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Del Norte willow

glaucous willow, gray willow, gray-leaf willow, grey-leaf willow

Habit Shrubs, 1–2 m, (sometimes forming clones by stem fragmentation). Plants 0.2–6 m, not clonal.
Stems

branches (highly brittle at base), red-brown, not glaucous, tomentose or velvety to glabrescent;

branchlets red-brown or yellow-brown, densely velvety, (buds caprea-type).

erect or decumbent;

branches brownish, yellow-brown, gray-brown, or red-brown, villous or pilose to glabrescent;

branchlets yellow-brown or red-brown, sparsely to densely villous or tomentose to glabrescent.

Leaves

stipules absent or rudimentary on early ones, rudimentary or foliaceous on late ones, apex acute;

petiole convex to flat, or shallowly grooved adaxially, 6–16 mm, velvety or tomentose adaxially;

largest medial blade elliptic or obovate, 53–102 × 29–54 mm, 1.3–2.8 times as long as wide, base cuneate or convex, margins slightly revolute, entire or sinuate, apex convex, rounded, or acute, abaxial surface glaucous (sometimes obscured by hairs), densely to sparsely velvety, tomentose, villous, or short-silky, hairs erect or spreading, wavy, adaxial dull, sparsely tomentose or short-silky;

proximal blade margins entire;

juvenile blade green, very densely velvety or long-silky abaxially, hairs white or gray.

stipules (marcescent or not), foliaceous or rudimentary on early and late ones;

petiole (usually deeply to shallowly grooved adaxially), 1–27 mm, (much longer than subtended bud);

largest medial blade usually hypostomatous, sometimes hemiamphistomatous or amphistomatous, usually narrowly elliptic, elliptic, usually oblanceolate or obovate, sometimes narrowly oblong or obovate, 27–82 × 6–39 mm, 1.4–4.8 times as long as wide, base usually cuneate or convex, sometimes rounded, rarely subcordate, margins slightly revolute or flat, usually entire, apex acute, acuminate, convex, or rounded, abaxial surface densely villous or villous-silky, tomentose, short- or long-silky, or pilose, hairs usually wavy or straight, sometimes curved, adaxial usually slightly glossy, sometimes dull, moderately densely villous, pilose, or long-silky to glabrescent;

proximal blade margins entire or serrulate;

juvenile blade sparsely or densely villous, tomentose, or long-silky abaxially.

Staminate flowers

adaxial nectary narrowly oblong to oblong, 0.5–1 mm;

filaments distinct or slightly connate, glabrous;

anthers purple turning yellow, ellipsoid, 0.6–0.7 mm.

abaxial nectary 0.1–1 mm, adaxial nectary narrowly oblong, oblong, square, ovate, or flask-shaped, 0.5–1.3 mm, nectaries distinct, or connate and cup-shaped;

filaments distinct or slightly or partly connate, glabrous, or hairy on proximal 1/2;

anthers 0.4–0.8 mm.

Pistillate flowers

adaxial nectary narrowly oblong to oblong, 0.4–0.9 mm, longer than stipe;

stipe 0–0.3 mm;

ovary obturbinate, short-silky or densely pubescent, beak gradually tapering to styles;

ovules 14–18 per ovary;

styles 0.6–1.2 mm;

stigmas flat, abaxially non-papillate with rounded tip, or 2 plump lobes, 0.2–0.32–0.4 mm.

abaxial nectary absent, adaxial nectary usually narrowly oblong, oblong, or ovate, sometimes flask-shaped, 0.4–1.8 mm, shorter to longer than stipe;

stipe 0.3–2.8 mm;

ovary pyriform or obclavate, densely villous, tomentose, short-silky, or pubescent, beak usually gradually tapering to styles, sometimes gradually tapering to or slightly bulged below styles;

ovules 6–22 per ovary;

styles connate to distinct 1/2 their lengths or more, 0.3–1.6 mm;

stigmas flat, abaxially non-papillate with rounded tip, or slenderly or broadly cylindrical, 0.2–0.8 mm.

Capsules

4 mm.

4.5–9 mm.

Catkins

flowering before leaves emerge; staminate stout, 25–30 × 6–13 mm, flowering branchlet 0–5 mm; pistillate moderately densely flowered, slender to stout, 17–53 × 6–8 mm, flowering branchlet 1–3 mm;

floral bract brown, 1.2–2.2 mm, apex rounded, abaxially hairy, hairs straight.

staminate 14–53 × 5–17 mm, flowering branchlet 1–25 mm; pistillate densely to sometimes loosely flowered, slender, stout, subglobose, or globose, 15–83 × 7–21 mm, flowering branchlet 2–37 mm;

floral bract tawny, brown, bicolor, or greenish, 1–3.4 mm, apex convex or rounded, entire, abaxially hairy, hairs wavy, crinkled, or straight.

2n

= 76, 95, 114, 152.

