Handbook of Teees of the Noetiiei.-n States and Canada. 



01 



The Missouri Willow occasionally attains 

 the height of 50 or tiO ft. with trunk from 10 

 to 14 in. in diameter. It develops a rather 

 narrow rounded top of upright slender smooth- 

 barked branches, and the bark of trunk is of a 

 grayish color, thin and smooth or with low 

 firm ridges. It is a tree of limited distribution 

 and confined mainly to the low rich bottom- 

 lands of the lower Missouri River, where it is 

 found in company with the Black Willow, 

 Sand-bar Willow, Peach-leaf Willow, the Sweet 

 Gum, Green Ash, Red Maple, etc. 



The wood is unimportant though sometimes 

 used for charcoal. 2 



Leaves involute in the bud. lanceolate to ob- 

 lanceolate and occasionally ovate-lanceolate. 3-.5 

 in. long, narrowed and wedge-shaped or rounded 

 at base, acuminate, finely serrate with small 

 gland-tipped teeth, pubescent at first but finally 

 nearly glabrous, dark green above, paler and 

 often glaucous beneath ; petioles pubescent ; the 

 persistent stipules semicordate, offer Vj in. long ; 

 winter buds large and hoary-tomentose : branchlets 

 pubescent the first season. Flowers unfold very 

 early (February-March) on short branchlets 

 bearing small scale-like leaves ; staminate about 

 11/2 in. long; scales light green, hairy outside; 

 stamens 2 with Ions; glabrous free filaments : 

 ovary glabrous, beaked, with very short style and 

 emarginate stigmas. Fruit: a narrow cylindrical 

 ovoid long-pointed capsule with slender stalk 

 about as long as the scale. 



1. Syn. Salix cordata var. veslita Sarg. 



2. A. W., XII, 297. 



