aments less hairy. 



Var. caudata (Nutt.) Sudworth, is characterized as follows: Leaves thicker, 

 more coriaceous, usually smaller and often falcate, wedge-shaped at base, and 

 green both sides; staminate aments thicker, more densely flowered; scales 

 dentate only near apex; branchlets yellow; buds larger and often villous below 

 the middle. 



The specific name, lasiandra, is from Greek roots meaning hairy stamens. 



This willow occasionally attains the height of 60 ft. (18 m.) with 

 yellowish ascending branches forming a rather irregular wide top with 

 foliage tufted at the ends of the branchlets, and trunk 2-3 ft. (0.80 m.) 

 in diameter. The bark of trunk is of a grayish brown color, divided 

 by shallow fissures into flat longitudinal ridges which exfoliate in 

 elongated friable scales. 



HABITAT. California generally, west of the Sierra Nevada moun- 

 tain?. In western Oregon, Washington and southern British Columbia 

 it is commonly represented by var. Lyalli, one of the most beautiful 

 of American Willows. The var. caudata is found among the Sierra 

 Nevada mountains and in the interior of the continent from northern 

 Montana southward to Colorado and northern New Mexico, growing 

 along the banks of streams, on lake shores and in moist bottom-lands. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. The wood of this species is light, soft, not 

 strong, brittle, with fine obscure medullary rays and quite uniformly 

 distributed fine ducts. It is of a yellowish brown color with thick 

 lighter sap-wood. Specific Gravity, 0.4753; Percentage of A#Ji, 

 0.60; Relative Approximate Fuel Value, 0.4727; Weight of a Cubic 

 Foot in Pounds, 29.64. 



USES. The highly ornamental nature of the variety Lyalli would 

 suggest its usefulness for ornamental planting. Little use is made of 

 the wood, though suitable for charcoal and other purposes. 



238. SALIX SITCHENSIS, SANS. 



SILKY WILLOW. SITKA WILLOW. 

 Ger., Weide von Sitka ; Fr., Saule de Sitka; Sp., Sauce de SitJca. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS : Leaves conduplicate in the bud , oblong-obovate, to 

 oblanceolate, 2-5 in. long, acute or obtuse with an abrupt point at apex, wedge 

 shaped at base, entire or obsoletely crenulate, pubescent at first at maturity, 

 lustrous dark green above, with the exception of a pale pubescence along the 

 stout midribs, white satiny tomentose beneath; petioles stout, pubescent, grooved, 

 scarcely -| in. in length ; stipules usually small falling away early, but on vigorous 

 shoots foliaceous and ^ in. in length ; branchlets tomentose the first season and 

 may be pubescent or glabrous and glaucous the second season ; winter buds about 

 in. long, puberulous, light brown. Flowers in slender erect densely-flowered 

 aments bearing small acute scale-like leaves at their bases; staminate aments 

 in. long; in broad, with yellow oblong-obovate scales rounded at apex 



