DIOECIA-DIANDRIA. Salix. 187 



the Oak. Hence this bark, taken for S.fragUis, has been found 

 useful, as a substitute for the Cinchona, in agues ; and if it has 

 occasionally disappointed some medical practitioners, they pro- 

 bably chanced, in such cases, to give the real fragilis. Tanners 

 have sometimes been, in like manner, deceived, and they will 

 find it worth their while to obt^erve the character of the tree, in 

 future, before they purchase its bark. On the other hand, when 

 the tree in question was first recommended for cultivation, by 

 the name of the Leicestershire, or Dishley, Willow, it was re- 

 garded with scorn, as " only the Crack Willow," a sort notori- 

 ously useless. This ignorance and prejudice are now removed, 

 and S. Russelliana is found the most profitable for cultivation of 

 any species of the genus, for the value of its timber as well as 

 bark, the rapidity of its growth, and the handsome aspect of 

 the tree. A famous Willow, planted by Dr. Johnson at Lich- 

 field, is the IhtsseUiana; as 1 am assured by the Rev. Mr. Dicken- 

 son, who has mentioned it in his edition of Shaw's Histoiy of 

 Staffordshire, p. 1 13, by the name of fragilis. 



21. S. purpurea. Bitter Purple Willow. 



Branches trailing, decumbent. Leaves partly opposite, 

 obovate-lanceolate, serrated, very smooth ; narrow at 

 the base. Stamen one. Stigmas very short, ovate, nearly 

 sessile. 



S. purpurea. Linn. Sp. PL 1444. FL Suec. 347. WiUd.v. 4. 672. 



FZ..Br.l039. Engl. Bot. v. 20. t. ^.388. Tr. of L.Soc. v. 6. l\3. 



Huds. 427. Marsch. Taur.-Cauc. r. 2. 4 J 2. 

 S. monandra. Arduin. Mem. I. 67. t. 1 1 Ehrh. Arb. 58. Curt. 



Lond.fasc. 6. i. 71./ 5; but not of Hofl'mann. 

 S. rubra, minimi fragilis, folio longo angusto. Buuh. Hist. v. 1. 



p. 2. 215./. 



In low meadows, about the banks of rivers and ditches, but not 

 common. 



In meadows betwixt Norwich and Thorpe. Mr. Crowe. 



Shrub. March. 



Trunk 3 or 4 feet high, with long, slender, smooth branches, spread- 

 ing widely, and, if not supported, trailing on the ground, very 

 smooth, of a rich and shining purple, with a somewhat glaucous 

 hue. Leaves partly opposite, partly alternate, on short, smooth, 

 rather stout footsialks, without slipulas, of a peculiar lanceolate 

 oblong figure, approaching to obovate, minutely pointed, quite 

 smooth, except a slight pubescence in their very youngest state ; 

 broadest, and most distinctly serrated, towards the end j con- 

 tracted, and nearly entire, towards the base ; their upper sur- 

 face of a deep glaucous green ; under more glaucous ; their two 

 sides in some degree unequal, or oblique. Catkins earlier than 

 the foliage, and often on different branches, opposite or alter- 



