486 SALICACE.E. (WILLOW FAMILY.) 



H_ H_ +- Prostrate or creeping and matted alpine shrubs. 



19. S, Uva-lirsi, Pursh. (BEARBERRY W.) Leaves elliptical and 

 pointed, or obovate and obtuse, less than V long, 3-4" wide, tapering at base, 

 slightly toothed, strongly veined, smooth and shining above, pale and rather 

 glaucous beneath ; aments borne on slender lateral leafy peduncles, oblong-cylin- 

 dric, 6 - 9" long, the fertile lengthening to 2' and narrowly cylindric, densely 

 flowered above, often loose below ; scales obovate, rose-red at the tip, covered 

 with long silky hairs; stamens rarely 2; capsule ovate-conical, brownish at 

 maturity; pedicel scarcely exceeding the gland; style distinct. (S. Cutleri } 

 Tuckerm.) Abundant over all the alpine summits of N. New Eng. and N. Y, 

 Closely prostrate, spreading from a stout central root over an area 1-2 in 

 diameter. 



20. S. herbacea, L. Leaves roundish oval, heart-shaped, obtuse or retuse, 

 less than V long, serrate, smooth and shining, reticulately veined; aments ter- 

 minating 2-leaved branch/ets > small, ovoid, 4 -\0-flowered ; scales concave, obovate, 

 obtuse, glabrous or slightly pubescent ; capsule subsessile. Alpine summits 

 of the White Mountains, and far northward. A very small herb-like species, 

 the half-underground stems creeping and rooting to a considerable extent, the 

 branches seldom rising above 1 - 2' from the ground. (Eu.) 



2. P(5PUIiUS, Tourn. POPLAR. ASPEN. 



Bracts (scales) of the catkins irregularly cut-lobed at the apex. Flowers from 

 a cup-shaped disk which is obliquely lengthened in front. Stamens 8 - 30, or 

 more ; filaments distinct. Stigmas 2-4, elongated. Capsules 2 - 4-valved. 

 Trees, with broad and more or less heart-shaped or ovate toothed leaves, and 

 often angular branches. Buds scaly, covered with resinous varnish. Catkins 

 long and drooping, appearing before the leaves. (The classical Latin name, 

 of uncertain origin.) 

 1. Styles 2, with 2-3 narrow or filiform lobes; capsules thin, oblong-conical, 



2-valved ; seeds very small ; leaves ovate. 



# Petioles laterally flattened ; bracts silky ; stamens 6-20; capsules numerous, 

 small, on very short pedicels. 



P. XLBA, L. (WHITE POPLAR. ABELE.) The younger branches and the 

 under surface of the rhombic-oval sinuate-toothed acute leaves white-tomen- 

 tose ; scales crenate, fringed. Frequently cultivated for shade, spreading 

 widely by the root, and occasionally spontaneous. (Adv. from Eu.) 



1. P. tremuloides, Michx. (AMERICAN ASPEN.) Small tree 20 - 50 

 high, with smooth greenish-white bark ; leaves roundish-heart-shaped, with a 

 short sharp point, and small somewhat regular teeth, smooth on both sides, with 

 downy margins, on long slender petioles; scales cut into 3-4 deep linear di- 

 visions, fringed with long hairs. Maine to the mountains of Penn., N. Ky., 

 Minn., and far north and westward. 



2. P. grandidentata, Michx. (LARGE-TOOTHED ASPEN.) Tree 60- 

 75 high, with smoothish gray bark ; leaves roundish-ovate, with large and ir- 

 regular sinuate teeth, when young densely covered with white silky wool, at 

 length smooth both sides ; scales cut into 5-6 unequal small divisions, slightly 

 fringed. Rich woods and borders of streams, N. Scotia to the mountains of 

 N. C., west to N. Minn, and Tenn. 



