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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

firmleaf willow, tall blueberry willow

Habit Plants 1–7 m. Stems: branches gray-brown, red-brown, or yellow-brown, glaucous to strongly so (slightly to highly glossy), villous to glabrescent; branchlets gray-brown, red-brown, yellow-brown, or yellow-green, (not or weakly glaucous), pilose, densely villous, or tomentose.
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 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.

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.

adaxial nectary oblong square, 0.2–0.4–0.6 mm;

filaments distinct, glabrous;

anthers purple turning yellow, 0.4–0.7 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 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.

Capsules

5–9 mm.

4.4–6.4 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.

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.

2n

= 38.

= 76.

Salix bebbiana

Salix pseudomyrsinites

Phenology Flowering early Apr-late Jun. Flowering early May-early 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 Shores of lakes and streams, dwarf-birch thickets, fens, marl bogs, rarely in treed bogs
Elevation 0-3300 m (0-10800 ft) 40-1000 m (100-3300 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
AK; AB; BC; MB; NT; NU; ON; SK; YT
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 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.)

Source FNA vol. 7, p. 134. FNA vol. 7, p. 110.
Parent taxa Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Vetrix > sect. Fulvae Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Vetrix > sect. Hastatae
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. 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. 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. myrtillifolia var. cordata, S. myrtillifolia var. pseudomyrsinites, S. novae-angliae var. cordata
Name authority Sargent: Gard. & Forest 8: 463. (1895) Andersson: Öfvers. Kongl. Vetensk.-Akad. Förh. 15: 129. (1858)
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