Handbook of Trees of the JSToetherr Stati-:s and Canada 



85 



The Sand-bar \\'illow attains a iiia> imiim 

 height of tjO or 70 ft. ami trunk (liaiiicti'r of J 

 fl,, but only in a very limited |ji>ition of its 

 vast area Joes it attain siieb iliniensions. It 

 is generally a small tree and often only a 

 slirub 5 ov G ft. in height. As a tree it de- 

 velops a narrow top with upright and imiiiu'd 

 hraiiehes, and its long narrow pendent leaxes 

 make it easily di.stinguishable. Comparatively 

 rare and loeal in the east it is very abundant 

 in the northern and western interior portions 

 of the eontinent, eovering the river banks and 

 adjoining low-lands with great thiekets of its 

 flexible erowded stems. In these regions it is 

 usually ttje first shrub or tree to spring \ip on 

 the newly formed sand-bars, holding them with 

 its strong roots and catching new deposits (jf 

 silt, until the sturdy C'ottonwoods can find foot- 

 ing and develop their towering trunks. 



The wood of the Sand-bar Willnw is srd't 



and light, a cubic foot when absolutely dry 



weighing 30.72 lbs. and is little used save for 



light fuel and charcoal. - 



Lravcfi involute in tlie tnid, liQcar-lanceoIate. 

 2-H in. long, srradually tapi-ring to hritli ends, rc- 

 ranrely dentate with smail glandular spreading 

 tn(-tli. glabrous. pubescent. yellowisli green : 

 stipules small, deciduous petioles short and not 

 glandular. /^Vna-cr.s ( .-\pril-May ) aments on 

 terminal short leaf.v branchlets, often branehin;. 

 witll pubescent peduncles or from axillary hurls rif 

 sann' hranchcs ; scales light yellow. villous ; 

 stamens i: wdth filaments sli.ghtly hairy at hasc : 

 ovary short-stalked with large sessile hiln.'d stig- 

 mas. Fruit capsules narrnw-nvuid. glahuate. 



1. Syn. Sa'i.r Ifiiif/ifolhi Miu-hl. 



