CL. XXII.] 34. bALlX CAPIIEA. 439 



CLASS xxir. 



34. 



Salix Caprea, L. 



Sohlweide. — French, Saule marceau- — Engl. Great rounds 

 leaved salloxv, — Ital. Salcio a grandefogVte. — Swed. S'dlg- 

 pihl. 



As the willows of all known plants shew least constancy in 

 their forms, so the Salix Caprea, is perhaps of all willows, that 

 which is subject to the greatest variations of fgnn, Situation 

 has a powerful effect upon it ; for commonly it grows on a 

 somewhat dry soil, but frequently also upon a moist and 

 boggy one, where it undergoes a remarkable change in the 

 size of the stem, and in the shape of the leaves. But even 

 on the same soil we observe such differences in its structure, 

 and particularly in the form of the leaves, that those persons 

 may easily be excused who have regarded such different 

 forms, when they have seen them single, and in dried speci- 

 mens, as peculiar species. We are most secure, when we 

 hold to those characters which never vary. These are — 

 1. Early catkins, w^hich appear before the leaves. 2. Fe- 

 male catkins, short and thick. 3. The germen tomen- 

 tose, or covered with silky hairs, and also ventricosc. 4. 

 Broad, almost ovate or oblong leaves, quite entire when they 

 are young, afterwards dentated and undulated, either green 

 or hairy above, but always tomentose, and intersected by re- 

 ticular veins below. 5. Lunulate dentate stipula?, which are 

 either persistent or fall off. 6. Smooth filaments. 



The size varies uncommonly. The Salix Caprea is usually 

 a moderate sized tree, from eight to ten feet high : frequently 

 it is a branchy shrub, with a greyish-brown, pretty smooth 



