760 



THE CATKIN FAMILY. 



2. Crack Willow. Salix fragilis, Linn. (Fig. 911.) 

 Eng. Bot. t. 1807, S. Busseliana, t. 1808, S. decipiens, t. 1937.) 



Very near the common W. t but usually 

 a more bushy though equally large tree, 

 and the foliage green and glabrous, or 

 very slightly silky when young ; the 

 catkins are rather longer and looser, the 

 flowers larger, the capsules more dis- 

 tinctly pedicellate and much more taper- 

 ing at the top. 



Widely distributed, like the common 

 W., over Europe and Eussian Asia, and 

 extensively cultivated, with nearly the 

 same geographical limits. In Britain, 

 believed to be indigenous in England, 

 Ireland, and southern Scotland. FL 

 spring. 



Fig. 911. 



3. Common Willow. Salix alba, Linn. (Fig. 912.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 2430. 8. ccerulea, t. 2431.) 



A tree of considerable height, the 

 foliage of an ashy-grey or whitish co- 

 lour ; the young twigs green, purplish, 

 or bright yellow. Leaves mostly nar- 

 row-lanceolate, pointed and toothed, but 

 not so finely as in the Bay TT. f and 

 when young silky white on both sides, 

 or at least underneath, often glabrous 

 when old but never of a bright green. 

 Catkins cylindrical and loose, on short, 

 lateral shoots or leafy peduncles. Sta- 

 mens always 2, usually with 2 glandu- 

 lar scales. Capsule glabrous, sessile or 

 nearly so, shortly tapering at the top. 



In moist meadows, and hedgerows, 



in marshes, along streams, etc., through- 



.big. 912. ou £ Europe and Russian Asia, except 



the extreme north, and extensively planted. Common in Britain. FL 



spring. The golden Osier (S. vitellina, Eng. Bot. t. 1389) is a variety 



of this tree, with bright-yellow branches, cultivated as an Osier. 



