BAY-LEAVED WILLOW. 479 



Up to this point the buds have had an oval shape with pointed 

 tip and base, but now the outermost leaves begin to turn backwards 

 and form a rosette round the inner ones which remain upright in 

 the shape of a cup. The leaves at this stage are soft, but the 

 thickness of the blade makes them practically opaque. The mature 

 leaf has a prominent mid-rib : its upper surface is a deep glossy 

 green ; its under-side a paler shade, and it turns to yellow before it 

 tails. The central rib is noticeable as a projection on the upper and 

 under-side of the leaf. 



CATKINS. 



Towards the end of May the soft yellow Catkins, which are 

 pointed and shaped like a cylinder, stand up in the centre of a 

 goblet of Iresh green leaves, at the base of which a pale green foot- 

 stalk is visible between the falling scales. The developed flower still 

 keeps an upward direction, and consists of a long axis, from all sides 

 of which spring at intervals groups of long yellow stamens (often five 

 in a group) tipped with pollen sacks of a redder colour. The 

 growth of the stamens in bundles helps to distinguish the flowers 

 from those of other Willows where they appear to be scattered 

 separately. 



The female Catkin is not fully developed till June. The Catkin 

 occupies the upper part of a single pale green stem nearly five 

 inches in length, and furnished with small leaves ; its length is about 

 three inches. 



The green florets are set on short foot-stalks, and point in 

 different directions ; they are shaped like a flagon, from the neck of 

 which (the style) protrude the dark stigmas in the form of a Y with 

 curved wings. 



