486 



BOTANY. 



Order Salicacese. — The Willow Family. DiOBcious trees and shrubs 

 with naked flowers — i.e., the perianth wanting. Tlie species, of which 

 there are 180, are principally found in the North Temperate and 

 Arctic Zones ; beyond the tropics they are rare, and none occur in 



Figs. 384-9.— Illustrations of Salix capb.ea. 



Pig. 



Fig. 387. 



Fig. 388. 



Fig. 389. 



Fig. 384.— Male catkin and separate flower. 



Fig. 385.— Female catkin. Fig. 386.— Female flower. Magnified. 



Fig. 387.— CroBS-sectlon of ovai'y. Magnified. 



Fig. 388.— Eipe fruit and seed. Magnified. Fig. 389.— Embryo. Magnified. 



Australia and the South Pacific Islands. Tliey contain a bitter astrin- 

 gent principle useful in medicine as a lebrifuge. 



Two genera only are known. 



Salix wrminalia, 8. purpurea, 8. eaprcm, and other species of the 

 Old World, are cultivated for basket-making. 



