Characteristic 11 continued two
Trees and shrubs with long narrow leaves, leaves not bitter-tasting. (continued)
The group with these characteristics is divided into two: those without lower leaf hairs, and those with lower leaf hairs. Please note, at the beginning of the growing season, some species may initially have some hairiness, which, however, disappears later in the year. This is indicated.
With hairy underside of leaf
11z Leaf linear or linear lanceolate; (5)-11-14-(16) cm L; (0.7)-1-1.2-(1.5) cm W; underside shiny silky to terminal perennially hairy; leaf margin quasi-parallel; margin entire; somewhat curled; twigs (sometimes weakly) hairy.
► Salix viminalis (Various varieties of 'Wiedauw' according to branch colour: yellow, green, red, brown and black).
S. viminalis has catkins before the leaves. Salix schwerinii, which is similar, has leaves before the catkins.
11aa Leaf linear or linear lanceolate; 8-12 cm L; 0.4-0.6 cm W (very narrow!); underside persistently white downy matt hairy (instead of shiny silky as in Cat's Willow); leaf margin quasi-parallel, entire margin, somewhat curled.
► Salix eleagnos ssp. angustifolia (see also Appendix 3: the wild form)
11ab Leaves distinctly hairy on underside, upper side somewhat less hairy and more quickly becoming glabrous during the season; less silvery but more greenish-looking; often backcrossing with S. alba emerged plants.
► Salix alba
Important is the method of viewing the hairiness. With a leaf, upper or lower, it is always best to look at the hairiness from the leaf base towards the leaf tip. Then the hairiness, if there is any, is best viewed and assessed.
11ac Leaf blade (4)-7-9 (-12.5) cm L, (8)-12-16 (-25) mm W; fine and regular leaf serration; leaves strongly silky hairy below and above until late in the season; silvery-looking at a distance; stout shrubs or trees
► Salix alba var. alba
11ad Leaves shiny silvery-blue; leaf shape similar to S. alba but broader, 1.5 -3 cm W; long-lasting strong silky hairs; leaf teeth fine and regular; side branches upright, often pendulous.
► Salix alba var. caerulea
11ae Leaves similar to S. alba, see 11ab; twigs bright yellow to orange in 1-year-olds, very conspicuous in winter.
► Salix alba var. vitellina (S. alba var. vitellina cv. 'Britzensis' is a cultivated variety of var. vitellina with exceptionally shiny red or orange-red twigs).
See also Appendix 1 'Yellow and orange twigs'.
11af Leaves slightly and scatteredly hairy on upper and lower surface, grey-green, somewhat white frosted on lower surface; rather fine but somewhat irregularly toothed; generally intermediate between leaves of alba and triandra in terms of hairiness, toothedness and leaf width; young twigs when bruised lightly scented of rosewater, but the scent quickly disappears; stipules 3 mm L and 1 mm W, falling off quickly; twig ends sometimes somewhat angular; fruitlets glabrous and style short unlike S. x mollissima; male flowers with 2 or 3 stamens often 2 well-developed and 1 not mature; shrub or small tree; no peeling bark; slow grower.
► Salix x eriophora (syn. S. x erythroclados) S. alba x S. triandra
11ag Leaves sometimes opposite, very narrowly lanceolate, 2-5 cm L; leaf margin with protruding teeth shallow and far apart; green and smooth upper surface; lower surface green in subspecies 'interior' and silky-silverish (hairy) in subspecies 'exigua'; taste-tested leaves give triandra flavour but much more intense; when rubbed, leaves give a stiff impression; twigs reddish or yellowish-brown, smooth or nearly smooth; forms thickets rapidly along sites that flood regularly.
► Salix exigua (syn. S. interior)
