CHAP. CHI.

salica'ce/e. .ya'i.ix.

1517

this tree; but Sir J. E. Smith (in his Eng. FI., vol. iv. p. 186.) says thatthey belong, probably, to S. Russelhana. The roots, however, of S. fragilisare used, in Sweden, to boil with eggs, to make them of a purple colour, atEaster; it being the custom there, as in many other countries, to makepresents of coloured eggs at that festival. A similar custom is said to haveprevailed anciently in Scotland. “ The withy, or .Salix fragilis,” saysGilpin, “ is of little value in landscape; and yet there is something beautifulin its silver-coated catkins, which open, as the year advances, into eleganthanging tufts, and, when the tree is large and in full bloom, make a beautifulvariety among the early productions of the spring.” ( Gilp. For. Seen.') Forthe properties and uses of this species as a timber tree, see p. 1460.

Statistics. In the environs of London, on the banks of the Thames, near Brentford, 50 ft. high.In Suffolk, at the bottom of the old Bury Botanic Garden, on the authority of Mr. Turner, the curatorof the new Botanic Garden at Bury, there was “a noble tree, 90ft. high; the diameter of the trunk7|ft., and of the head 54 ft. A portrait of this tree was lithographed by Mr. Strutt.” This tree,which grew on the banks of the Lark, was blown down during the hurricane of November 29th, 18 36.In Ireland, in the county Down, at Mount Stewart, 50 years planted, it is 57 ft. high ; the diameterof the trunk 3$ ft., and of the head 27 ft. In Russia, at Petersburg, in the garden of the TauridaPalace, 49 ft. high ; the circumference of the trunk 10| ft., and of the head 49 ft. There are plantsin the Hackney arboretum, and at Woburn Abbey, Fiitwick House, Henfield, the Botanic Gardenat Twickenham, and various other places.

i a 23. S. monspelie'nsis Forbes. The Montpelier Willow.

Identification. Forbes in Sal. Wob., No. 30.

Synonyme. ? S. fragilis var. ( Bcrrrer in a letter.)

The Sexes. The male is figured in Sal. Wob.

Engravings. Sal. Wob., No. 30.; end Jig. 30. in p. 1609.

Spec. Char., Sjc. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate, pointed, glabrous; green, shiningabove; pale, and somewhat glaucous beneath ; margins strongly serrated,glandular. Stipules ovate-lanceolate, deeply serrated. Catkins about2 in. long. Stamens 2. Bractea oblong, fringed. (Sal. Wob., p. 59.)A native of Montpelier, in France. Introduced into England about1825, or before, and flowering in the salictum at Woburn Abbey inApril and May. It forms a small tree, 10 ft. or 12 ft. high, with round,smooth, tough branches, forming a bushy head; the young twigs paleyellow, but becoming of a brownish green colour at the base, like the pre-ceding year’s shoots. The leaves are from 4 in. to 6 in. long. There areplants in the Hackney arboretum, and at Woburn Abbey, Henfield, andFiitwick House.

¥ 24. S. Russeli.w'.V^ Smith. The Russell, or Duke of Bedford’s, Willow.

Identification. Smith FI. Br., p. 1045.; Willd. Sp. PI., 4. p. 656.; Koch Comm., p. 15., at leastin part; Smith Eng. Bot., t. 1801.; Eng. FI., 4. p. 186.; Forbes in Sal. Wob., No. 28.; Hook. Br.FI., ed. 3., p. 422.; Mackay FI. Hibern., pt. 1. p. 246.

Synonymes. ? S. fragilis Woodv., and other medical writers; the Dishley, or Leicestershire, Willow:in some counties, the Huntingdon Willow. Koch has deemed identical with this the following: —S. pendula Ser. Sal. Helv., p. 79., from specimens from Seringe ; S. viridis Fries Nov., p. 120. ; S.rilbens Schrank Baier. FI., 1. 226.

The Sexes. The female is figured in Eng. Bot. and Sal. Wob. Smith, in the Eng. FI., states that hehad not seen the flowers of the male. Dr. Johnston, in his Flora of Berwick upon Tweed, states,that a male tree, which he has deemed of this species, is in “ New.water-haugh Plantation.”Engravings. Eng. Bot., 1.1808.; Sal. Wob., No. 28., and the frontispiece; our Jig. 1311.; andJig. 28. in p. 1608.

Spec. Char., Sjc. Leaves lanceolate, tapering at each end, serrated throughout,very glabrous. Footstalks glandular or leafy. Ovary tapering, stalked,longer than the bracteas. Style as long as the stigmas. (Smith E. F.)Smith states that he had not seen the flowers of the male of this kind;and this sex is not farther noticed in Sal. Wob. Dr. Johnston, in his Floraof Berwick upon Tweed, has noticed the existence of a male tree of whathe deems this species within the province of his Flora ; and has given thefollowing botanical description of it: — “ The male tree is very rare ; and, ifwe are correct in our determination of it, the figure in Withering is not good.Its catkins are 2 in. long, cylindrical, and yellow. Stamens 2. Filamentsnot much longer than the pointed, more or less villous, bracteas. Thecatkins stand on short leafy branchlets; and the young leaves are entire,1 in. to 2 in. long, but not otherwise different from the adult ones. Catkins