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beak willow, Bebb willow, Bebb's willow, gray or Bebb's or long-beak willow, gray willow, grey willow, long-beak willow

dark sandbar willow, dusky willow

Habit Shrubs, 0.8–4 m. Stems: branches gray-brown or red-brown, glabrous or hairy; branchlets gray-brown to dark red-brown, glabrous, puberulent, densely long-silky, or villous to glabrescent.
Stems

branches divaricate, sometimes ± brittle at base, yellow-brown to dark red-brown, not or weakly glaucous, pilose to glabrescent, peeled wood often with very dense striae, to 25 mm;

branchlets yellow-green or red-brown, moderately to very densely villous to glabrescent.

Leaves

stipules rudimentary or absent on early ones, apex acute, acuminate, or convex;

petiole convex to flat adaxially, 2–5.5–13 mm, pubescent adaxially;

largest medial blade narrowly oblong, narrowly elliptic, elliptic, oblanceolate, or obovate, 20–44–87 × 10–16–45 mm, base cuneate, convex, or rounded, margins flat, entire, crenate, or irregularly serrate, glands submarginal, apex acute, acuminate, or convex, abaxial surface glaucous, moderately densely pubescent or long-silky to glabrescent, hairs white or gray, wavy, adaxial finely impressed-reticulate, dull or slightly glossy, moderately densely pubescent, sparsely short-silky, or glabrescent, hairs white or gray;

proximal blade margins entire, gland-dotted;

juvenile blade yellowish green or reddish, pilose or sparsely to moderately densely tomentose or long-silky abaxially, hairs white.

stipules absent, rudimentary, or foliaceous on early ones, foliaceous on late ones (apex acuminate);

petiole 1.5–8 mm, glabrous adaxially;

largest medial blade lorate, narrowly oblong, narrowly elliptic, narrowly oblanceolate, or linear, 30–133 × 5–20 mm, 3.4–8–15 times as long as wide, base cuneate or convex, margins flat, spinulose-serrulate or entire, apex acute, acuminate, or convex, abaxial surface glaucous or not, pilose, villous, or long-silky to glabrescent, hairs appressed or spreading, wavy, adaxial slightly glossy, villous to glabrescent;

proximal blade margins entire or serrulate;

juvenile blade reddish or yellowish green, densely villous abaxially.

Staminate flowers

adaxial nectary oblong or ovate, 0.3–0.8 mm;

filaments distinct or connate less than 1/2 their lengths, glabrous or hairy on proximal 1/2;

anthers yellow or purple turning yellow, ellipsoid or shortly cylindrical, 0.5–0.8 mm.

abaxial nectary 0.3–0.9 mm, adaxial nectary narrowly oblong, oblong, or flask-shaped, 0.4–1.2 mm, nectaries distinct;

filaments densely hairy on proximal 1/2;

anthers 0.55–0.7–0.9 mm.

Pistillate flowers

adaxial nectary oblong or square, 0.3–0.8 mm;

ovary obclavate, beak slightly bulged below styles (long-beaked);

ovules 6–16 per ovary;

styles 0.1–0.4 mm;

stigmas slenderly to broadly cylindrical.

adaxial nectary ovate, oblong, or flask-shaped, 0.4–1.1 mm, longer than stipe, nectaries distinct or connate and cup-shaped;

stipe 0–0.7 mm;

ovary obclavate or pyriform, glabrous, beak abruptly tapering to styles;

ovules 13–22 per ovary;

styles 0–0.14–0.5 mm;

stigmas slenderly cylindrical or 2 plump lobes, 0.2–0.5 mm.

Capsules

5–9 mm.

4–5 mm.

Catkins

staminate flowering just before leaves emerge, pistillate flowering as leaves emerge; staminate stout to globose, 10–42 × 7–16 mm, flowering branchlet 0.5–11 mm; pistillate loosely flowered, stout, slender, or subglobose, 16.5–85 × 9–32 mm, flowering branchlet 1–26 mm;

floral bract tawny, 1.2–3.2 mm, apex rounded, abaxially hairy to glabrescent, hairs straight or wavy.

staminate 18–48 × 5–13 mm, flowering branchlet 3–15 mm; pistillate moderately densely flowered, slender or stout, 22–58 × 4–9 mm, flowering branchlet 4–12 mm;

floral bract (sometimes brown), 1.3–2.8 mm, apex rounded (sometimes truncate), entire or erose, abaxially hairy mainly proximally, hairs wavy.

