ÿ iv. Misceilaneous Kinds.
W IL L O W S , O S I E R S , A N D S A L L O W S .
'ri'l '
jllj
14'). S. a lp in a ,
lk
L x v i n . î a u c a ' c e æ ; p o ' p u l u s .
G e n u s I I .
P O 'fU L U S Tourn.
Id e n tific a tio n .
T h e P o f l a r .
% c ; T h e o . N e e s a b E s e n b e c k
I l lu s t . ; S m i th ’s E n g . F ! ., 4 . p . 242.
JÂn. Syst. Dioe'cia Octândria.
G e n . l ì . G e rm .
S y n o v y tn c s . P e u p l i e r , F r . ; P a p p e l , G e r . ; P i o p p o , I ta l . ; P o p l i e r , D u t c h ; A lam o , S p a n .
D e r i v a tto n . S om e s u p p o s e t h e w o rd P ó p u l u s to b e d e r iv e d f rom p aU d , o r p a ip a lld . to v ib r a t e o r
s h a k e ; o th e r s , t h a t t h e t r e e o b t a in e d i t s n a m e f rom i t s b e in g u s e d , in a n c i e n t tim e s , to d e c o r a te
th e p u b lic p k ic e s in R o m e ; w h e r e i t w a s c a lle d a r b o r p o p u L i, o r t h e t r e e o f th e p e o p le . B u l l e t
d e r iv e s t h e n am e a ls o f ro m p o p u lu s , b u t s a y s t h a t i t a l lu d e s to t h e le a v e s b e in g e a s ily a g i t a t e d , lik e
th e p e o p le . I - r om th e S p a n is h n am e f o r th i s t r e e , a la m o , is d e r iv e d th e w o rd a la m e d a , th e n a m e
g iv e n to th e p u b lic w a lk s m S p am , f ro m t h e i r b e in g g e n e r a l l y p l a n t e d w ith p o p la r s .
Gen. Char., 4 c. Brac tea to th e flower o f each sex laciniated in its terminal
edge. M a le Jlower consisting o f a calyx, and 8 stamens a t fewest ; in many
instances many more. Female fiower consisting o f a calyx and a pistil.
{G. Don.)
Leaves simple, alternate, stipulate, deciduous ; entire o r serrated, with
th e disk more o r less oblate, and the petiole in most compressed in th e
part adjoining th e disk. Flowers in catkins, greenish, red, o r yellow. Seed
cottony, ripe in a month o r six weeks after th e appearance o f th e flowers.
Decaying leaves yellow, yellowish green, o r black. — Trees deciduous ;
natives o f Europe, Asia, o r North America.
They are all o f rapid growth, some o f them extremely s o ; and they are all
remarkable for a degree o f tremulous motion in the ir leaves, when agitated by
the least breath o f w ind. Th e catkins o f th e males o f most o f th e species are
very ornamental, from th e red o r dark brown tinge o f th e ir anthers, and from
their being produced very early in spring, when th e trees a re leafless. The
females of all th e species have th e ir seeds enveloped in abundance o f cottony
down ; which, when ripe, and th e seeds are shed, adheres to every object near
i t ; and is so like cotton wool in appearance and quality, th a t it has been
manufactured into cloth and paper, though it has been found deficient in
elasticity. T h e wood o f th e poplar is soft, light, and generally white, o r o f a
pale yellow. I t is o f b u t little use in th e arts, ex c ep t in some departments
J Í - ___________ 1 / » . > 1 » ! «. 1 . . .
which it burns. In these respects, i t is th e very reverse o f deal. Po p lar, like
other soft woods, is generally considered n o t durable ; b u t this is only th e case
when it is exposed to th e changes o f th e externa! atmosphere, or to water.
One o f th e most valuable properties o f th e poplar is, th a t it will thrive in
towns in th e closest situ a tio n s; and an o th er is, th a t, from th e rapidity o f its
growth, it forms a screen for shutting o u t objects, and affords shelter and
shade sooner than any o th e r tre e. All th e kinds, whether indigenous or
foreign, are readily propagated by cuttings o r layers, and some o f them by
suckers. The species which produce suckers may all be propagated bv
cuttings ot th e roots. They all like a moist soil, rich rath er than poor, particularly
when it is near a running stream ; but none o f them thrive in mar.shy
soil, as is commonly supposed, though in such situations th e creeping-rooted
kinds are to be preferred, as living on th e surface.
Î I. P . a ' l b a L . Y h e white Vo fia v , or Abele Tree.
I d e n ti fic a tio n . L in . S p ., 1463. ; E n g , F l . , 4 . p . 2 43. ; H o o k . B r i t . F l . , e d . 2 ., p . 432.
S y n o n ym e s . P P . à lb a la t if ò lia L o b . I c . 2. p . 193. fig . 1 . ; P . m à jo r M i l l . D ic t. 8 . 1
N o . 4 . ; P . n iv e a
W illd , . --- A r .w..b . 2 ......27. ; u.P ......... â lb a , n iv e a M a r t . M ill. ; »t h ...e » ...*n am 1....e ./o I f L e u k è , gl g iv a .„e II n to i.th iaio is sp e c ie s b UV v D .
io s -
■ ■ ■ r. 17/ ,-U 1 »
c o r id e s , is s t i l l u s e d am o n g th e m o d e rn G r e e k s ( s e e S m ilh P r o d . , S ib th . F l. G ræ c a ) ; t h e g r e a t
w h i te P o p l a r , g r e a t A s p e n , D u t c h B e e c h ; P e u p l i e r b la n c , V p r é a u , B l a n c d e H o lla n d e , F r a n c
P i c a r d , F r . ; A u b o , o r A o u b e r o , in s om e p r o v in c e s ; w e is s e P a p p e l , S i lb e r P a p p e l , w e i s s e A sp e .
W e is s a lb e r B a u m , Ge.r. ; A b e e lb o om , D u tc h .
D e r i v a tio n . _ T h e sp e c ific n am e o f W h i t e a p p lie s to th e u n d e r s u r f a c e o f t h e le a v e s , w h ic h , w h e n
q u iv e r i n g in tb e w in d , g iv e t h e t r e e a p e c u l ia r ly w h ite a p p e a r a n c e . T h e E n g l i s h n am e o f A b e le
:■
; !