Part 20

1. Winter twig, × 1. 2. Lateral bud, enlarged. 3. Leaf, × 1. 4. Staminate flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 5. Staminate flower, enlarged. 6. Pistillate flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 7. Pistillate flower, enlarged. 8. Fruiting branchlet, × 1/2.]

+SALICACEAE+

+Almondleaf Willow+

Salix amygdaloides Anders.

HABIT.--A tree 30-40 feet high, with a straight, columnar trunk 1-2 feet in diameter; straight, ascending branches form a rather narrow, rounded crown.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 2-6 inches long, 3/4-1-1/4 inches broad; lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, long-pointed; finely serrate; thin and firm; light green and shining above, pale and glaucous beneath; petioles slender, 1/2-3/4 inch long.

FLOWERS.--April, with the leaves; dioecious; borne in crowded, slender, pubescent catkins 2-3 inches long; calyx 0; corolla 0; scales yellow, villous both sides; stamens 5-9; ovary oblong-conical, with stigmas nearly sessile.

FRUIT.--May; 1-celled, globose-conical capsule, 1/4 inch long, containing many minute seeds which are furnished with long, silky, white hairs.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud absent; lateral buds broadly ovoid, gibbous, lustrous, dark brown, 1/8 inch long.

BARK.--Twigs glabrous, lustrous, dark orange or red-brown becoming darker orange-brown; thick and brown on old trunks, irregularly fissured into flat, connected ridges.

WOOD.--Light, soft, weak, close-grained, light brown, with thick, whitish sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Common throughout the state.

HABITAT.--Banks of streams.

NOTES.--Hybridizes freely with other willows, making its identification difficult.

1. Winter twig, × 1. 2. Portion of twig, enlarged. 3. Leaf, × 1. 4. Staminate flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 5. Staminate flower, enlarged. 6. Pistillate flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 7. Pistillate flower, enlarged. 8. Fruiting branchlet, × 1/2.]

+SALICACEAE+

+Crack Willow. Brittle Willow+

Salix fragilis L.

HABIT.--A tree 50-60 feet high, with a short, stout trunk 3-4 feet in diameter; stout, spreading branches form a broad, open crown.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 3-6 inches long, 1/2-1-1/2 inches broad; lanceolate, long-pointed; finely glandular-serrate; thin and firm; lustrous, dark green above, paler beneath, glabrous both sides; petioles short, stout, with 2 glands at the junction of blade and petiole.

FLOWERS.--April-May, with the leaves; dioecious; borne in slender, pubescent catkins 1-3 inches long; calyx 0; corolla 0; scales blunt, somewhat pubescent; stamens usually 2; ovary abortive, with stigmas nearly sessile. Staminate trees rare.

FRUIT.--April-May; 1-celled, long-conical, short-stalked capsule, about 1/4 inch long, containing many minute seeds which are furnished with long, silky, white hairs.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud absent; lateral buds long-conical, pointed, glabrous, bright red-brown, about 1/4 inch long.

BARK.--Twigs pubescent, yellow-green, often reddish, becoming glabrous, lustrous, brown; thick, gray on the trunk, smooth in young trees, very rough, irregularly scaly-ridged in old trees.

WOOD.--Light, soft, tough, close-grained, red-brown, with thick, whitish sapwood.

NOTES.--A native of Europe and Asia, where it is a valuable timber tree. Hardy throughout the state and of very rapid growth. Thrives in rich, damp soil. Easily grown from cuttings. The twigs are very brittle at the base and are easily broken by the wind, hence the name Brittle Willow.

1. Winter twig, × 1. 2. Portion of twig, enlarged. 3. Leaf, × 1. 4. Pistillate flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 5. Pistillate flower, enlarged. 6. Fruiting branchlet, × 1/2.]

+SALICACEAE+