Salix barclayi
Salix pseudomyrsinites
Barclay's willow
firmleaf willow, tall blueberry willow
stipules foliaceous, (2–14 mm), apex rounded or acuminate;
petiole shallowly grooved, or convex to flat adaxially, 3–14(–20) mm, villous or pilose adaxially;
largest medial blade oblong, narrowly elliptic, elliptic, oblanceolate, or obovate, 33–70(–100) × 12–35(–48) mm, 1.6–2.8(–4) times as long as wide, base usually rounded or convex, sometimes subcordate, margins slightly revolute or flat, serrulate, apex acute, acuminate, or convex, abaxial surface glaucous, glabrous or glabrescent, hairs straight, adaxial slightly glossy or dull, glabrous or pilose, midrib pilose;
proximal blade margins serrulate or entire;
juvenile blade sometimes reddish, densely villous or glabrous abaxially, hairs white.
stipules rudimentary or foliaceous on early ones, foliaceous on late ones, (0.6–8 mm), apex acute or obtuse;
petiole shallowly to deeply grooved adaxially, 2.5–8 mm, glabrous or villous adaxially;
largest medial blade (sometimes amphistomatous), narrowly to broadly elliptic, oblong to oblanceolate or obovate, 32–109 × 10–47 mm, 1.8–4.8 times as long as wide, base convex, cuneate, or subcordate, sometimes cordate, margins flat, entire, crenate, or serrulate, apex acute, convex, or acuminate, abaxial surface not glaucous, glabrous or pilose, hairs (white, sometimes also ferruginous), wavy, adaxial slightly glossy, glabrous, pilose, pubescent, moderately densely short-silky, or velvety, midrib remaining pilose or short-hairy, (hairs sometimes also ferruginous, straight and geniculate);
proximal blade margins serrulate or entire;
juvenile blade sometimes reddish or yellowish green, abaxially glabrous, or midrib sparsely pubescent, or densely villous or short-silky, hairs white, sometimes also ferruginous.
adaxial nectary oblong, 0.5–1 mm;
filaments distinct, glabrous;
anthers yellow, 0.6–1 mm.
adaxial nectary oblong square, 0.2–0.4–0.6 mm;
filaments distinct, glabrous;
anthers purple turning yellow, 0.4–0.7 mm.
adaxial nectary oblong or ovate, 0.4–0.8 mm, shorter than or equal to stipe;
stipe 0.4–1.5 mm;
ovary obclavate or pyriform, glabrous, beak gradually tapering to styles;
ovules 18–24 per ovary;
styles 0.6–2.5 mm;
stigmas slenderly cylindrical, 0.28–0.48–0.72 mm.
adaxial nectary square or oblong, 0.2–0.4 mm, shorter than stipe;
stipe 0.8–1.4 mm;
ovary pyriform, glabrous, beak slightly bulged below styles;
ovules 11–18 per ovary;
styles 0.4–1.6 mm;
stigmas flat, abaxially non-papillate with rounded tip, or 2 plump lobes, 0.16–0.24–0.32 mm.
3–8 mm.
4.4–6.4 mm.
flowering as leaves emerge; staminate stout, 13–60 × 10–25 mm, flowering branchlet 0–17 mm; pistillate moderately densely flowered, stout, subglobose, or slender, 26–80 × 9–18 mm, flowering branchlet 4–24 mm;
floral bract brown or black, 1.6–2.8 mm, apex acute or rounded, abaxially hairy, hairs straight, wavy, or curly.
flowering as leaves emerge; staminate stout, 16.5–35.5 × 7–15 mm, flowering branchlet 0.5–12 mm; pistillate moderately or densely flowered, slender or stout, 10.5–68 × 5–20 mm, flowering branchlet 0.5–10 mm;
floral bract brown, black, tawny, or bicolor, 0.6–1.1 mm, apex retuse, abaxially hairy, hairs long-wavy or curly.
= 76 (based on putative Salix barclayi × S. barrattiana, see below).
= 76.
Salix barclayi
Salix pseudomyrsinites
Vegetative specimens of Salix hastata often are misidentified as S. barclayi. The characters that indicate S. hastata, or sometimes possible hybrids, are the presence of ferruginous hairs on juvenile leaves or adaxial midribs of mature leaves, leaf margins often entire or with teeth present only distally, and buds with inner membranaceous layer not separating from outer layer.
Salix barclayi is distinguished from S. farriae and S. hastata by having bud-scales with inner membranaceous layer separating from outer layer, juvenile blades glabrous, pilose, or moderately densely villous, largest medial blades oblong, narrowly elliptic, elliptic, oblanceolate, or obovate, margins always toothed, pistillate flowering branchlets 4–24 mm, staminate flowering branchlets 0–17 mm, floral bracts brown to black, moderately densely hairy, anthers 0.6–1 mm, styles 0.6–2.5 mm, and stipes 0.4–1.5 mm; S. farriae has bud-scales with inner membranaceous layer separating from outer layer, juvenile blades glabrous or sparsely villous, largest medial blades narrowly elliptic to elliptic, margins usually entire, pistillate flowering branchlets 1.5–14 mm, staminate flowering branchlets 1–5 mm, floral bracts bicolor, brown, or black, sparsely hairy, anthers 0.3–0.6 mm, styles 0.3–1.2 mm, and stipes 0.5–1.2 mm; and S. hastata has bud-scales with inner membranaceous layer not separating from outer layer, juvenile blades sparsely pubescent, largest medial blades narrowly to broadly elliptic, narrowly ovate, or ovate, margins usually entire, pistillate flowering branchlets 1.5–9 mm, staminate flowering branchlets 1–7 mm, floral bracts brown or bicolor, sparsely hairy, anthers 0.4–0.6 mm, styles 0.2–0.48 mm, and stipes 0.4–1.2 mm.
