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S A L I X oleifolia.
Olive-leaved Willow.
DIOECIA Diandria.
G e n . C h a r . Male, Cal. the scales o f a catkin. Cor,
none. Nectary a gland at the base o f the stamina.
Stain. 1—5. Female, Cal. and Nect, like the male.
Cor. none. Stigmas 2. Caps, superior, o f 1 cell
and 2 valves. Seeds downy.
S p e c . C h a r . Leaves obovato-lanceolate, flat, minutely
indented, a c u te ; underneath glaucous and hairy.
Stipuke small, notched.
Syn. Salix oleifolia. Sm, FI. B r it. 1065.
O u r first knowledge of this Willow was derived from plants
sent by Mr. Dickson; but it proves to be not uncommon in
hedges and coppices in various parts of Norfolk, and is most
unquestionably a well-defined species. It produces catkins in
March, being one of the earliest of our native Willows; and
those catkins are larger than in any other wild species, except
S. caprea with which they nearly accord. The leaves however
are totally different from those of caprea.
S. oleifolia rises from 4 to 8 or 10 feet in height, with
straight, slender, divaricating branches, clothed with very fine
short down. Leaves a little spreading, straight and somewhat
rigid, tapering from the middle to the base, broader upward,
acute but not pointed, slightly serrated, or oftener toothed,
throughout; green, flat, and finely downy above ; glaucous,
with numerous, prominent, hairy, reticulated veins, beneath,
where they generally assume more or less of a rusty hue.
Footstalks of a moderate length, downy. Stipulse varying in
size, but never large; roundish, sometimes cloven and notched,
and when not very small they are reflexed or vaulted. Flower-
buds very large, downy, brown. Male catkins shortish, very
thick, with an obovate, brown, hairy scale, a blunt nectary,
and 2 distinct, long, conspicuous, golden stamina, to each
flower. The female we have not examined.