WILLOW FAMILY 



the shrubs that follow the watercourses, that shine 

 and gleam in the winter sunshine ; telling by their 

 brilliancy in February that spring is coming. One 

 species, the Pussy Willow, meets the goddess half 

 wav, with its furry catkins creeping out from under 

 their protecting scales. 



In order really to know a willow, it should be seen 

 leafless, when bursting into bloom, in full leaf, and in 

 fruit ; and as each species is dioecious, both pistillate 

 and staminate forms should be studied. This can be 

 done satisfactorily only in plantations definitely ar- 

 ranged for the purpose. 



BALSAM WILLOW 



Salix balsamifera. 



An irregularly branching shrub four to ten feet high, often 

 growing in clumps ; found in open swamps and low lands. 

 Ranges across the continent from Labrador to Manitoba, south- 

 ward to Maine and Minnesota; has been found in the White 

 Mountains. 



Stems. — Bark of old stems smooth, dull gray, branches olive ; 

 recent twigs reddish brown, shining. 



Leaves. — Alternate, simple, very reticuiate-veined, two to four 

 inches long, elliptic, ovate or obovate, rounded or heart-shaped 

 at base, glandular-serrate, acute or obtuse at apex. When full 

 grown are dark green, glabrous above, pale green or glaucous 

 beneath. Petioles long and slender. Stipules minute or none. 



Flowers. — May. Catkins borne on slender leafy peduncles, 

 expanding with the leaves. The staminate densely-flowered, 

 silky, cylindric. about an inch long: scales rosy, anthers at first 

 reddish, becoming deep yellow. The pistillate catkin in fruit, be- 

 comes very lax. two to three inches long. Fruiting capsule very 

 narrow, acute, not quite a quarter of an inch long. 



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