1 84 



The Willows 



from the same roots, and are seldom strictly erect. The tree grows in wet soil 

 from New Brunswick to western Ontario and North Dakota, south to Florida and 

 Texas. 



The branching is very irregular. The bark is rough, thick, nearly black, 

 whence the common name, and flakes off in narrow strips; the slender, smooth, or 

 somewhat hairy yoimg twigs are green to greenish brown, soon becoming darker; 



the winter buds are pointed and 2 to 3 mm. 

 in length. The narrowly lanceolate leaves are 

 often somewhat scythe-shaped, finely toothed, 

 long-pointed, 6 to 15 cm. long, 4 to 16 mm. 

 ■wide, bright green and smooth on the upper 

 side, a little lighter green and often hairy be- 

 neath, at least on the veins; their stalks are 

 slender, often hairy, 4 to 8 mm. long, the 

 stipules cordate or reniform, often large, those 

 of leaves of young shoots sometimes 16 mm. 

 broad and persistent until summer, but usually 

 much smaller and fall away early. The cat- 

 kins are borne on short, leafy branches of the 

 season, appearing from March to May, accord- 

 ing to latitude, and are 4 to 8 cm. long; their 

 bracts are ovate or oblong, blunt or acutish, 

 finely and densely hairy; the staminate flowers have from 3 to 7 stamens with fila- 

 ments hairy toward the base; the pistillate flowers have an ovoid stalked smooth 

 ovary; the notched stigmas nearly sessile. The pistillate catkins are from 5 to 10 

 cm. long and about i cm. thick in fruit; the capsules are smooth, ovoid-conic, 3 to 

 4.5 mm. long, borne on slender stalks i to 2 mm. long, several times as long as the 

 gland. 



The wood is light red-brown, soft and weak, the sapwood much lighter in color 

 than the heart; its specific gravity is about 0.44; it is seldom used except for fuel. 

 The tree grows rapidly in wet soil, and is useful for screen-planting along swamps 

 or streams. The bark is used as a tonic in domestic medicine. 



Fig. 140. — Black Willow. 



2. DUDLEY'S WILLOW — Salixvallicola (Dudley) Britten 

 Salix nigra vaUicola Dudley 



This tree inhabits river-banks in southern Califomia and appears to be spe- 

 cifically distinct both from the eastern Black willow and from Wright's willow 

 of the southwestern States, while closely related to both. It reaches a height of 

 from 8 to 12 meters. 



Its bark is dark-colored and rough, the young twigs yellowish green and slightly 

 hairy, becoming smooth and purplish or gray. The leaves are narrowly lanceolate, 

 pointed or long-pointed at the apex, narrowed at the base, finely toothed with 



