476 THE CATKIK FAMILY. 



sively planted. Common in Britain. Fl. spring. The golden Osier (S. vi- 

 tellina, Eng. Bot. t. 1389) is a variety of this tree, with bright-yellow 

 branches, cultivated as an Osier. 



4. Almond ^Villow. Salix amygdalina, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1936, S. triandra, t. 1435, S. lanceolata, t. 1436.) 

 A moderate-sized tree, often flowering as a shrub. Leaves rather narrow, 

 lanceolate, either paler or more frequently nearly white underneath, but not 

 silky. Catkins cylindrical and loose, on very short, leafy shoots, hke those 

 of the common W., but in the males there are always 3 stamens under each 

 scale, and in the females the scales are more persistent, remaining often till 

 the fruit is ripe. Capsules seldom 2 lines long, glabrous, usually pedicellate, 

 and but little tapering at the top. 



In moist or marshy places, in hedges, etc., all over Europe and Eussian 

 Asia, except the extreme north, and much cultivated for basket-making. 

 Frequent in some parts of southern England and Ireland. Fl. spring. 



5. Purple ^Villow. Salis purpurea, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1388, S. Helix, 1. 1343, S. Forhyana, t. 1344, S. rubra, 1. 1145, 



S. Lamhertiana, t. 1359.) 



A shrub, decumbent at the base, or a small tree ; the branches twiggy, 

 glabrous, yeUow, green, or purple. Leaves usually long and narrow, varying 

 to oblong, green and glabrous above, usually whitish or slightly silky under- 

 neath. Catkins appearing before the leaves, the males at least closely sessile 

 along the twigs, with only very small bracts at the base, narrow-cylindrical 

 but closely packed, seldom an inch long when in flower, shortly silky ; the 

 scales short, obtuse, and tipped with purple. Stamens united into an 

 entire filament with a double anther, or the filament forked, with an anther 

 on each branch. Capsules cottony-wliite, 1 to 1^ hues long, usually ses- 

 sile, and very obtuse. The female catkins, especially when in fi-uit, are 

 sometimes shortly stalked, with a few leafy bracts at then- base. 



In marshy places, and on river-banks, in temperate and southern Em'ope, 

 extending across Russian Asia, and northwards to southern Scandinavia ; 

 some varieties cultivated as Osiers. Spread over England, Ireland, and 

 southern Scotland. Fl. early spring. The broader-leaved varieties, com- 

 monly designated as S. purpurea or <S'. Helix, appear to be the most common, 

 the narrower-leaved S. rubra chiefly cultivated. 



6. Osier 'Willow. Salis viminalis, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1898, S. stipularis, t. 1214. Common Osier) 



A shrub, with long, twiggy branches, usually slightly downy, sometimes 

 growing into a small tree. Leaves long and narrow, often 4 or 5 inches, of 

 a silvery white underneath, with the silky down more copious than in any 

 other long-leaved species. Catkins cylindrical, sessile or nearly so, with a 

 few bracts at the base, an inch long or rather more, with rather long, silky 

 hairs. Stamens 2, as in all the following species. Capsules downy, about 2 

 lines long, tapei'ing towards the top. 



In wet places, along streams, etc., throughout Europe and Russian Asia, 

 except the extreme north, and the most commonly ciiltivat«d Osier. Fre- 

 quent in Britain. Fl. spring. The S. Smiihiana, VvUld. {S. moJli-ssima, 

 Eng. Bot. 1. 1509), is a rather broader-leaved variety, with the capsules more 

 distinctly pedicellate. 



