SAI.ICACEiE. (willow FAMILY.) 413 



somewhat cut-toothed; fertile catkins long-stalked, ovoid. (A. unduUta, TTi/H. 

 Betula crispa, Mickc.) — On mountains and along streams which descend from 

 them, N. New England and New York, shore of L. Superior, and northward. 

 Shrub 3° -8° high. (Eu.) 



Order 110. SALICACE^. (Willow Family.)* 



Duecious trees or shrubs, with both kinds of flowers in catkins, one under 

 each bract, entirely destitute of calyx or corolla; the fruit a 1-celled and 2- 

 valved pod, containing numerous seeds clothed unth a long silky dawn. — 

 Ovary 1-celled or imperfectly 2-celled : styles 2, very short, or more or 

 less united, each with a 2-lobed stiofma. Seeds ascending, anatropous, with- 

 out albumen. Cotyledons flattened. — Leaves alternate, undivided, with 

 scale-like and deciduous, or else leaf-like and persistent, stipules. Wood 

 soft and light : bark bitter. 



1. SAIilX, Toum. Willow. Osiee. 



Bracts (scales) of the catkins entire. Sterile flowers of 2- 6 (rarely single) 

 stamens, accompanied by 1 or 2 little glands. Fertile flowers also with a small 

 flat gland at the base of the ovary on the inner side : stigmas short. — Trees or 

 shrubs, generally growing along streams, with round flexible branches and large 

 tough roots. Leaves mostly long and pointed, entire or glandularly toothed. 

 Buds covered by a single scale, with an inner adherent membrane (separating 

 in § 2). Catkins appearing before or with the leaves. (The classical name, 

 said to be derived from the Celtic sal, near, and lis, water.) 



§ 1 . Catkins lateral and sessile, appearing before the leaves in April or May : stamens 



2 ; scales dark red or broum becoming black, more or less hairy, persistent. 



* Ovary stalked, downy, hairy, or wooUy. 



H- Catkins ovoid or short-cylindrical, small : leaves entire or obscurely ivavy-toothed, 



hairy or woolly, loith prominent veins and more or less revolute margins, — Shrubs. 



1. S. Candida, Willd. (Hoaet Willow.) Leaves narrowly lanceo- 

 late, taper-pointed, or the lowest obtuse, the upper surface and young branches 

 covered with a thin web-like wool more white and dense beneath ; stipides small, lanceo- 

 late, toothed, about the length of the petioles ; catkins oblong-cylindrical, closely 

 flowered; ovary densely woolly; style distmct; stigmas 2-cleft; scales oblong, 

 obtuse. (S. incina, Michx., not of Schrank.) — New York and New Jersey to 

 Wisconsin, and northward; in bogs. — Steins 2° -5° high, with reddish twigs, 

 smooth and shining at maturity. The whole shrub of a very white aspect in 

 exposed situations, but greener in shade. 



2. S. tristis, Ait. (Dwaeip Geat Willow.) Leaves almost sessile, 

 wedge-lanceohte, pointed, or the lower obtuse, grayish-wooUy on both sides, the 



• I am indebted to John Carit, Esq., for the entire elaboration of this difficult family. (In 

 this second edition I have merely made slight additions respecting the range of some species; 

 and have reduced the Balm of Gilead to a Tariety of Populu» balsamifcra.) 

 35* 



