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halberd willow

hoary willow, sage willow, sage-leaf willow

Habit Plants 0.2–4 m. Stems: branches reddish brown, not glaucous, (slightly glossy), pilose; branchlets yellow-brown or red-brown, villous or pilose. Plants often forming clones by layering.
Stems

branches dark gray-brown to yellow-brown, not glaucous, woolly in patches or floccose to glabrescent;

branchlets yellow-brown to red-brown or gray-brown, densely (white) woolly or tomentose, sometimes floccose.

Leaves

stipules foliaceous, apex acute to acuminate;

petiole convex to flat, or shallowly grooved adaxially, 2–6(–9) mm, pilose or villous adaxially;

largest medial blade narrowly to broadly elliptic or narrowly ovate to ovate, 25–92 × 10–45 mm, 1.5–2.6(–3.4) times as long as wide, base convex, cuneate, or rounded, margins slightly revolute or flat, shallowly serrulate or entire, apex acuminate, acute, or convex, abaxial surface glaucous, sparsely pubescent, hairs wavy, adaxial dull to slightly glossy, pilose, sparsely pubescent or glabrous, midrib hairy, (hairs white and ferruginous);

proximal blade margins entire or finely serrulate;

juvenile blade sometimes reddish, sparsely pubescent abaxially, hairs white, sometimes also ferruginous.

stipules rudimentary or foliaceous on early ones, late ones 2–3.6 mm, apex acute;

petiole shallowly to deeply grooved adaxially, 3–10 mm, tomentose or densely (white) woolly adaxially (obscured by hairs);

largest medial blade lorate, narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, 47–103 × 5–20 mm, base convex or cuneate, margins strongly to slightly revolute, entire, or sinuate, apex acute or convex, abaxial surface glaucous (generally obscured by hairs), very densely to sparsely tomentose-woolly (cobwebby in age), hairs dull white, crinkled, adaxial dull or slightly glossy, moderately densely to sparsely tomentose, floccose, hairs dull white;

proximal blade margins entire;

juvenile blade yellowish green, very densely tomentose abaxially, hairs white.

Staminate flowers

adaxial nectary oblong or square, 0.3–0.7 mm;

filaments distinct or basally connate, glabrous;

anthers purple turning yellow, 0.4–0.6 mm.

adaxial nectary narrowly oblong to oblong, 0.6–1 mm;

filaments distinct or connate less than 1/2 their lengths;

anthers purple turning yellow, ellipsoid, long-cylindrical, or globose, 0.4–0.6 mm.

Pistillate flowers

adaxial nectary square or obovate, 0.3–0.6 mm, usually shorter than stipe;

stipe 0.4–1.2 mm;

ovary pyriform, glabrous, beak gradually tapering to styles;

ovules 12–22 per ovary;

styles connate (sometimes distinct 1/2 their lengths), 0.2–0.5 mm;

stigmas flat, abaxially non-papillate with rounded tip, or broadly cylindrical, or 2 plump lobes, 0.2–0.32–0.44 mm.

adaxial nectary oblong, 0.4–1 mm;

ovary pyriform, beak sometimes slightly bulged below styles;

ovules 12–18 per ovary;

styles 0.3–1.9 mm.

Capsules

3.2–8 mm.

4–6 mm.

Catkins

flowering as leaves emerge; staminate slender, stout, or subglobose, 14.5–34.5 × 8–12 mm, flowering branchlet 1–7 mm; pistillate moderately densely or loosely flowered, slender or stout, 21–59 × 6–16 mm, flowering branchlet 1.5–9 mm;

floral bract brown or bicolor, 1.2–1.8 mm, apex acute to rounded, abaxially glabrate to hairy, hairs straight to wavy.

flowering as leaves emerge; staminate stout or subglobose, 17–39 × 8–16 mm, flowering branchlet 0.5–7 mm; pistillate densely to moderately densely flowered, stout or slender, 20–66 × 9–18 mm, flowering branchlet 1–24 mm;

floral bract tawny or brown, 1.2–1.8 mm, apex rounded or acute, abaxially hairy, hairs straight to wavy.

