Salix. | LXXIUI, AMENTACES, 413 
of a fine golden yellow; in fruit near 3 inches in length. Capsules ses- 
sile, cottony, tapering at the top, more than 3 lines long. 
A high northern and Arctic species, both in Europe and Asia. In Britain, 
confined to a few rocky alpine glens in Scotland. Ul. early summer. 
13. S. Myrsinites, Linn. (fig. 928). Whortle Willow.—A low, 
scraggy, much branched shrub, sometimes closely procumbent, though not 
creeping underground, sometimes rising to the height of a foot or more. 
Leaves small, orbicular, ovate or lanceolate, bright green, with prominent 
veins, and finely toothed ; usually with long, silky hairs when young, be- 
coming glabrous when old. Catkins, loosely cylindrical, } to 1 inch long 
in flower, 13 to 2 inches when in fruit, always borne on short, leafy shoots 
or peduncles. Capsules nearly sessile, about 2 lines long, more or less 
hairy. 
In the mountains of northern, central, and Arctic Europe and Asia. 
In Britain, only on the mountains of Mid-Scotland and of Sligo in Ireland. 
Fl. early summer. Under the name of S. Arbuscula, Linn., the British 
Floras include several plants which appear to be either varieties of S. Myr- 
sinites, of rather larger growth, with short peduncles to the catkins, and 
the leaves rather glaucous underneath, or perhaps small-leaved varieties of 
S. phylicifolia, showing in their more toothed leaves and more leafy 
peduncles an approach to S. Myrsinites, varieties of which have been 
recently figured as S. Grahami, Borr., and S. Sadleri, Syme. 
14, S. reticulata, Linn. (fig. 929). Reticulate Willow.—A prostrate, 
much branched shrub, often spreading to a considerable extent, but not 
rising above 5 or 6 inches from the ground; the branches glabrous or 
hairy when young. Leaves obovate or orbicular, quite entire, 3 to 1 inch 
long and broad, green, glabrous, and much wrinkled above, white under- 
neath. Catkins on rather long, leafless peduncles, at the ends of short 
branches, opposite to the last leaf; both males and females cylindrical, } to 
1 inch long, shortly downy but not silky-hairy. Capsules cottony, about 
13 lines long. 
In the mountains of northern, Arctic, and central Europe, Asia, and 
America, and Russian Asia. In Britain, confined to the loftiest Scotch 
mountains, 7. summer. 
15. S. herbacea, Linn. (fig. 930). Dwarf Willow,—The smallest of 
British shrubs, the half-underground stems creeping and rooting sometimes 
to a considerable extent, the branches seldom rising above 2 inches from 
the ground. Leaves obovate or orbicular, above half an inch long, finely 
crenated, green, glabrous, and veined like those of S. Myrsinites, or some- 
times slightly silky-hairy when young. Catkins very small, ovoid, and few- 
flowered, on very short, leafless peduncles, or almost sessile, opposite the 
last leaf of the young shoots. In fruit they sometimes attain half an inch. 
Capsules nearly glabrous, fully 2 lines long. 
In alpine pastures, in northern and Arctic Europe and Asia, and in the 
Alps and Pyrenees. Common at high elevations in the mountains of Scot- 
land, northern England, North Wales, and Ireland. FU. summer. 
IX. POPULUS, POPLAR. 
Leaves usually broadly triangular or nearly orbicular, on slender stalks 