Salix delnortensis

Salix glauca

Phenology Flowering late Mar-early May.
Habitat Streamshores, gravel to boulder substrates, serpentine soils
Elevation 90-500 m (300-1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CO; MT; NM; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; MB; NS; NT; NU; ON; QC; SK; YT; Eurasia (China [Altay Shan], Chukotka, Mongolia, Novaya Zemlya, Russian Far East, Sakhalin, Scandinavia, arctic, e, w Siberia)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The origin of the serpentine endemics Salix breweri and S. delnortensis is still unresolved (G. W. Argus 1997; R. D. Dorn 2000). The possibility that they are of hybrid origin, perhaps involving S. lasiolepis and S. sitchensis (Dorn 1976), cannot be resolved by field and herbarium studies alone; cytological and experimental methods need to be employed.

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

Varieties 5 (4 in the flora).

Occurrence of Salix glauca is disjunct in western Siberia; var. glauca is known from Scandinavia.

Salix glauca is ubiquitous, highly polymorphic, and polyploid. It appears to have four major variations that are treated in different ways. European floras have treated it as an undivided polymorphic species(A. K. Skvortsov 1999), as several distinct species (K. H. Rechinger 1964b), or as comprising several subspecies (Rechinger 1993; G. W. Argus et al. 1999; B. Jonsell and T. Karlsson 2000+, vol. 1). In North America, Argus (1965) treated the four central tendencies as widely intergrading “phases” of a single species, later adopting varietal rank, whereas E. Hultén (1968) recognized them as subspecies. In view of the fact that the four elements are confluent over wide areas, there may be some merit in recognizing them as informal phases, but varietal rank is used here.

All specimens from Iceland named Salix glauca are S. arctica and those from Svalbard, Norway, are S. lanata Linnaeus.

The major reason for the high variability within Salix glauca seems to be high, and probably recurrent, polyploidy. Tetraploids, pentaploids, hexaploids, and octoploids are known in the species, and two of the subspecies include three ploidal levels. There also are intergrading geographical variations that are the basis for the recognition of infraspecific taxa.

Hybrids:

Salix glauca forms natural hybrids with S. arctica, S. arctophila, S. ballii, S. barclayi, S. boothii, S. brachycarpa, S. eastwoodiae, S. myricoides, S. niphoclada, S. pedicellaris, and S. planifolia.

The following key will help identify the varieties, but there are extensive areas of overlap among them and many intermediates.

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

Key
1. Stipules often marcescent, foliaceous on late leaves, usually prominent, linear, narrowly elliptic, or lanceolate, 2-17 mm; branches red-brown or gray-brown or brownish; branchlets densely villous to glabrescent; proximal blades: margins entire; floral bracts 1.2-2.5 mm; staminate flowering branchlets 1-14 mm; ovaries obclavate or pyriform; Alaska, Canada
→ 2
1. Stipules sometimes marcescent or rudimentary, if foliaceous, usually inconspicuous, oblong, elliptic, or ovate, 1-8(-10) mm; branches usually yellow-brown or red-brown; branchlets usually sparsely villous or tomentose; proximal blades: margins entire or serrulate; floral bracts 1-3.4 mm; staminate flowering branchlets 1.5-25 mm; ovaries pyriform; northern Canada east of Mackenzie River, Greenland, Rocky Mountains
→ 3
2. Shrubs, 0.3-1 m; branchlets densely villous; petioles 1-9 mm; largest medial blades: apex acute, sometimes acuminate, or convex, adaxial surface moderately densely villous, or long-silky to glabrescent; staminate catkins 14-26 mm; filaments distinct or partly connate, glabrous or hairy on proximal 1/2; pistillate catkins stout to subglobose, flowering branchlets 2-19 mm; stipes 0.4-1.8 mm; Alaska, Northwest Territories, w Nunavut, n Yukon.
var. stipulata
2. Shrubs, 0.3-6 m; branchlets soon becoming pilose or glabrescent; petioles 4-27 mm; largest medial blades: apex acuminate to convex, adaxial surface often sparsely long-silky or pilose; staminate catkins 19-45 mm; filaments distinct, glabrous; pistillate catkins slender to stout, flowering branchlets 3-37 mm; stipes 0.5-2.8 mm; c Alaska, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon.
var. acutifolia
3. Stipules 0.9-2.8-8(-10) mm, sometimes marcescent; floral bracts usually brownish; largest medial blades: petiole 3-14 mm; Alberta, British Columbia, Rocky Mountains, Saskatchewan to New Mexico.
var. villosa
3. Stipules 1-2.1-4 mm, usually deciduous (in autumn); floral bracts usually tawny; largest medial blades: petiole 2-9 mm; c, e Canada, Greenland, St. Pierre and Miquelon.
var. cordifolia
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 161. FNA vol. 7, p. 89.
Parent taxa Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Vetrix > sect. Sitchenses Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Chamaetia > sect. Glaucae
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. 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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
S. glauca var. acutifolia, S. glauca var. cordifolia, S. glauca var. stipulata, S. glauca var. villosa
Synonyms S. breweri var. delnortensis
Name authority C. K. Schneider: J. Arnold Arbor. 1: 96. (1919) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 1019. (1753)
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