Salix Salix, Rech.

28. S. hibernica Rech. View in CoL fit, Österr. Bot. Zeitschr. 110: 340 (1963).

Like 27 but leaves broadly lanceolate to almost elliptical, almost entire, broadest at or below the middle, broadly cuneate or rounded at base, apex very shortly acuminate (not tapering as in 25); lateral veins 9-12 pairs; petiole 2-3 mm, stout. Catkins c. 3 cm, dense. • N. W. Ireland (Ben Bulben near Sligo). Hb. (29-31). S. nigricans group. Shrub or small tree 1-4 m. Twigs pubescent, often glabrescent, blackish- to brownish-green. Leaves green and rather dull above, paler green or glaucous, pubescent or almost glabrous beneath, usually turning black on drying. Stipules usually rather large, semi-cordate. Catkins rather lax; peduncles short, leafy. Ovary glabrous.

This is probably the most polymorphic group in Salix as to size, outline, serration and pubescence of leaves. The circumscription of the group here follows Enander, Salic . Scand. 3: 9 (1910) and excludes all plants with a hairy ovary. Plants showing this character usually show one or more correlated characters pointing to hybridization with S. phylicifolia and S. myrsinites in Scandinavia, with S. atrocinerea and 5. phylicifolia in Britain, or with S. cinerea or other members of the Capreae in other parts of Europe. One of the more reliable vegetative characters of S. nigricans is the waxy bloom fading out towards the apex on the lower surface of leaves.

1 Adult leaves more or less glaucous beneath (but always green at apex), going black on drying; twigs slender; catkins appearing before the leaves; style and stigma long, slender 29. nigricans

1 Adult leaves ± green beneath, going black less easily on drying; twigs thicker and more nodose; catkins appearing with the leaves; style and stigma often shorter and thicker

2 Indumentum of young twigs and young leaves of rather dense whitish hairs; leaves ±elliptical; catkins with a long many­

leaved peduncle 30. borealis 2 Indumentum of short hairs, soon ±evanescent; leaves lanceolate to obovate; catkins with a short, few-leaved peduncle

31. mielichhoferi