Salix geyeriana
Salix pseudomyrsinites
Geyer willow, Geyer's willow
firmleaf willow, tall blueberry willow
branches (sometimes ± brittle at base), yellow-green, gray-brown, red-brown, or violet, usually glaucous, glabrous or sparsely tomentose;
branchlets yellowish, yellow-brown, red-brown, or violet, (strongly glaucous or not), glabrous or sparsely to moderately densely pubescent, (buds caprea-type).
stipules usually absent or rudimentary (rarely foliaceous);
petiole convex to flat, or shallowly to deeply grooved adaxially, 2–9 mm, velvety, short-silky, or pubescent adaxially;
largest medial blade lorate, narrowly elliptic, or linear, 32–89 × 5.5–14 mm, 3.6–8.4(–11.3) times as long as wide, base cuneate or convex, margins flat or slightly revolute, entire or distantly and shallowly serrulate, apex acute to acuminate, abaxial surface glaucous, glabrous or densely short- or long-silky, hairs (white, sometimes also ferruginous), straight, adaxial slightly glossy, densely short- or long-silky, especially midrib, to glabrescent, (hairs white, sometimes also ferruginous);
proximal blade margins entire or distantly and shallowly serrulate;
juvenile blade reddish or yellowish green, densely to sparsely long- or short-silky abaxially, hairs white, sometimes also ferruginous.
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, ovate, or square, 0.3–0.8(–0.9) mm;
filaments distinct, glabrous or hairy on proximal 1/2 or basally;
anthers yellow or purple turning yellow, ellipsoid or globose, 0.4–0.5(–0.6) 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, square, or ovate, 0.2–1 mm;
stipe (0.4–)1–2.8 mm;
ovary pyriform (gourd-shaped), beak gradually tapering to styles;
ovules 6–12 per ovary;
styles 0.1–0.2(–0.6) mm;
stigmas flat, abaxially non-papillate with rounded or pointed tip, 0.2–0.3–0.44 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–)4–6 mm.
4.4–6.4 mm.
flowering (before or) as leaves emerge; staminate globose, (1–1.1–)11–18 × 6–11 mm, flowering branchlet 1–5 mm; pistillate densely to loosely flowered, subglobose to globose, 8–21 × 7–17 mm, flowering branchlet 0.5–8 mm;
floral bract tawny or brown (black), 1.2–2.8 mm, apex rounded or acute, abaxially hairy, hairs short, wavy or straight.
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.
= 38.
= 76.
Salix geyeriana
Salix pseudomyrsinites
Salix geyeriana is characterized by its dark gray appearance, slender, dark branches, narrow leaves long-silky on both surfaces, general absence of stipules, and small, subglobose catkins. Plants in the Pacific Northwest with foliaceous stipules may be hybrids or introgressants, but the other parent is unknown.
Hybrids:
Salix geyeriana forms natural hybrids with S. bebbiana, S. irrorata, S. lemmonii, S. ligulifolia, and S. pedicellaris. Alleged hybrids with S. sitchensis, based on plants from British Columbia with broader, more hairy leaves, and catkins longer than in S. geyeriana, but with the short stipes of S. sitchensis (J. K. Henry 1915), are unconvincing.
Salix geyeriana × S. irrorata: A series of specimens from Arizona usually resemble S. geyeriana but have some characters of S. irrorata: foliaceous stipules, toothed leaf margins, catkins flowering before leaves emerge, shorter stipes (0.4–1.2 mm), and longer styles (0.2–0.6 mm). They also have some unique characters: proximal leaves sometimes serrulate, leaves sometimes amphistomatous, adaxial leaf surfaces mostly with ferruginous hairs, and ovaries sometimes gourd-shaped.
Salix geyeriana × S. lemmonii is uncommon but in mixed stands of the parental species some plants resemble S. geyeriana in having relatively short, subspherical catkins, small anthers, and petioles sometimes with petiolar glands; and S. lemmonii in having leaf blades amphistomatous, margins serrulate, and foliaceous stipules on early leaves. Because the species have different chromosome numbers, hybrids may be infertile, but occasional seeds have been seen. This hybrid is known from California (Lassen and Sierra counties), Oregon (Jefferson and Lane counties), and near Victoria, British Columbia.
Salix geyeriana × S. ligulifolia: Plants in Arizona with rudimentary stipules and leaves with ferruginous hairs may be this hybrid.
Salix geyeriana × S. pedicellaris occurs in Washington. It has the white and ferruginous hairs on leaves and ovaries of S. geyeriana, and leaves glaucous adaxially with prominent 2 and 3 veins of S. pedicellaris.
(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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