AMENTACEJE. 



763 



oblique. Catkins sessile, the males 

 usually closely so, with a few broad, 

 scale-like bracts at the base, oblong- 

 cylindrical, an inch long or rather more, 

 and very silky-hairy; the females not 

 quite so close ; the bracts often more 

 leafy, and when in fruit 2 inches long or 

 more. Capsules downy-white, pedicel- 

 late, 3 or 4 lines long, tapering into a 

 long beak. 



In woods, thickets, and edges, along 

 streams, etc., throughout Europe and 

 Eussian Asia to the Arctic Circle. Com- 

 mon in Britain. Fl. early spring. It 

 varies very much in the size and shape 

 of the leaves, the amount of down, etc., 

 but generally distinguished from all the 

 preceding species by the cottony, not 

 silky, down, and wrinkled leaves, from most of the following by its 

 larger size. The grey Sallow (S. einerea, Linn.) is distinguished by 

 some as being more downy, by others as less so, with the leaves usually 

 smaller, and the catkins not quite so thick and silky. 



Fig. 916. 



8. Round-eared Willow. Salix aurita, Linn. (Fig. 917.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1487.) 



Allied to the Salloiv W. and perhaps 

 a variety, but more bushy ; the leaves 

 smaller, usually obovate, about an inch 

 long, but varying from orbicular to ob- 

 long, and then often 2 inches long ; they 

 are also more wrinkled than in the Sal- 

 low, waved on the edges, grey and 

 downy, especially on the under side ; 

 the stipules very conspicuous. Male 

 catkins closely sessile but much smaller 

 than in the Sallow, and the silky hairs 

 less prominent; the females about half 

 an inch long when in flower, an inch 

 when in fruit, on a short stalk, with 

 small leafy bracts. Capsules pedicellate, 

 2 to 3 lines long, tapering at the top. 



In woods and thickets, in Europe and Fig. 917. 



x2 



