Salix 17^9 



on the upper surface, more abundant beneath ; serrations minute with incurved 

 glandular tips ; margin either ciliate throughout the season, or with the cilia deciduous 

 in summer ; petiole slightly pubescent. 



Catkins terminating short leafy branches and appearing with the leaves ; axes 

 white tomentose, densely flowered. Staminate catkins, i to if in. long, curved ; 

 stamens two, rarely three, base of filament slightly pilose ; scales concave, ovate- 

 lanceolate, almost glabrescent, slightly ciliate, nearly twice as long as the stamens ; 

 glands two, posterior quadrate and usually bilobed, anterior smaller and usually 

 entire. Pistillate catkins, very slender, if in, long ; ovary with a distinct pedicel, 

 which is twice as long as the posterior bilobed quadrate gland, conic, glabrous, 

 about ^ in. long, ending in a short style ; stylar arms spreading and bilobed ; scale 

 as long as the ovary, pubescent on both surfaces. 



S. vitellina is related to S. alba, but is distinct in the flowers, and has narrower 

 and less pubescent leaves. The flowers are occasionally unstable, three stylar arms and 

 three stamens being present instead of two, and the ovary is often peculiarly inflated 

 towards the apex. S. vitellina is variable as regards the amount of the pubescence ; 

 in one form the leaves are scarcely pubescent on the upper surface, and the margin 

 becomes non-ciliate ; while in another form there is appressed pubescence on both 

 surfaces, often dense beneath, and the cilia are retained on the margin till late in 

 the season. S. vitellina is possibly of hybrid origin, and though long known in 

 cultivation and naturalised in many parts of Europe is very doubtfully wild. Smith 

 states^ that Crowe found it wild in pastures at Ovington, near Watton, Norfolk. 



The following varieties are known : — 



1. Nzx. pendula, Spath, Cat. No. 69, p. no (1888). 



Branchlets pendulous. Leaves narrow, non-ciliate. " This is a beautiful weeping 

 tree,^ which is often sold under the erroneous name of 5. babylonica, var. aurea. 



2. Var. britzensis, Spath, Cat. No. 57, p. 67 (1883). 



Young branchlets bright red, pubescent. Leaves appressed-pubescent on 

 both surfaces, ciliate till autumn. This is a staminate tree. It is the finest of all the 

 coloured willows, the twigs assuming a beautiful red colour in winter. A thriving 

 specimen at Glasnevin is about 40 ft. high, and is narrowly pyramidal in habit. 



The golden willow is planted for ornament both in England and the Continent, 

 and is occasionally cultivated in osier beds.^ It is very striking in winter, and seems 

 to thrive in this country, though Smith states that the twigs are often killed by 

 severe cold, like those of 5". babylonica. We have seen no trees of great size, the 

 finest being probably two trees at Glasnevin, which are about 65 ft. in height and 

 8 ft. in girth. These are probably of considerable age, and have rough bark like 

 that of 5. fragilis. It was early introduced into North America, where it is 

 now very common in New England. (A. H.) 



1 Fl. Brit. iii. 1050 (1804). 



2 Dode, in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, Iv. 655 (1910), considers this to be a hybrid between S. mtellina and X babylonica, 

 and names it S. chrysocoma, Dode. 



^ Cf. EUmore and Okey, in Journ. Board. Agric. xviii. 914 (1912), who say that it is one of the toughest willows 

 grown, if used with the bark on in a green state. Hence it mostly produces rods, which are used for tying purposes. 



