Characteristic 14

Black catkins, visible from February.

14 Oval-elliptical satiné leaves; stiff and hard to the touch; leaves short tapered to blunt; 45-70 mm L; 15-25 mm W; serrate (fainter downwards) and glandular margin; both sides hairless; underside sea-green, upper side green with distinct pale green central vein; young leaves with red-tipped petioles; between the lateral veins (which are at 45° to the main vein) are so-called train-track veins, easy to view with magnifying glass underside of leaf; often twisted leaf one-third of the way from tip; stipules ear-shaped; twigs somewhat reddish along solar side; youngest twigs bright green, older ones olive green, oldest ones grey; bushy shrub up to 3 m H; the (exclusively) male catkins have orange-red anthers that turn yellow at maturity. 

► Salix gracilistyla var. melanostachys