Dicotyledones. 29 



SALICACE^. WILLOW FAMILY. 



Shrubs or trees with light wood and alternate stipulate leaves. 

 Flowers dioecious, both staminate and pistillate in aments, which expand 

 before or with the leaves. Stamens i-many on the concave receptacle. 

 Pistillate flowers of a single, i-celled ovary with numerous ovules on 2-4 

 parietal or basal placentae. Seeds tufted with silken hairs. 



I. POPULUS. Poplar. 



(The classical Latin name.) 



Trees with rounded or angular twigs and resinous buds. Leaves 

 usually long-petioled, from narrow to broad. Staminate aments dense 

 and pendulous ; pistillate aments less dense, often racemelike. Staminate 

 flowers of 4-60 stamens ; stigmas 2-4, often large. Scales of the aments 

 more or less fringed. Flowers appearing before the leaves. 



1. Populus alba, L. (L., albus, white.) WHITE POPLAR. Young branches and 

 under surface of leaves white tomentose. Bark smooth and light gray. Leaves 

 truncate-ovate to nearly orbicular, with acute apices, irregularly dentate or 3-5- 

 lobed. Producing suckers from adventitious buds on the roots. Often planted for 

 shade. 



2. Populus monilifera, Ait. (L., monile, necklace ; ferre, to bear.) COTTON- 

 WOOD. A large tree with grayish green bark which becomes roughened with age. 

 Leaves smooth and shining, broadly deltoid-ovate, acuminate at the apex and 

 crenulate on the margins; petioles flattened and about as long as the blade. 

 Stamens as many as 60; pistillate flowers in long, pendulous aments. Along 

 streams and in moist soil. 



H. SALIX. Willow. 



(The classical Latin name.) 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves entire, usually long and pointed, with short 

 petioles ; branches very slender. Staminate flowers of i-io, usually 

 2 stamens. Bracts of the aments entire ; flowers with small glands. 

 Buds with a single scale and lining membrane. 



i. Salix nigra, Marsh. (L., niger, black.) BLACK WILLOW. Stamens 3-7 

 with pubescent filaments ; capsule ovoid and about twice as long as the pedicel ; 

 leaves short-petioled, narrowly lanceolate, and green on both sides. Stipules nearly 

 cordate, conspicuous. Along banks of lakes and streams. 



