Salix Salix, L. Salix Salix, L.

48. S. myrtilloides L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 1019 (1753).

Low shrub with subterranean creeping stem. Twigs 30-50 cm, erect, brown, with short evanescent hairs. Leaves orbicular to narrowly elliptical with short, sometimes plicate apex, usually more or less rounded at both ends, dull green above, paler beneath, veins not prominent; margin entire and more or less reflexed; petiole up to 5 mm. Catkins c. 2 cm. Nectaries $ as long as the bracts. Ovary glabrous; style short. Swamps and peat-bogs. N. & C. Europe to C. Ukraine. Cz Fe Ge He N o Po Rm Rs (N, B, C, W) Su. The hybrid with 5. aurita L. (S. x rugulosa N. J. Andersson) is frequent and can be recognized easily by the more or less crenate, rugose leaves with more prominent reticulation and more or less pubescent ovary. S. myrtilloides x repens (S. x finnmarchica Willd.) is also frequent. (49-51). S. repens group. Recognizable, in spite of the extreme variability of most characters, by the creeping stem with ascending branches, the silky indumentum of the more or less entire leaves, the small catkins (not more than 2-5 cm) and the short style. Though the 3 components of the group evidently have different centres of distribution and in part also different ecological requirements, much intergradation is found, sometimes over extensive areas, and locally more or less stabilized intermediate populations may be observed.

1 Previous year’s twigs thick, dark, hairy; stipules often present; leaves obovate, densely covered on both surfaces with silky hairs 51. arenaria 1 Previous year’s twigs slender, pale, glabrous or sparsely covered with short hairs; stipules absent; leaves ovate-elliptical or linear, finally ± glabrous above, silky beneath

2 Leaves ovate-elliptical, with 4-6 pairs of lateral veins; catkins cylindrical; capsule glabrous 49. repens

2 Leaves linear, with 10-12 pairs of lateral veins; catkins globose; capsule hairy 50. rosmarinifolia

49. S. repens L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 1020 (1753).

Branches more or less procumbent. Previous year’s twigs slender, pale, glabrous. Leaves ovate-elliptical, finally glabrous at least above, silky beneath; margin flat and glandular; lateral veins 4-6 pairs. Stipules absent. Catkins cylindrical. Bracts flat, with dark apex. Stigma relatively long. Pedicel, capsule and filaments glabrous. 2« = 38. Bogs and swamps. N., W. & C. Europe extending to Italy and the Ukrainian Carpathians. Au Be Br Cz D a Fe G a Ge H b He Ho Hs It Ju Lu No Rs (N, B, W) Su. 5. aurita x repens group (<S. x ambigua Ehrh. ) is common wherever the parents meet.