Characteristic 2 continued
Bark on older stems flaking off so that orange spots remain on the stem. (continued)
See remark below.
2L Stipule-like leaf appendages (pseudo-stipules) at the base of the young leaf blade later in the season; twigs becoming almost bare in the course of the season; young stems downy hairy; female clone only; light-coloured shrub compared to the next clone; late in the season recognisable from afar by typical golden-yellow colouration.
► Salix x mollissima var. undulata (S. triandra x S. viminalis)
2m Often stipule-like leaf appendages (pseudo-stipules) at the base of the young leaf blade later in the season; remain downy hairy during the season; from summer to winter the buds are distinctly hairy; female clone only; rather dark coloured compared to the previous variety. Hairy and indented catkins bud twice as long as in undulata, best feature.
► Salix x mollissima var. mollissima (S. triandra x S. viminalis)
2n Leaves longer than the other x mollissima, about as long as the viminalis parent; first densely white-hairy but very soon balding; leaf margin with very small teeth (loupe!); catkins are decisive in determination, bract catkins green at the base, white in the middle and pink-spotted at the top; very white silky hairs on the catkins' scales; sometimes some female flowers mixed with male ones; catkins-bearing twigs olive-green, older grey-brown.
► Salix x mollissima var. hippophaefolia (S. triandra x S. viminalis)
Remark on Salix x mollissima The hybrid Salix x mollissima belongs to a cluster in which there is a whole series of artificially created hybrids that range in appearance from var. 'undulata' (more tending towards S. triandra) to the var. 'hippophaefolia' (more tending towards S. viminalis). The variety 'mollissima' is pretty much in the middle of that spectrum, but still tending slightly more towards S. viminalis partly because of the heavy hairs on buds and twigs.
2o Leaf stalk 20 mm L usually brownish-red and somewhat hairy; glands under leaf base, often elongated; leaf 8-16 cm L; 1.5-2.2 cm W; 5-8x as L as B; 'heterophyllous' i.e. different leaf shapes, towards base more elliptic or inversely ovate, towards apex narrower oblong; leaf upper surface in young leaves often reddish; central vein red or reddish-brown; leaf tip +/- curved long pointed; leaf upper and lower bare or occasionally sparsely hairy; stipule long, pointed, persistent; leaf margin +/- fine and regularly serrate or partially irregular; spacing between teeth (1)-2-4-(5) mm; twigs running year olive-green-brown-red-brown, 2-year-old red-brown; easily decomposing at attachment; often shrub or small tree. Sometimes larger.
► Salix x speciosa (S. euxina x S. triandra) syn. S. x alopecuroides
S. euxina x triandra (1) differs from S. x fragilis x triandra (2). 1: very long leaf tip, bare leaves, beige twig color, persistent stipules and occasionally black winter buds. 2: more hair on the leaf due to the alba influence.
