MONOCIILAMYDEJE. 119 



OED. LXXXV. SALICACEJE. 

 SALIX. WILLOW, SALLOW, OSIEE. 



Mr. Bentham, in his introduction to the Willow tribe, says, 

 " The great variations in the shape of the leaves of many species, 

 and the difficulty of matching the male and female specimens, or 

 the young and old leaves of those species which flower before the 

 leaves are out, have produced a multiplication of supposed spe- 

 cies, and a confusion in their distinction, beyond all precedent." 

 In his Handbook he reduces the species of British Willows to 

 15, considering that number to include all that can be called truly 

 distinct species. 



1. S. purpurea (purple Willow.} In marshy places and 011 

 banks of rivers. Either a decumbent shrub or a small tree. 

 Leaves lanceolate, widening upwards, pointed, narrowing below 

 into the stalk, serrate, green on the upper but whitish or silky on 

 the under side. Catkins appearing before the leaves, the males 

 sessile, anthers purple ; females shortly stalked, with 2 or 3 small 

 leaf-like bracts at their base ; capsule sessile and very cottony. 

 Bradley, near Newton. Banks of the Teign, near Whyddon Park. 

 (E. B. t. 1388.) Bentham gives, as varieties of this, 8. Helix, E. 

 B. t, 1343 ; 8. Forty ana, t. 1344 ; S. rubra, 1. 1145 ; and S. Lam- 

 bertiana, 1. 1359. T. in. IV. 



2. S. triandra (blunt-stipuled triandrous W.) In wet and 

 marshy places, willow-beds, etc. Height from 20 to 30 feet ; 

 leaves oblong-lanceolate, pointed, white underneath but not 

 downy. Catkins cylindrical, on short leafy shoots ; males with 3 

 stamens beneath each scale ; scales of female catkins persistent. 

 Paignton. Totness, etc. (E. B. t. 1435, and 8. amygdalina, t. 

 1936.) T. iv. v. 



3. S. fragilis (crack W.) In wet woods and willow-beds. 

 A large and bushy tree, with crooked branches. Leaves broadly 

 lanceolate, pointed, large, of a dark shining green, finely serrate. 

 Catkins long and loose ; male flower with 2 stamens ; capsule 

 of the female tapering at the top. Copse at Chudleigh. Marshes 

 below Clyst Bridge. Banks of the Teign, near Chagford. (E. B. 

 t. 1807.) The varieties of this, frequently met with in the same 

 localities, are S. Russelliana, E. B. t. 1808, and S. decipiens, t. 

 1937. T. iv. v. 



4. S. alba (common white W.) In moist woods, meadows, 

 hedgerows ; also in marshes and by riversides. A large tree, 

 growing from 50 to 80 feet high ; foliage of an ashy-grey. Leaves 

 narrow-lanceolate, serrate, the lowest serratures glandular, silky 

 on both sides. Catkins loose, on short, lateral, leafy stalks. Sta- 



