TVEEDS AND USEFUL TLANTS. 



Serrulate Alkus. Common Alder. Candle Alder. 



Stem 8-10 or 12 feet high, and half an inch-1 or 2 inches in diameter, -n-ith crooked 

 and rather rigid branches." Leaves 2-4 incites long, strongly nerved, sub-plicate, thick 

 and subcoriaceons, smoothish ; petioles about half an inch long. Si<iminaie aments one and 

 a half to near 3 inches long, cylindrical, slender, flaccid, pendulous and sub-fasiculate 

 near the ends of the branches ; scales reddish-brown ; anthers yellow. Pistillate aments 

 half an inch to near an inch long, oblong, rigid, dark purplish-brown, persistent, on short 

 lateral branches below the stamiuate ones — ^whcn in flower, bristled wfth the dark-purple 

 exserted stigmas. 



Swarops and margins of rivulets; throughout the United States. Fl. March- April. 

 Fr. October. 



Ohs. This shrub is of little or no value, — and is only noticeable as a 

 frequent intruder in swampy meadows, and along rivulets, — where, if 

 neglected, the bush}^ growth soon gives the premises a slovenly appear- 

 ance. It is true, the Alders often make a comfortable shade for the 

 trout, in the little pools of our meadow rivulets ; but the tidy farmer 

 likes to keep even the margins of those streams clear of weeds and 

 bushes. The Speckled Alder (A. incana, Willd.) is found in similar 

 situations in New England and northward. It is distinguished from the 

 Common Alder by the polished appearance of its bark, and the whitened 

 under surface of its leaves. 



Order LXX. SALICA'CE^, (Willow Family.) 



Trees or shruls. with alternate simple leaves, persistent and leaf-like or scaly and deciduous 

 stipules and dioecious fioxcers in aments with 1-flowered bracts. Calyx and corolla none. 

 Slain ens \- maw J. Ovary l-celled, or imperfectly 2-celIed. many -ovuUd ; styles 2, \evy 

 short, or more or less united ; stigmas 2-lobed. Fruit a 2-valved X)od with numerous seeds, 

 clothed with a long silky down. 



1. SA'LIX, Tournef. Willow. 



[The .ancient classical name.] 



Amejits with the scales or hracts entire. Staminate Fl. of 2 - 6 stamens 

 accompanied l^y 1 or 2 little glands. Pistillate Fl. with a small 

 gland at the base of the ovary on the inner side ; stigmas short. Ti^ees 

 or shrubs with numerous round flexible branches ; leaves usually long and 

 narrow, entire or glandular-serrate, from buds covered, by a single scale. 



* Aments appearing before the leaves., lateral and sessile: stamens 2, 



1. S. yimina'lis, L. Leaves linear lanceolate, very long and taper- 

 pointed, white and satiny beneath ; ovary sessile, long and n-arrow, 

 woolly or silky. 

 Osier. Basket Willow. 



A large shrtib or small bushy tree, with long, straight and slender dranc7ies, tte young 

 twigs yellowish and pubescent. Leaves 3- 6 inches long, of a satiny lustre beneath. Amenta 

 cylindrical ovoid densely clothed with long silky hair. 

 " Wet meadows and cultivated. Native of Europe. Fl. April. 



Obs. This species, the common Osier of Europe, is cultivated to some 

 extent for its long flexible branches which are wrought irto baskets. 



