CHAP. cm.
AAUCA'CEAi. SA L1X.
1503
*1
#
Stamens in a flower more than 3, in most instances 5. Ovary glabrous.The plants trees of moderate size. Leaves large, glossy, fragrant, serrated,and having glands in the serratures,, from which a resin exudes. Stamensin each catkin so numerous and long, as to render the flowers, which, too,are in perfection at the same time as the foliage, quite handsome, and thetrees, in this condition, more ornamental than those of any other group.(Hook. Br. FI., ed. 2., with adaptation.)
f 16. S. penta'ndra L. The five-stamenedj/fotwraf Willow.
Identification. Lin. Sp. PI., 1442.; Willd. Sp. PI., 4. p. 658. ; Hayne Abbild., p. 221. j Smith Eng.Bot.,t. 1805.; Eng. Ft,4 p. 171.; Forbes in Sat Wob., No.34.; Hook. Br. Ft, ed. 3., p. 420. ;Wade’s Salices, p. 36,; Mackay Ft Hibern., pt. t. p. 246. ; Host Sal. Austr., 1. p. 1.
Svnmymes. S. pent&ndra, part of, Koch Comm., p. 13.; the sweet Willow, or Bay-leaved Willow.
The Sexes. Both sexes are figured in Sal. Wob. and Hayne’s Abbild. , and the maie in Eng. Bot.,with two views of an ovary. Both sexes are figured in Host’s Sal. A'istr.
Engravings. Eng. Bot., t. 1805, ; Hayne Abbild., t. 161.; Sal. Wob., No. 34.; Host Sat Austr,, 1 .1.1. f. 2.; our Jig. 1299. a; and Jig. 34. in p. 1610.
Spec. Char., Sjc. Leaves ovate, pointed, crenate, glandular, glabrous. Foot-stalks glandular at the summit. Stamens 5 or more, hairy at the base.Ovary ovate, tapering, smooth, nearly sessile. (Sal. Wob., p.67.) A nativeof Britain , on the banks of rivers and watery places;most frequent in the north. In 1804, this, and five orsix other distinct sorts were abundant on the banks ofGogar Burn, near Edinburgh , between Gogar House -and the junction of the burn with the river Almond.
It forms an upright tree, 18 ft. or 20 ft. high, withsmooth shining branches, and large, copious, shiningfoliage, so as to give the plant, in the summer season,the appearance of an evergreen. It is one of the latest-flowering willows, the flower seldom expanding tillthe beginning of June. The flowers are remarkablyfragrant, as are the leaves, especially when bruised:the fragrance, which is similar to that of the sweet
hay (Laurus nobilis ), but less powerful, is exuded _
from the resinous notches of the leaves, and from the barren catkins. It is oneof the most desirable species of the genus for planting in pleasure-grounds, onaccount of the fine display made by the blossoms, their abundant fragrance,the smooth, shining, rich deep green of the leaves, and the comparativelyslow growth and compact habit of the tree. Mr. Forbes states that, whencut down, this species produces tough flexible rods, fit for basketwork ;but, in a wild state, on the banks of Gogar Burn, where its five or six othersorts were periodically cut down for basketwork and for hoops, the shootsol S. pentandra were considered rather short and brittle, as compared withthose of the others. Phalm'na typicdides, the Gothic moth, which, Donovan(in his Insects , &c., vol. xv. p. 2. pi. 505.) says, is much esteemed by col-lectors in Britain , on account of its scarceness, inhabits this willow. Not-•jttading hs being generally rare, it appears that it was seen in 1826, inheshire, immense quantities, during a thunder storm. (See Mag. Nat.
>st., vol. iii., p. 404.) There are several plants in the Horticultural Society’sa ™ en > which, in 1834, after having been 10 years planted, were from. to Lj® ft- high; and others in the Hackney and Goldworth arboretums,and at Fktwick, Henfield, and Woburn.
Variety.
■ 2 hermaphrodiiica ; S. hermaphroditica Lin. Sp. PI., p, 1142.,5 F
1299 a
If S.