The Willows are a rr.be of plan,, nor left 
the difficulty which has hitherto attended the afcertainmg m 0 f her p!ants are fubjeft to an equal 
that this difficulty 1S " 0t Pfromrimdarcaufes 0 we are not to be diffieartened in our refearches, becaufe we 
» a more d.ligenr examination, and if we do nor fncceed 
“ one rime “ probably Lll at another; we have found, by experience, that the eye does not at all times 
pofTefs the fame degree of acutenefs, and that the eharaSer of a plant, which, at one period, has been over- 
looked, at another, has formed its moll prominent feature. 
Impreffed with tliefe ideas, we fet about inveftigating the Willows, with the greater pleafure indeed, as we 
find on examining them, that the parts of fmffi&ation, hitherto but little noticed, are capable of throwing 
a great light on the fiibjea : the ftamina in fome, and the pilhlla m others, differ m their appearance beyond 
expcBatiJn. Thus the male plant of the prefent fpecies, if every other charter were wanting, would be 
Hiftinguiftied when in flower from onr other Willows, by its ftamina alone ; each fcale of the catkin produces 
one filament only ; hence, according to Linnean nfage, it is called monandrous : but, it,.s very remarkable, 
that though there is only one filament, it fiipports two anther* and hence, in ftnfl propriety, it maybe 
confidered as diandrous. The anthene, before they open, are of a bright orange colour, and impart to the 
catkin an appearance ftrikingly beautiful ; the female catkins are fimllar in fhape, but want the brilliancy of 
the male. 
Unfortunatelv the flowering period in the Willows is of fhort duration ; during the greatefl part of the 
fummer, we have no flowers to affift us in our inveftigations, and even during that period, it frequently 
happens’, efpecially in the cultivated Willows, which are ufually raifed from cuttings, that we can difcover 
one fex only ; it is not fo, indeed, in thofe Willows which are more in a ftate of nature, yet, when the 
flowering is over, fize, mode of growth, leaves, ftipulae, or fome other part of the plant, will generally afford 
a good fpecific chara&er. 
The prefent fpecies, when out of bloom, is particularly diftinguifhed by the length, as well as delicate 
flendernefs of its twigs, and its fubglaucous fpurge-like leaves, but, above all, by their extreme bitternefs 
when chewed, it is for this reafon we have called it the bitter Willow. 
Thefe feyeral chara&ers, which are not liable to vary, and fome of which are always prefent, will, if in the 
leaft degree attended to, readily difcriminate this fpecies. The leaves of moft of the Willows are unfortunately 
fubjefl to a great diverfity of appearance from a variety of caufes ; thofe of the monandra are by no means 
exempt from this inconftancy of appearance ; they vary greatly, both in fize and breadth, and ftill more in 
the notchings of the leaves (fee the defcription) the ftalks alfo vary greatly in colour, being fometimes almoft 
yellow : the leaves on the fummits of the twigs are fometimes found towards the end of Auguft, of a brilliant 
red colour, which produces a moft charming effeft ; this Angularity is, however confined to particular plants : 
the tops of the branches are fometimes found expanded in this Willow into little fquamous heads, fomewhat 
refembling rofes, whence, by fome, it has been called rofe Willow ; this is the effeti of an infeft, and, of 
courfe, accidental. 
The falix vionandra grows fparingly in the neighbourhood of London, Tt is found mod commonly in 
hedges, fometimes in ofier-grounds, where it is accidentally introduced ; in fome parts of the North of 
England, there is no Willow more common ; it is the earlieft in bloom of any of the Willows we are acquainted 
with, flowering in mild feafons, by the end of February, ufually before the Caprea. 
The extreme bitternefs of the leaves and twigs of this fpecies, renders it vefy valuable for many purpofes. 
When ufed as a band or withe, it is never eaten by vermin ; nor, when formed into a hedge, is it browfed 
on by cattle ; even infefts prey on it much lefs readily than on the other fpecies. In fome parts of Yorkfhire, 
its twigs are ufed for making the fineft forts of bafket-work ; and, from the obfervations we have made, we 
fhould think it might be advantageoufly cultivated for fuch purpofes. By way of experiment, we one year 
planted a row of cuttings of all the common Willows, and were furprifed to find, that the very longeft one- 
year’s {hoot was that of the bitter Willow, it exceeded even that of the Ofier (Salix viminalis) which was the 
pext longeft. 
The bark of fome of the Willows has been ufed as a fubftitute for the Peruvian Bark in the cure of agues ; 
that of the prefent fpecies, from its extreme bitternefs, may probably prove more efficacious, 
The leaves of this plant become of a blueilh black colour in drying. 
ProfelTor Hoffman, who has publiflied fome very accurate figures and defcriptions of the Willows, indif, 
putably proves, that the purpurea and helix of Linn.® us are one and the fame fpecies ; he, therefore 
confidering them as fuch, rcjefts both thofe names, and adopts that of Arduini ; concurring, from the moff 
perfeft convi&ion, in opinion with die le rped Profeflqr, we follow him in this inftance of reform. 
