THE WILLOW FAMILY. 



211 



sented by scales, bracts, or involucre, which are in some 

 highly coloured. 



2. Monochlamyds. — Flowers unisexual or bisexual, 

 furnished with a calyx which is often highly coloured, 

 like a corolla; often small or rudimentary. 



3. Dichlamyds. — Flowers generally bisexual, with a 

 calyx and corolla ; the latter sometimes suppressed or 

 small and rudimentary. 



These characters are common to the greater number 

 of species of each division, but there are many excep- 

 tions, especially in dichlamyds, many having unisexual 

 flowers. 



Division I. — Aehlamyds (character as above) . 



THE WILLOW AND BIRCH ALLIANCE. 



The male flowers in this and the following alliance being 

 produced in Aments, are therefore generally known by the name 

 of AmentacecB. Their leaves are simple, entire or variously 

 lobed ; the Walnut family is, however, an exception, the leaves 

 being winged, and with the branches possess a resinous fra- 

 grance, which with the special character of the fruit, serves 

 to give this family a claim of relationship with the Terebinth 

 alliance, their only connexion with the present being their 

 incomplete flowers, and the males being in true Aments. 



The Willow Family. 



Salicace^. 



Trees or shrubs, some creeping on the ground. Leaves 

 deciduous, alternate, simple, rarely serrated. Flowers monoe- 

 cious or dioecious, males in catkins. Stamens free or mona- 

 delphous ; female (ovary) solitary, 1 -celled, becoming a two 

 valved fruit containing many feathery seeds. 



This family is represented by about 1 70 species belonging 

 P 2 