Hybrids:
Salix barclayi is morphologically highly variable. While it is possible that much of this variability is inherent, hybridization and introgression have played an important role.
Salix barclayi forms natural hybrids with S. arctica, S. barrattiana, S. brachycarpa, S. cascadensis, S. commutata, S. farriae, S. hastata, S. hookeriana, S. richardsonii, and S. stolonifera.
Salix barclayi × S. barrattiana is characterized by oily buds that stain the pressing paper yellow, and leaves often entire, or nearly so, and closely gland-dotted, and not glaucous abaxially. Some hybrids resemble S. barclayi in having ovaries glabrous and leaves serrulate and slightly glaucous abaxially, while others resemble S. barrattiana in having stipules marcescent and leaves short-hairy on both surfaces and not glaucous abaxially, but it is the presence of the oily buds characteristic of S. barrattiana that indicates their hybridity. The hybrids usually were from populations that included both parents. An important ramification of the discovery of this hybrid is that the specimen on which the chromosome number for S. barclayi (R. D. Dorn 1976) is based is a plant with oily buds, which has leaves with a mixture of weakly developed teeth and closely gland-dotted, entire margins, and is putatively identified as this hybrid. Further chromosome counts for S. barclayi are needed. Hybrids are known in British Columbia from the mountains in the Peace and Liard river basins, and in Mt. Robson National Park. The hybrid should be suspected wherever the parents occur together.
Salix barclayi × S. cascadensis, collected in Washington in alpine mats growing with both parents, has ovaries with hairy beaks indicating hybridization.
Salix barclayi × S. commutata resembles S. barclayi in having leaves glaucous abaxially, and S. commutata in having leaves hairy on both surfaces (northern British Columbia, Unalaska Island, and southeastern Alaska).
Salix barclayi × S. farriae is represented by a series of specimens resembling S. barclayi but with ferruginous hairs on juvenile leaves or on adaxial midribs of mature leaves, found from the Rocky Mountains of Alberta to southern Yukon and adjacent Northwest Territories. Similar specimens from Alaska may be the hybrid S. barclayi × S. hastata. Both of these hybrids require further study. See 63. S. hastata and 64. S. farriae.
Salix barclayi × S. hookeriana hybrids or introgressants at Tanis Lake, Alaska, have subentire leaves and stipes glabrous or hairy.
Salix barclayi × S. richardsonii hybrids and intergrades are relatively common in Alaska, British Columbia, and Yukon. They resemble S. barclayi in having catkins borne on distinct flowering branchlets, small stipules, anthers yellow and longer, and S. richardsonii in having marcescent stipules, branchlets and branches coarsely villous with spreading hairs, pistillate nectaries longer than stipes, and catkins sometimes on relatively short flowering branchlets.
Salix barclayi × S. scouleriana has the general appearance of S. barclayi but the densely hairy ovaries and the relatively long stigmas (0.9–0.92 mm) of S. scouleriana. It was growing with S. barclayi in openings created in white spruce by bark beetles.
Salix barclayi × S. stolonifera is characterized by relatively small leaves with irregularly serrulate margins, some young leaves reddish green, and a prostrate habit (G. W. Argus 1973).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Salix pseudomyrsinites occurs in Nunavut on Akimiski Island in James Bay.
Salix pseudomyrsinites and S. myrtillifolia, although sometimes treated as conspecific (R. D. Dorn 1975), deserve species rank. They differ in chromosome number and are distinct in habit, habitat, and general appearance, including glossiness of leaves, as well as a number of technical characteristics (L. A. Viereck and E. L. Little Jr. 1972; G. W. Argus 1973, 1997). There is no field evidence of hybridization, but some herbarium specimens appear to be intermediates, having the habit or habitat of one species and the leaf hairiness of the other.
Salix myrtillifolia is distinguished from S. pseudomyrsinites by having shrubs low, decumbent, 0.1–0.6 m, rarely to 1 m, of treed bogs and fens, juvenile and mature leaves typically glabrous, stipules usually rudimentary, 0.2–1.8(–5) mm, and styles often shorter, 0.3–0.7 mm; S. pseudomyrsinites has shrubs tall, erect, 1–7 m, of riparian habitats, juvenile leaves pubescent with hairs persisting on mature leaves, at least on adaxial midrib, stipules usually prominent and foliaceous, 0.6–8 mm, and styles often longer, 0.4–1.6 mm.
The nomenclature of these species is confusing. When treating them as varieties E. Hultén (1968) used the name Salix myrtillifolia var. pseudomyrsinites and R. D. Dorn (1975) used the name S. myrtillifolia var. cordata. At the species level, the name S. novae-angliae was used (L. A. Viereck and E. L. Little Jr. 1972; G. W. Argus 1973), but that name is illegitimate (Dorn) and is replaced by S. pseudomyrsinites (Argus 1997).
Hybrids:
Salix pseudomyrsinites forms natural hybrids with S. barrattiana.
Salix pseudomyrsinites × S. barrattiana is a rare hybrid that combines the characters of the two parents.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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