SPERMATOPHYTA— SALICACEAE 



397 



Fig. 178. Peach-leaved Willow (Salix amygdaloides). 1. Flower- 

 ing branch of staminate tree. 2. Same of pistillate tree. 3. Staminate 

 flower, with scale, enlarged. 4. Pistillate flower enlarged. 5. Fruiting 

 branch. 6. Summer branch. 7. Bud and leaf scar. 1, 2, 5, 6, one- 

 half natural size. M. M. Cheney. 



Stamens, subtended by a cup-shaped disk; pistillate flowers with a 1-celled 

 ovary, stigmas 2-4, simple or 2-4-cleft; fruit a 1-celled and 2-4 valved pod 

 bearing numerous seeds provided with long silky hairs. There are only two 

 genera and about 200 species, found in temperate and Arctic regions. The bark 

 of some species of the family is used in medicine because of its astringent 

 properties. The willow contains the glucoside salicin Q^^^fi^. Poplar con- 

 tains populin CjpHjjOg. The Balm of Gilead (Poputus candicans) may cause 

 blistering, and the European P. balsamifera causes colic. 



Myricaceae. Sweet Gale Family 



Monoecious or dioecious shrubs with alternate, coriaceous, aromatic leaves; 

 flowers in short scaly catkins; staminate flowers with 2-16 but usually 4-8 

 stamens; ovary with 2-8 scales and 2 linear stigmas; fruit a small 1-celled 



