A rdic Plant?: Morphology and Synonymy 



19 B 





try 



n Xfc, 



Salix Richardsonii Hook. 



From tributary to Coppermine river (below Bloody Fall). 

 F. Johansen. ) 



February 10, 1915. (Photo by 



" Pihumalerksiak island, Dolphin and Union Strait, N.W.T. [off Cockburn 

 point — R.M.A.]. The vegetation of this island is rather scarce and stunted 

 owing to its exposed position and poor soil (dolomite-rock or gravel); it is best 

 developed in depressions, or in shelter of protruding chff-parties or large boulders. 

 The conditions and the vegetation are thus similar to those found on the island 

 (except Chantry island) in the outer harbour at Bernard harbour, 



"The willows in question grew in patches here and there; generally several 

 plants together; growth prostrate, and each plant not nearly as spreading as 

 on the mainland. 



"Bernard harbour (mainland), Dolphin and Union strait. Very common 

 everywhere, especially on poorer soil (sand, gravel), where it is one of the domin- 

 ating plants. On such gravelly and sandy soil with little other vegetation and 

 where more exposed the plant spreads out over the ground (not half buried in 

 the sand as is the case with S. ovalifolia) in all directions, the whole plant remind- 

 ing one of a huge basket-starfish. The centre of the plant is elevated most 

 (thick trunk-bases, many dead leaves); and most of the leaves and catkins are 

 found at the terminal branch-ends, which seem to seek out small depressions 

 in the ground to shelter the twigs. The diameter of a very large plant may 

 reach a couple of yards; its height over the ground only a few inches. As is the 

 case with other prostrate willows the female catkins are less likely to be blown 

 off the plants during the winter, where these latter (not the catkins) are snow- 

 covered. In 1916 the season was several weeks earlier than in 1915, and the 

 catkin-buds were noticed to emerge from their bracts in the end of May, 1916; 

 though it took a whole month before the first flowers appeared. In 1915 the 

 first staminate flowers were noticed June 23 and the first pistillate ones (and 

 new leaves) five days later. The flowering begins earlier at the coast and on 

 island than farther inland. The flowers in the catkins have the following colours: 

 (1) staminate scales (bractlets) black with purple base and white hairs; small 

 inner scale (bractlet) purple; filament pale-pink; anthers dark rose-purple, 

 turning yellow when the pollen came out, later black. (2) pistillate: As the 

 staminate (capsules) dark purple, below with white woolly hairs." 



24657—21 



