416 sAi-iCACE^. (willow family.) 



(S. myricoides, Muhl.) — Inundated banks of rivers and low meadows; com 

 men. — Shrub 2° -6° high: the first var. larger, or a small tree 6° -15° high 

 with leaves 4' -6' long. Fruiting catkins 2' -3' in length. 



U. S. ang'iistsita, Pursh. (Naekow-leaved Willow.) Zmms lan- 

 ceolate, acute, long and tapering to the base, slightly toothed, smooth and scarcely 

 glaucous beneath ; stipules half-heart-shaped ; catkins large, appearing before the 

 leaves; ovary tapering into a long style. — New York to Wisconsin and soutliwest- 

 ward. — Catkins resembling those of No. 4 in size and aspect; but the ovaries 

 are quite smooth and veiy white. 



§ 3. Catkins lateral, with a few leafy bracts at the base, appearing with the leaves in 

 May or June : ovary stalked, silky : stamens 2 : scales persistent. 



12. S. rostl'Ata, Richardson. (Long-beaked Willow.) Leaves oblong 

 or obovate-lanceolate, acute, obscurely toothed, downy above, prominently veined, 

 softly hairy and glaucous beneath ; stipules semilunar, toothed ; catkins cylindrical, 

 the fertile becoming loose in fruit ; pods tapering into a long beak, on stalks longer 

 than the yellow lanceolate scal&f. — Borders of woods and meadows. New England 

 to Penn., Wisconsin, and northward. — A shrub or small tree, 4° -1 5° high, 

 with soft velvety leaves, somewhat variable in form. A transformation of the 

 anthers into imperfect ovaries is frequently observable in this species, and occa- 

 sionally in some others. 



13. S. pliylicifolia, L. (Smooth MotrsTAiN- Willow.) Leaves hn- 

 ceolate or ovate-lanceolate, somewhat pointed, or obtuse at each end, remotely 

 and minutely repand-toothed, smooth and shining above, glaucous beneath ; fertile 

 catkins ovoid ; ovaiy ovoid-conic, very short-stalked ; style elongated; stalk of the 

 mature pods about twice the length of the gland; scales black, sparingly clothed with 

 long white hairs. — Moist ravines, on the alpine summits of the White Moun- 

 tains, New Hampshire, Oakes, Tuckerman, &c. — A low spreading shrab, with 

 leaves of a coriaceous texture when old. (En.) 



§ 4. CatJdns peduncled {long and loose), borne on tlie summit of lateral leafy branches 

 of the season, appearing in May and .June : scales greenish-yellow, more or less 

 hairy, falling before the pods are ripe : filaments slightly united, haiiy below. — 

 Shrubs and trees, with the branches very brittle at the base. 

 # Ovary sessile, smooth : stamens 2. 



14. S. jClea, L. (White Willow.) Leaves lanceolate or elliptic-lanceo- 

 late, pointed, toothed, clothed more or less tvith white and silky hairs, especially 

 beneath; stipules lanceolate; stigmas nearly sessile, thick and recurved. — Var. 

 vitellIna has yellow or light red branches; leaves shorter and broader. (S. 

 vitcUina, Smith Sf Borrer. S. Pameachiana, Barratt.) — Var. ciEEtjLEA has the 

 leaves nearly smooth at maturity, and gi'catly resembles the next species. (S. 

 cairulea, Smith.) — A familiar tree, of rapid gi'owth, attaining a height of 50°- 

 80°. (Adv. from Eu.) 



* # Ovary stalked, smooth: stamens 2-6. 



15. S. pkAgilis, L. (Brittle Willow.) Leaves lanceolate, taper-pointed, 

 mnooth, glaucous beneath (slightly silky when young), serrate with inflexed teeth ; 

 stipules half-heart>shaped ; stamens commonly 2. — Var. DEcf piens has dark 



