*3° 



Fam. 2. Salicaceae. 



Trees or shrubs with simple, entire leaves. Flowers 

 dioecious, in catkins, each flower supported by a bract. 

 Perianth none. J flower: stamens 2 5 or more; y flower: 

 ovary sessile, 1 -celled, with 2 parietal placentas and nu- 

 merous, anatropous ovules. Styles 2 ; fruit a bivalved 

 eapsule ; seeds numerous, minute, without endosperm, 

 each one enclosed in a basal tuft of hairs. 



The Cape willow, wilgeboom, Sa/ix ca pen sis, is widely 

 distributed along the banks of rivers. The flowers attract 

 bees and beetles. The seeds are easily spread by the wind, 

 but lose their vitality within a few weeks. S. Wilmsii 

 occurs in the Transvaal and S. JVoodii in Natal. Two 

 species of poplar are well acclimatised, viz. the silver-poplar 

 (P. ca?tescens) and the Lombardy-poplar (P. pyj'cwiidalis) ; 

 the former spreading rapidly when planted in swampy 

 situations. (Populierboom.) 



<&>«EB>--- U 



6. 



Fig. 72. Sa/ix capensis Thunb. i. £ twig in flower. 2. Flower (pentandrous). io/l. 

 d. Disc. 3. % spike. 10/1. d. Disc. 4. Ripe fruit, split open. 3/1. 5. Seed. 5/1. 

 6. Diagram of £ flower, a. Axis. b. Bract, d. Disc. 



