412 THE CATKIN FAMILY. [ Salix. 
nearly sessile, with a few broad, or sometimes leafy, bracts at the base; 
the females more stalked, with the bracts more leafy, usually under an 
inch long when in flower, 1 to 2 inches when in fruit. Capsules shortly 
stalked, glabrous or silky or cottony-white, 2 to near 3 lines long when 
ripe. 
an woods, thickets, and waste places, near streams, in northern and 
Arctic Europe and Asia, and in the mountain districts of central and 
southern Europe. In Britain, chiefly in northern England, in Scotland, 
and northern Ireland. FV. spring and early summer. Among the numerous 
varieties published as species, often from specimens altered hy cultivation, 
two are generally recognized as distinct types, S. nigricans, Sm., which 
turns black in drying and is usually larger, and S. phylicifolia, which pre- 
serves its colour better and has usually a smaller and neater foliage. 
10. S. repens, Linn. (fig.925). Creeping Willow.—A low, straggling 
shrub; the stems creeping extensively underground and rooting at the 
base, ascending to the height of about a foot or more, erect and taller when 
cultivated in rich soils; the foliage and young shoots more or less densely 
- silky-white. Leaves oblong or lanceolate, under an inch long, rarely shortly 
ovate, or in luxuriant shoots narrow-oblong, and 13 inches long, usually 
entire or nearly so, and silky on both sides. Catkins cylindrical, usually 
about 6 lines long, and sessile when in flower, with a few leafy bracts at 
the base; when in fruit the peduncle lengthens, and the catkin often 
attains an inch. Capsules pedicellate, usually silky, seldom 2 lines long. 
On heaths, moors, and sandy places, in Arctic, northern, and central 
Europe, and Russian Asia, more rare in southern Europe. Common in 
Britain. Fl. spring. Varieties rather less creeping, with the leaves some- 
what wrinkled, and the white down rather more cottony, distinguished 
under the names of S. ambigua, Ehrh., or 8S. versifolia, showing in 
some respects a connection between S. aurita and 8S. repens, are 
asserted by German botanists to be accidental hybrids between those two 
species. 
11. S. lapponum, Linn. (fig. 926). Downy Willow.—A spreading, 
much branched shrub, usually low and scrubby, sometimes attaining 2 or 
3 feet or more in rich valleys. Leaves oblong or lanceolate, pointed, and 
entire, covered on both sides with a white cottony down, or, when old, 
becoming nearly glabrous above. Catkins closely sessile, with a few deci- 
duous bracts at their base; when in flower about an inch long, thick, with 
long, dense, silky hairs; when in fruit lengthening to 1} or 2 inches. 
Capsules sessile, cottony, about 2 lines long. 
In mountains, pastures, and wet, bushy places, in northern and Arctic 
Europe, and Asia, and in the mountains of central Europe. In Britain, 
only in the mountains of Scotland. #7. summer. It varies much in sta- 
ture and the size of the leaves, but is always distinguished from S. repens 
by the stem not creeping underground, and the much larger catkins, more 
like those of S. Caprea, and from the latter ‘species by the entire leaves 
and sessile capsules. 
12. S. lanata, Linn. (fig. 927). Woolly Willow.—A_ stout, much 
branched shrub, attaining about 2 feet in height, allied to S. Lapponum, 
but the leaves are usually ovate, covered on both sides with a thick, soft, 
silky wool, and the catkins longer, clothed with dense, long, silky hairs, 
