AMENTIFEROUS PLANTS. 335 
monecious. In the month of February, after the leaves have 
appeared, the cylindrical elongated catkins composed of male 
flowers are left hanging, while the egg-shaped catkins composed 
of female flowers are erect and directed towards the sky. 
In the axils of each scale of the male catkin may be noted three 
flowers, one in the centre and two placed laterally; these three 
flowers are composed each of a perianthe of four divisions (Fig. 
374), and of four stamens opposite to these divisions,- with bi- 
locular anthers opening from without by two longitudinal slits. 
They are surrounded, independently of the scale of the catkin, by 
“pe secondary scales, two of which are to the right and two to the 
eft. 
In the axil of each scale of the female catkin, four secondary 
scales and two flowers may be observed; each of these flowers 
consist of a pistil only, the free ovary of which is surmounted by 
a short style divided into two stigmatic branches. The ovary 
presents two cells, in each of which is suspended an anatropal 
ovule. The fructiferous catkins are in the form of a Pine cone, 
with horizontal persistent scales, straightly juxtaposed and rendered 
coherent by a resinous substance spreading itself out ultimately to 
permit the fruit to escape. These fruits are compressed, surrounded 
on all sides by a coriaceous cork-like edging. They are unilocular, 
and enclose only one seed. | 
The Sarrcacem, a small order of Amentales, consisting of the’ 
Willows and Poplars, are trees or shrubs with alternate simple 
leaves with deliquescent primary veins, frequently with glands on 
the edges, and deciduous or persistent stipules. Flowers amenta- 
Ceous, one-celled ovary, and numerous cottony seeds. These downy — 
Seeds of Willows and Poplars, growing at the base of a leathery 
two-valved capsule, cannot be mistaken. 
oS The Willows (Salix) are very numerous in species, varying in 
S Size from the dwarf (S. herbacea), with creeping underground _ 
‘Stem and ascending branches, to S. Adba, the common Willow, thirty — 
- feet high ; they consist of Willows, Sallows, and Osiers, generally 
= with round, slender, flexible branches, with simple entire stipu-_ 
a late leaves, diccious inflorescence, and male and female flowerets _ 
f = long cylindrical catkins. The natural habitat of the Willow 
‘Son the banks of sluggish rivers, and in low marshy places; the 
