164 TREES OF THE NORTHERN UNITED STATES 
Var. decipiens, with dark-brown buds; var. Russelliana, with more 
slender, brighter, and more sharply serrate leaves, the annual shoots 
silky-downy toward autumn: var. viridis, with tough, pendulous 
branchlets, and firmer, bright green leaves. 
4. Salix alba, L. (WaxHITE WILLow.) 
Leaves lanceolate or elliptical-lanceolate, 
pointed, serrate, covered more or less with 
white silky hairs, especially beneath; var. 
cerulea has nearly smooth leaves, at ma- 
turity of a bluish tint; stipules small and 
quite early deciduous. Catkins of flowers 
long and loose, on a peduncle; stamens 
usually 2; stigmas nearly sessile, thick, 
and recurved. May, June. A quite large 
tree, 50 to 80 ft. high, with thick, rough 
bark, usually having yellow twigs (var. 
vitellina); introduced from Europe and now 
quite common throughout. Branches very brittle at base. 
5. Salix Babylénica, Tourn. (WEEP- 
inG WILLOW.) Leaves linear-lanceolate, 
acuminate, finely serrate, smooth, glau- 
cous beneath; stipules small, roundish, 
oblique, acuminate; branches pendulous. 
A large, gracefully drooping tree, so 
extensively cultivated for ornament as to 
seem native; from Europe. 
Var. annularis (Ring-leaved Willow. 
Curled Willow) has the leaves coiled 
round into rings and spirals. 
8. Babylénica. 
6. Salix lucida, Mibl. (SHINING oR 
AMERICAN Bay WILLOW.) Leaves thick- 
ish, ovate-lanceolate, with a rounded 
base, a very long acuminate point, and a 
glandular petiole; when mature, smooth 
and shining on both sides. Twigs rather 
stout, polished, and dark green. Bark of 
trunk smooth. Fruiting catkins quite 
persistent. A beautiful small tree or 
shrub, 6 to 15 ft. high, of bushy form, 
2s, 1acida, New Jersey, north and westward. 
