14 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol.IV, No. 1, 
Saijx nigra X Salix amygdaloides. 
The two parents of this hybrid are so common and so closely 
related— one was formerly considered a variety of the other — 
that one would expect it to be one of the commonest crosses. But 
such is not the case. Less than half a dozen plants of it have 
been found within our borders. This is probably because Sa/ix 
aniygdaloidcs blooms two weeks earlier than Salix nigra and the 
two do not normally overlap, so that there is no chance for 
crossing. The scarcity of hybrids in this region is more remark- 
able from the fact that in some localities intermediates are very 
abundant. In the vicinity of St. Louis, where the southern Salix 
longipcs enters in and complicates the matter, Dr. Glatfelter 
reports that not half the plants are nominal and that there are all 
sorts of intermediates connecting them. 
Prof. A. D. Selby collected the first plant from this State. It 
is, however, not a good intermediate, but is much closer to .S'. 
nigra. Later one or two trees were discovered around Columbus. 
These also were not as nearly half way between the two as might 
be desired. During the summer just passed a very fine example 
was found within a stone’s throw of the new Lake Laboratory 
building on Cedar Point. 
It is a ver\’ fair intermediate between the two species. From a 
distance it resembles Salix aniygdaloidcs ; though only a bush in 
a thicket it has the clean branching habit of Salix aniygdaloidcs in 
contrast to the scraggly habit of the other species. The sleiider- 
petioled leaves hang with that peculiar grace characteristic of the 
Peach-leaved Willow. The buds are nearly as large as in that 
species, i. e., twice as large as in the Black Willow. But the 
leaves are lanceolate, neither as broad as one nor as narrow as the 
other commonly is. The coarser venation is that of Salix ainyg- 
daloides ; there is scarcely any marginal and the primaries are 
close, ascending. But the smaller veins show a reticulation as 
fine as in Salix nigra. The under surfaces of the leaves show no 
sign of the glaucescence of Salix aniygdaloidcs, but are onh’ 
slightly paler as in the other species. 
An Abnormality of Salix sericea. 
South of Columbus is a swamp, now nearly drained, which is 
one of the few places near the city where Salix sericca flourishes 
in abundance. Among several interesting forms growing here is 
one plant which may be .somewhat contaminated with some other 
species or simply abnormal. 
Part of its flowers are exactly as they should be in Salix scricca 
but others have a very peculiar appearance. The rhachis and 
scales are very wooly, covered with long white hair which all but 
conceals the caiisules. The latter are sometimes covered with 