2n

= 38.

Salix bebbiana

Salix melanopsis

Phenology Flowering early Apr-late Jun. Flowering early May-mid Jul.
Habitat Riparian and upland conifer forests, wet lowland thickets, Picea mariana treed bogs, stream margins, lakeshores, prairie margins, dry south-facing slopes, cienegas, seeps, disturbed areas Riparian, floodplains, stream banks, subalpine meadows, coarse-textured substrates, silt
Elevation 0-3300 m (0-10800 ft) 600-3100 m (2000-10200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; CT; IA; ID; IL; IN; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MT; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; SD; UT; VT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; NU; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Asia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Salix bebbiana occurs in Nunavut on Akimiski Island in James Bay.

Hybrids:

Salix bebbiana forms natural hybrids with S. candida, S. geyeriana, S. humilis, and S. petiolaris. Reports of hybrids with S. discolor (C. K. Schneider 1921; M. L. Fernald 1950) are not based on convincing specimens, and synthetic hybrids could not be made (G. W. Argus 1974). Reports of hybrids with S. eriocephala and S. myricoides (Fernald) are unverified. Controlled pollinations with S. eriocephala and S. interior had low seed viability (A. Mosseler 1990).

Salix bebbiana × S. candida (S. ×cryptodonta Fernald, as species) is intermediate between parental species. It resembles S. candida in having juvenile leaves densely woolly, mature leaves sparsely to moderately woolly abaxially, margins strongly revolute to crenulate, and ovaries woolly; and S. bebbiana in having stipes 2.8–3 mm and capsules long-beaked, 8–9 mm. The hybrid commonly occurs in Newfoundland.

Salix bebbiana × S. geyeriana: A plant with the pistillate catkins and flowers of S. bebbiana and the narrow, entire or slightly serrulate leaves with white and ferruginous hairs of S. geyeriana was collected by R. D. Dorn in a mixed population in Montana (Beaverhead County).

Salix bebbiana × S. humilis: Reported by C. K. Schneider (1921) and M. L. Fernald (1950) and successfully synthesized by G. W. Argus (1974, 1986).

Salix bebbiana × S. petiolaris is known from Ontario, based on an infertile pistillate specimen, and from Alberta and Saskatchewan, where it is relatively uncommon. It was successfully synthesized (G. W. Argus 1974, 1986) and controlled pollinations showed high seed viability (A. Mosseler 1990).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Salix fluviatilis Nuttall, long used for a Columbia River endemic (see 22. S. columbiana), is a rejected name.

Hybrids:

