The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

gray-leaf Sierra willow, gray-leafed Sierra willow, Sierra willow

limestone willow, woolly willow

Habit Plants 0.5–2 m. Stems: branches dark red-brown or yellow-brown, not to strongly glaucous, glabrous; branchlets yellow-brown or red-brown, (not or weakly glaucous), pilose or pubescent, hairs straight, wavy, or geniculate, (inner membranaceous bud-scale layer free, separating from outer layer). Plants 0.05–1.3 m, (gnarled, sometimes forming clones by layering).
Stems

branches yellow-brown, gray-brown, orred-brown, not to weakly glaucous (dull or slightly glossy), villous to glabrescent;

branchlets yellow-brown or red-brown, moderately densely to sparsely villous, (buds caprea- or arctica-type, scale inner membranaceous layer free, separating from outer layer in var. calcicola).

Leaves

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

petiole convex to flat, or shallowly grooved adaxially, 4–9 mm, pilose adaxially;

largest medial blade (sometimes amphistomatous), lorate, narrowly oblong, narrowly elliptic, or oblanceolate, 35–95 × 7.5–20 mm, 3.4–7.1 times as long as wide, base cuneate or convex, margins flat or slightly revolute, entire, apex acute, acuminate, or convex, abaxial surface glaucous (sometimes obscured by hairs), sparsely to moderately densely long- to short-silky or pubescent, hairs (white, sometimes also ferruginous), straight or wavy, adaxial dull or slightly glossy, sparsely or moderately densely pubescent or long- to short-silky, (hairs white, sometimes also ferruginous);

proximal blade margins entire or serrulate;

juvenile blade densely long-silky abaxially, hairs white, sometimes also ferruginous.

stipules (sometimes marcescent), foliaceous, (1–6–14 mm, 1.1–2–4.4 times as long as wide, usually ovate, oval, or narrowly elliptic, flat when pressed), apex acute, convex, or rounded;

petiole shallowly grooved, or convex to flat adaxially, 1.5–3.8–9 mm, villous or pilose adaxially;

largest medial blade (sometimes hemiamphistomatous), narrowly to broadly elliptic or subcircular, 16–31.5–61 × 10–21.8–44 mm, 0.7–1.5–2.6 times as long as wide, base rounded or convex, sometimes cordate or cuneate, margins (sometimes purplish), flat, entire or serrulate, apex acuminate, acute, or rounded, abaxial surface glaucous, sparsely villous or pilose to glabrescent, hairs straight, adaxial dull or slightly glossy, sparsely villous or pilose;

proximal blade margins entire;

juvenile blade reddish or yellowish green, moderately densely villous abaxially, hairs white.

Staminate flowers

adaxial nectary oblong or ovate, 0.6–1.1 mm;

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

anthers purple turning yellow, 0.6–1 mm.

adaxial nectary oblong or narrowly oblong, 0.5–1.2 mm;

filaments distinct, glabrous;

anthers purple turning yellow, ellipsoid or shortly cylindrical, 0.5–0.7 mm.

Pistillate flowers

adaxial nectary oblong or flask-shaped, 0.7–1.3 mm, shorter than or equal to stipe;

stipe 0.8–2 mm;

ovary obclavate or pyriform, short-silky-villous, beak gradually tapering to or slightly bulged below styles;

ovules 15–16 per ovary;

styles 0.6–1 mm;

stigmas flat, abaxially non-papillate with rounded or pointed tip, or broadly cylindrical, 0.24–0.32–0.44 mm.

adaxial nectary oblong, 0.2–1.1 mm, longer than or equal to stipe (rarely shorter);

stipe 0.2–1.2 mm;

ovary pyriform or obclavate, beak gradually tapering to styles;

ovules 13–20 per ovary;

styles 0.9–3 mm;

stigmas broadly cylindrical, 0.2–0.56 mm.

Capsules

5–10 mm.

4–8 mm.

Catkins

flowering as leaves emerge; staminate stout, 15.5–34 × 7–14 mm, flowering branchlet 1–8 mm; pistillate moderately densely flowered, stout, 20–55(–65 in fruit) × 11–13 mm, flowering branchlet 2–15 mm;

floral bract dark brown or bicolor, 1.2–2.5 mm, apex acute or rounded, abaxially hairy, hairs straight or wavy.

flowering before leaves emerge; staminate (no data on var. glandulosior) stout, 18–45 × 13–21 mm, flowering branchlet 0 mm; pistillate (no data on var. glandulosior except flowering branchlet length) densely flowered, stout, 32–75(–100 in fruit) × 12–25 mm, flowering branchlet 0–5 mm;

floral bract brown or black, 1.2–3.2 mm, apex rounded or acute, abaxially hairy, hairs straight.

Salix orestera

Salix calcicola

Phenology Flowering late May-late Aug.
Habitat Subalpine meadows, slopes, lakes, streams, granite substrates
Elevation 2100-4000 m (6900-13100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; AB; MB; NU; ON; QC
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Salix orestera is so similar to S. glauca var. villosa that it is sometimes included in S. glauca. It is phenetically most similar to S. eastwoodiae and S. lemmonii (G. W. Argus 1997), and the possibility that it is a hybrid or an alloploid involving those species needs study.

Salix orestera can be distinguished from S. glauca var. villosa in having largest medial blades usually narrower, 3.4–7.1 times as long as wide, abaxial surfaces distinctly silky with appressed hairs pointing toward apex, hairs sometimes ferruginous, secondary veins raised abaxially and adaxially, branches often strongly glaucous, and staminate flowers without abaxial nectaries; S. glauca var. villosa has largest medial blades usually broader, 2.2–3.9 times as long as wide, abaxial surfaces usually glabrescent or, if hairy, hairs unkempt, slightly spreading, hairs always white, secondary veins raised abaxially, flat or impressed adaxially, branches not glaucous, staminate flowers often with abaxial nectaries.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Styles 1.6-3 mm; largest medial blades: margins often purplish, teeth or glands 6-18 per cm; stipes 0.2-1.2 mm; e Canadian Arctic.
var. calcicola
1. Styles 0.9-1.8 mm; largest medial blades: margins green, teeth or glands 5-22 per cm; stipes 0.3-0.6 mm; Alberta, Colorado.
var. glandulosior
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 108. FNA vol. 7, p. 143.
Parent taxa Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Vetrix > sect. Hastatae Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Vetrix > sect. Lanatae
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. 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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
S. calcicola var. calcicola, S. calcicola var. glandulosior
Synonyms S. commutata var. rubicunda, S. glauca subsp. orestera, S. glauca var. orestera S. richardsonii var. macouniana, S. lanata subsp. calcicola
Name authority C. K. Schneider: J. Arnold Arbor. 1: 164. (1920) Fernald & Wiegand: Rhodora 13: 251. (1911)
Web links