170 
SALIX FRAGILIS. 
Gen. Char. Male — Amentum cylindrical. Calyx^^^a, ^cdJj^er^ 
Corolla, 0. G/anc? of the base, nectariferous. ^j^^^^ 
«arr»5ri Female — ^jwenfum cylindrical. Co/yx, a scale. 
'Corolla 0. Style, bifid. Capsule one-celled, two-valved. 
Seeds downy. 
SpbC- Char. Leaves serrated, smooth, ovate, lanceolate, 
\,f\^iiples furnished with glandular teeth. 
The Willow is a well known tree, and the species of it found 
in these countries are very numerous, more than fifty being 
indigenous to Britain. The one under consideration grows to a con- 
siderable height, seiJiliii* ott large branches, and is covered with a 
wrinkled bark of a grey colour ; the leaves are long, narrow, and 
lahce-shaped, standing upon foot-stalks, which are furnished with 
glandular teeth ; the fructification is borne on that peculiar descrip- 
tion of calvx called an amentum, or catkin; there is no flower, pro- 
perly so called, the parts of fructification being limited to the 
stamina, pistillum, and nectarium; the stamina and pistillum, or 
male and female flowers, are seated upon difterent trees, which is the 
distinguishing mark of the class Dioecia, and they are accordingly 
called male trees, or female trees; the calyx, or common catkin of 
the male flower, is oblong, imbricated, enclosed by an involucrum, 
or common calyx, formed of a bud, and consistiag of scales, which 
are oblong, flat, expanding, and unifloral ; the nectarium is a small, 
cylindrical, truncated gland, containing honey, and placed in the 
centre of the flower; the filaments are two, (whence the order 
Diandria is designated) straight, filiform, longer than the calyx, and 
furnished with double antherae of four cells. In the female flower, 
the scaly catkin resembles that of the male; the germen is egg- 
shaped and tapering, so as to leave no distinct style, and is longer 
than the scales ; the stigmata are two, bifid and erect ; the capsule 
is ovate, one-celled, and furnished with two valves, which roll back ; 
/the seeds are numerous, egg-shaped, very small, aud crowned with a 
simple hairy pappus : the flowers appear in April and May. This 
tree is distinguished from the other species of willow by the readiness 
with which it breaks at the last year's shoot upon being slightly 
struck with the finger ; hence the name fragilis. Besides the above, 
some other species of willow are used medicinally, viz. the Salix 
Alba, (white willow) this species is indigenous, flowers ia April 
