48 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



MEDICINAL PROPERTIES are not mentioned in the pharmacopoea 

 specifically of this willow, but doubtless those common to the willows 

 generally, and mentioned in our account of the 8. nigra (Part II, 

 p. 37), are found in this species. 



297. SALIX MISSOURIENSIS, MUEHL. 

 MISSOURI WILLOW. 



Ger., Missouri Weide; Fr., Saule de Missouri; Sp., Sauce de 



Missouri. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: Leaves involute in the bud, lanceolate to oblanceolate 

 and occasionally ovate-lanceolate, 3-5 in. long, narrowed and wedge-shaped or 

 rounded at base, acuminate, finely serrate with small gland-tipped teeth, pubescent 

 at first but finally nearly glabrous, dark green above, paler and often glaucous 

 beneath; petioles pubescent; the persistent stipules semicordate, often % in. long; 

 winter buds large and hoary-tomentose ; branchlets pubescent the first season. 

 Flowers unfold very early ( February-March ) on short branchlets bearing small 

 scale-like leaves; staminate about 1% in. long; scales light green, hairy outside; 

 stamens 2 with long glabrous free filaments; ovary glabrous, beaked, with very 

 short style and emarginate stigmas. Fruit a narrow cylindrical ovoid long-pointed 

 capsule with slender stalk about as long as the scale. 



The Missouri Willow is a small tree, occasionally attaining the 

 height of 50 or 60 ft. (18 m.) and a thickness of trunk of 12 to 18 

 in. (0.40 m.). It develops a rather narrow rounded top of upright 

 slender branches and pubescent branchlets. The bark of trunk is 

 gray in color and quite thin and smooth, only becoming moderately 

 roughened with age with shallow scaly longitudinal ridges. The 

 smoothness of bark is particularly pronounced on the larger branches. 



HABITAT. - - The rich alluvial bottom-lands of the lower Missouri 

 river from western Iowa and eastern Nebraska to its mouth, and of 

 the Mississippi river from eastern Iowa to southeastern Missouri. 

 The principal area of distribution is within the state of Missouri, 

 from which fact it receives its name. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. Wood soft, light, not strong, with 

 numerous obscure medullary rays and quite uniformly distributed 

 fine open ducts. It is of a reddish brown color with thin whitish 

 sap-wood. It is quite durable in contact with the soil. Specific 

 Gravity, 0.6069; Percentage of Ash, 0.59; Relative Approximate 

 Fuel Value, 0.6033 ; Weight of a Cubic Foot 'in Pounds, 37.82. 



USES. - - The principal use of the Missouri Willow is for fence- 

 posts and stakes, due to its exceptional durability in contact with the 

 soil. 