2n

= 38.

= 38.

Salix hastata

Salix candida

Phenology Flowering early Jun-late Jul. Flowering mid Apr-early Jul.
Habitat Sandy and gravelly river bars and floodplains, lakeshores, sand dunes and blowouts, Dryas tundra, alpine sedge meadows, balsam poplar thickets, openings in upland spruce-willow forests Floodplains, marl bogs, fens, and meadows, calcareous substrates
Elevation 0-1200 m (0-3900 ft) 10-2800 m (0-9200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; NT; YT; Eurasia (Norway, Russia, Siberia)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CO; CT; IA; ID; IL; IN; MA; ME; MI; MN; MT; ND; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; SD; VT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; NU; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; SPM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Salix hastata is characterized by branches pilose with short, curved hairs; juvenile and mature leaves with white or ferruginous hairs adaxially, glaucous or not abaxially; and ovaries often reddish. See 61. S. barclayi and 64. S. farriae.

Subspecies subintegrifolia, characterized by entire or subentire leaf margins, is recognized in Flora Nordica as the major northern Eurasian race of Salix hastata, and is described as occurring across Russia into northwestern North America (B. Jonsell and T. Karlsson 2000+, vol. 1). Because leaf marginal toothing is highly variable throughout the species range (E. Hultén 1967), the subspecies is not recognized here or in Russia (A. K. Skvortsov 1999).

Hybrids:

Salix hastata forms natural hybrids with S. barclayi.

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

Occurrence of Salix candida in Nunavut is on Akimiski Island in James Bay.

Salix candida is geographically wide-ranging but limited to calcareous habitats and, for that reason, it is quite local or even rare in some parts of its range.

Hybrids:

Salix candida forms natural hybrids with S. bebbiana, S. brachycarpa var. brachycarpa, S. calcicola, S. eriocephala, S. famelica, S. myrtillifolia, S. petiolaris, and S. planifolia. Hybrids with S. discolor, S. petiolaris, and S. sericea have been reported (the latter also by C. K. Schneider 1921; M. L. Fernald 1950) but no convincing specimens have been seen. Salix candida hybrids are recognized from their woolly indumentum that often is conspicuous on leaves, stems, and ovaries. In hybrids, these characters, especially woolly patches on ovaries, stand out as discordant variation.

Salix candida × S. eriocephala (S. ×rubella Bebb ex C. K. Schneider) was described by W. W. Rowlee and K. M. Wiegand (1896) as S. candida × S. cordata. In addition to woolly patches on the ovaries, they noted that buds of the hybrids usually are shorter, more divergent, and blunter than those in S. eriocephala, and are glabrous or hairy. Known from New York and Newfoundland; it should be expected throughout the sympatric range of the parental species.

Salix candida × S. famelica: The Saskatchewan specimen resembles S. famelica but has the leaf indumentum of S. candida.

Salix candida × S. myrtillifolia: Saskatchewan specimens combine characters of the two parents.

Salix candida × S. petiolaris: Intermediates between these species are known from Michigan and New York (W. W. Rowlee and K. M. Wiegand 1896) as well as Ontario and Saskatchewan, but can be expected wherever the two grow together. The invalid name “S. ×clarkei” is sometimes used for this hybrid.

The glabrescent form of Salix candida, forma denudata (Andersson) Rouleau, may be of hybrid origin.

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

Source FNA vol. 7, p. 116. FNA vol. 7, p. 141.
Parent taxa Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Vetrix > sect. Hastatae Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Vetrix > sect. Candidae
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. 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. 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. 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
Synonyms S. farriae var. walpolei, S. hastata subsp. subintegrifolia, S. walpolei S. candida var. denudata
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 1017. (1753) Flüggé ex Willdenow: Sp. Pl. 4: 708. (1806)
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