Salix melanopsis forms natural hybrids with S. exigua var. exigua, S. sessilifolia, and S. sitchensis (R. D. Dorn 1998).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 7, p. 134. FNA vol. 7, p. 58.
Parent taxa Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Vetrix > sect. Fulvae Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Longifoliae
Sibling taxa
S. alaxensis, S. alba, S. amygdaloides, S. arbusculoides, S. arctica, S. arctophila, S. argyrocarpa, S. arizonica, S. athabascensis, S. atrocinerea, S. aurita, S. babylonica, S. ballii, S. barclayi, S. barrattiana, S. bonplandiana, S. boothii, S. brachycarpa, S. breweri, S. calcicola, S. candida, S. caprea, S. caroliniana, S. cascadensis, S. chamissonis, S. chlorolepis, S. cinerea, S. columbiana, S. commutata, S. cordata, S. daphnoides, S. delnortensis, S. discolor, S. drummondiana, S. eastwoodiae, S. elaeagnos, S. eriocephala, S. euxina, S. exigua, S. famelica, S. farriae, S. floridana, S. fuscescens, S. geyeriana, S. glauca, S. gooddingii, S. hastata, S. herbacea, S. hookeriana, S. humboldtiana, S. humilis, S. interior, S. irrorata, S. jejuna, S. jepsonii, S. laevigata, S. lasiandra, S. lasiolepis, S. lemmonii, S. ligulifolia, S. lucida, S. lutea, S. maccalliana, S. melanopsis, S. monochroma, S. monticola, S. myricoides, S. myrsinifolia, S. myrtillifolia, S. nigra, S. niphoclada, S. nivalis, S. nummularia, S. orestera, S. ovalifolia, S. pedicellaris, S. pellita, S. pentandra, S. petiolaris, S. petrophila, S. phlebophylla, S. planifolia, S. polaris, S. prolixa, S. pseudomonticola, S. pseudomyrsinites, S. pulchra, S. purpurea, S. pyrifolia, S. raupii, S. reticulata, S. richardsonii, S. rotundifolia, S. scouleriana, S. sericea, S. serissima, S. sessilifolia, S. setchelliana, S. silicicola, S. sitchensis, S. sphenophylla, S. stolonifera, S. taxifolia, S. thurberi, S. tracyi, S. triandra, S. turnorii, S. tweedyi, S. tyrrellii, S. uva-ursi, S. vestita, S. viminalis, S. wolfii, S. ×fragilis, S. ×jesupii, S. ×pendulina, S. ×sepulcralis, S. ×smithiana
S. alaxensis, S. alba, S. amygdaloides, S. arbusculoides, S. arctica, S. arctophila, S. argyrocarpa, S. arizonica, S. athabascensis, S. atrocinerea, S. aurita, S. babylonica, S. ballii, S. barclayi, S. barrattiana, S. bebbiana, S. bonplandiana, S. boothii, S. brachycarpa, S. breweri, S. calcicola, S. candida, S. caprea, S. caroliniana, S. cascadensis, S. chamissonis, S. chlorolepis, S. cinerea, S. columbiana, S. commutata, S. cordata, S. daphnoides, S. delnortensis, S. discolor, S. drummondiana, S. eastwoodiae, S. elaeagnos, S. eriocephala, S. euxina, S. exigua, S. famelica, S. farriae, S. floridana, S. fuscescens, S. geyeriana, S. glauca, S. gooddingii, S. hastata, S. herbacea, S. hookeriana, S. humboldtiana, S. humilis, S. interior, S. irrorata, S. jejuna, S. jepsonii, S. laevigata, S. lasiandra, S. lasiolepis, S. lemmonii, S. ligulifolia, S. lucida, S. lutea, S. maccalliana, S. monochroma, S. monticola, S. myricoides, S. myrsinifolia, S. myrtillifolia, S. nigra, S. niphoclada, S. nivalis, S. nummularia, S. orestera, S. ovalifolia, S. pedicellaris, S. pellita, S. pentandra, S. petiolaris, S. petrophila, S. phlebophylla, S. planifolia, S. polaris, S. prolixa, S. pseudomonticola, S. pseudomyrsinites, S. pulchra, S. purpurea, S. pyrifolia, S. raupii, S. reticulata, S. richardsonii, S. rotundifolia, S. scouleriana, S. sericea, S. serissima, S. sessilifolia, S. setchelliana, S. silicicola, S. sitchensis, S. sphenophylla, S. stolonifera, S. taxifolia, S. thurberi, S. tracyi, S. triandra, S. turnorii, S. tweedyi, S. tyrrellii, S. uva-ursi, S. vestita, S. viminalis, S. wolfii, S. ×fragilis, S. ×jesupii, S. ×pendulina, S. ×sepulcralis, S. ×smithiana
Synonyms S. rostrata, S. bebbiana var. capreifolia, S. bebbiana var. depilis, S. bebbiana var. luxurians, S. bebbiana var. perrostrata, S. bebbiana var. projecta, S. depressa subsp. rostrata S. bolanderiana, S. exigua var. gracilipes, S. exigua subsp. melanopsis, S. exigua var. tenerrima, S. fluviatilis var. tenerrima, S. longifolia var. tenerrima, S. melanopsis var. bolanderiana, S. melanopsis var. gracilipes, S. melanopsis var. kronkheitii, S. melanopsis var. tenerrima, S. parksiana, S. sessilifolia var. vancouverensis, S. tenerrima
Name authority Sargent: Gard. & Forest 8: 463. (1895) Nuttall: N. Amer. Sylv. 1: 78, plate 21. (1842)
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