y - [ 1388 ]
SA L IX purpurea.
Hitter Purple Willow.
DIOECIA Diandria.
G en. Char. Male, Cal. the scales of a catkin. Cor.
none. Nectary a gland at the base of the stamina.
Stam. 1— 5. Female, Cal. and Nect. like the male.
Cor. none. Stigmas 2. Caps, superior, of 1 cell
and 2 valves. Seeds downy.
Spec. Char. Decumbent. Stamen one. Leaves obovato-
lanceolate, serrated, smooth. Stigmas very short,
ovate, nearly sessile.
Syn. Salix purpurea. Linn. Sp. PI. 1444. Sm. FI. Brit.
1039. Tr. o f Linn. Soc. v. 6. 113. Huds. 427.
S. monandra. Arduin. Mem. 1. 67. t. 11. Ehrh.
Arb. 58.
W E have formerly gathered this Willow in the meadows
opposite King Street, Norwich; but it is now scarcely to be
found there, nor does it often occur in other places. At least
few of our British botanists appear to have seen it, else they
could hardly have so readily followed Hoffmann in considering
it one species with S. Helix, t. 1343. It agrees indeed with
that in having a simple stamen and 4-lobed anthera, but differs
in its spreading decumbent habit, never growing up into a
tree ; the rich purple of its branches, and the somewhat deeper
hue of its leaves. More Especially is it distinguished, as Mr.
Crowe first remarked, by having much more small and slender
catkins, a more elliptical germen, and small, ovate, obtuse,
nearly sessile stigmas. It flowers in March. The leaves are
very often opposite. The floral scales are small, obtusej and
black. The bark has a very bitter taste, as in S. Helix, to
which this species bears much the same kind of affinity as
S. Lambertiana, t. 1359, does to S. ForUuna,t. 1344.