Trees of New York State 121 



SALICACEAE 



Salix discolor Miihl. 



Glaucous Willow, Pussy Willow 



Habit — Usually shrubby with many ascending branches, occasionally a small 

 tree 15-25 feet in height with a short bole 5-8 inches in diameter. Crown 

 round-topped, consisting of stout, ascending branches and twigs. 



Leaves — Alternate, petioled, in the typical form lanceolate to elliptic, 3-5 

 inches long, %-l inch wide, acute at the apex, wedge-shaped at the base, 

 irregularly crenate-serrate or entire and revolute on tlie margin, at 

 maturity thick and subcoriaceous, bright green and glabrous above, pale 

 white-glaucous beneath. Stipules lunate, foliaeeous, fugacious. Leaves 

 very variable in size and form, running into several varieties. 



Flowers — The first of the willows to blossom in the spring, the flower buds 

 beginning to open in March and April. Flowers dioecious, glandular, 

 borne in the axils of oblong-obovate, reddish brown, copiously hairy scales, 

 the whole forming stout, nearly sessile, oblong-cylindrical aments about 1 

 inch long appearing before the leaves from axillary buds along the stout 

 twigs. Stamens 2, with elongated, smooth filaments and yellow anthers. 

 Pistil solitary, consisting of a villous, oblong-cylindrical, attenuated, long- 

 stalked ovary and a short style with spreading, entire stigmas. 



Fruit — A large, pale pubescent, long-beaked, stalked, light brown capsule, 

 y^-Mi of an inch long, opening at maturity by 2 opposite sutures to 

 set free the minute, comose seeds. 



Winter characters • — ■ Twigs stout, lenticellate, terete, at first somewhat 

 pubescent, at length dull reddish purple and glabrous. Terminal bud 

 lacking. Lateral buds 1-scaled, ovate, flattened and acute at the apex, 

 dark reddish purple and lustrous, about % of an inch long. Mature bark 

 thin, light brown tinged with red, divided by shallow fissures into thin, 

 oblong, deciduous scales. 



Habitat — Wet marshy sites along stream courses and lakes, hanging bogs, 

 spring holes, and low meadows. 



Range — Nova Scotia and Manitoba, Maine to northeastern North Dakota, 

 south to Delaware, Kentucky and Missouri. Zones A, B, C, and D. 



Uses — Of little commercial significance. The aments are showy in the spring 

 and are sometimes collected for ornament. 



