Flora Medica

652. S. pentandra Linn. sp. pi. 1442. Eng. J3ot.t. 1805.Smith Eng, Fl. iv. 171 Chiefly in the north of Europe, oftenin subalpine stations. (Sweet Willow.)A handsome upright tree, about 15 or 20 feet high, exhaling afragrant bay-like scent from the resinous notches of its leaves, as wellas from the barren catkins. The branches are smooth and shining.Leaves on stout, rather short, footstalks, with very small stipules, ornone at all, ovate, with a taper point their ; length 2 or 3 inches ;breadth 1 inch, or H inch ;both sides finely veined, perfectly smooth;the upper of a full, rich, shining green ;under paler, and more opaque;their edges finely and copiously crenate throughout, discharging ayellow resin, whence the scent originates. This resin, as Linnaeusobserves, stains paper between which the leaves are pressed, withrows of permanently yellow dots. About the top of each footstalk,in front, are several glands, likewise resinous. Catkins solitary,at the ends of leafy shoots of the present year, the barren oneslarge, dense, yellow, with oblong, obtuse, hairy scales, half the lengthof their 5 or 6, sometimes 8 or 9, filaments, which are more or lessdensely bearded at the base ;the common stalk or receptacle is alsohairy. Fertile catkins about the same size, often 2 inches long; theirreceptacle, and base of the scales, hairy. Ovary smooth, ovate,elongated and contracted in the upper part, much longer than thescales, on a very short stalk ; style thick, scarcely so long as thedeeply-cloven stigmas. Smith. Nees v. Esenbeck prefers the bark ofthis to that of any other species ;there is an aroma in it which theothers want.653. S. Caprea Linn. sp. pi. 1448. Eng. Bot. 1. 1488, underwhich name it is probable that all the " Sallows " should becomprehended, is officinal in the Dublin Pharmacopoeia, andwas contained in that of London for 1 824.POPULUS.$ Catkin . oblong, cylindrical, loosely imbricated every way,many-flowered. Bract a single-flowered, wedge-shaped, flatscale, unequally jagged at the summit. Calyx turbinate andtubular below ; dilated, undivided, and obliquely cup-shaped inthe border. Filaments 8, or more, capillary, very short. Anthersdrooping, large, quadrangular. $. Catkin as in the $ butgenerally shorter. Bract and calyx as in the $ . Ovary ovate,pointed ; style none ;stigmas 4 or 8, awl-shaped. Capsule ovate,of 2 concave valves, and 1 cell. Seeds numerous, small, ovate,each crowned with a tuft of fine hairs.654. P. nigra Linn. sp. pi. 1464. Eng. Bot. t. 1910. SmithEng. Fl. iv. 245. Watery places, about the banks of rivers.(Black Poplar.)A tall umbrageous tree, without suckers. Wood tough and closegrained.Bark thick, blackish, somewhat spongy. Branches smooth;rarely hairy when young. Leaves twice the length of their footstalks,deltoid, or unequally quadrangular, deep green, very smooth, pointed,319